7 Addams Family cast members who look totally different in Western roles

These Old West characters are a far cry from the spooky parts that they’re best known for.

Though it only originally aired for two seasons, The Addams Family has continued to be a huge presence in pop culture. For many fans, the original 1960s cast is still the best iteration of each character and the actors are instantly recognizable, at least in their kooky and spooky attire.

Here are members of the Addams Family looking totally different. They’ve swapped suits for suspenders and cobwebs for cowboy hats. It's the Addams Family out west! Well, the actors at least.

1. Carolyn Jones

 

After appearing in classic '50s films like House of Wax and The Tender Trap with Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds, Carolyn Jones ventured into television on shows like Dr. Kildare. She was also in three episodes of Wagon Train before becoming Morticia Addams. Two of Jones’ Wagon Train episodes are in color, a rarity for the classic Western. In “The Jenna Douglas Story,” seen here, Jones plays the title character who looks nothing like Morticia Addams but did break out of a straightjacket.

2. John Astin

 

John Astin was no stranger to Westerns, appearing in Maverick, Bonanza, The Wild Wild West and even an Old West episode of The Twilight Zone, “A Hundred Yards Over the Rim.” Astin also played Festus Haggen’s cousin, Hard Luck Henry, shown here, in one memorable Gunsmoke episode.

3. Jackie Coogan

 

Jackie Coogan began his career as a child star in silent films. By the time he became Uncle Fester, he had dozens of credits to his name and had appeared on TV in everything from Alfred Hitchcock Presents to The Andy Griffith Show. After The Addams Family, Coogan acted in Westerns like The Virginian and The Wild Wild West. He was also in the Don Knotts movie The Shakiest Gun in the West, shown here, as the assistant to a gun-smuggling preacher.

4. Ted Cassidy

 

Lurch was Ted Cassidy’s very first credited role and it jumpstarted his Hollywood career. After The Addams Family, Cassidy was in Batman, Star Trek, The Beverly Hillbillies and much more. In the season 11 Bonanza episode “Decision at Los Robles” he played a tall, intimidating cowboy (seen here) employed by a man bent on revenge against Ben and Joe Cartwright.

5. Blossom Rock

 

Blossom Rock, also known as Marie Blake, ended her long career playing Grandmama in The Addams Family. Before that, she was best known as Sally the receptionist in the many Dr. Kildare films of the 1940s. In 1962, she appeared in the TV Western Lawman, seen here, in a much more serious and put-together role than she would embody two years later in Addams Family.

6. Ken Weatherwax

 

Ken Weatherwax’s only acting credits are Addams Family projects – the original 1960s series, the 1973 animated version and the 1977 reunion film. Except for one, that is. He had a small role as one of many children in the Wagon Train episode “The John Gillman Story,” which originally aired a month after The Addams Family premiered in the fall of 1964.

7. Felix Silla

 

Though he often embodied characters with elaborate costumes that didn’t show his face, Felix Silla had a long career that spanned everything from The Monkees to Spaceballs. He was Cousin Itt in The Addams Family but also Twiki in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and an Ewok in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. One of Silla’s first onscreen roles came in the Bonanza episode “Hoss and the Leprechauns,” seen here.

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42 Comments

dbartoli 18 months ago
How did you guys miss Ted Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? His fight with Paul Newman is a classic.
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MarkDavis 40 months ago
Felix Silla They said he was Twiki in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century but didn't do the voice of Twiki Mel Blanc did
WordsmithWorks 41 months ago
And who can forget Jackie Coogan's appearance as the other driver in the Brady Bunch "Fender Bender" episode? The one where when Mike foiled his dastardly plan with a well-timed drop of his briefcase. He was also the guy in the "Double Parked" episode who wouldn't sign the petition to save Woodland Park until "Alice Available" convinced him.
Corey WordsmithWorks 41 months ago
He also played Shirley Partridge father. He replaced Ray "The Scarecrow" Bolger.
JHP 41 months ago
loved the munsters and addams family

theres always a debate between the two - which was best

you cant compare them - Munsters are by far funnier - but Addams family was quirky and more interesting

and Jackie Coogan was really good on Perry Mason
LoveMETV22 JHP 41 months ago
Liked both shows too and some of the characters on both had other credits to their name.
Stoney JHP 41 months ago
It's hard to compare the two because they both had their own distinctive "vibe." I love them both, but if this tells you anything..."The Munsters" is the one I bought the DVD box set for...
Corey JHP 41 months ago
The Munsters were monsters who wanted to be a normal family while The Addams Family looked almost normal who was ghoulish.
JHP Corey 41 months ago
Bingo - have to agree with you:)
Pacificsun Corey 40 months ago
Yeah, that's the right description. Best said, thx!!
JHP Corey 40 months ago
you know and it was a good thing that pat priest or Beverly Owen were the ugly ones:)
JHP Stoney 40 months ago
YOO HOO I am home!

loved Fred Gwynne in car 54 - HINT Me-tV?!

OOH OOH!
LoveMETV22 41 months ago
Found it interesting on a side note that Yvonne De Carlo on the Munsters was not the original Lily. She was cast after the producers felt the original Lily too closely resembled Carolyn Jones.
Pacificsun LoveMETV22 40 months ago
Do we know who it was?
LoveMETV22 Pacificsun 40 months ago
The original was Joan Marshall. The producers felt she too closely resembled Carolyn Jones ,so they made their decision. I believe it was just the pilot episode, so the series is for the most part as we know it today.
NomolosSlatner Pacificsun 28 months ago
Old comment, but better late than never, LOL. I can't remember the actress's name, but if you search YouTube for "Munsters unaired pilot," you'll quickly find a video that will tell you who she was.

Bonus: while you're there, you can watch the entire unaired pilot. It's quite fascinating. There was also a different actor playing Eddie; I think his name was Happy Dorman. It's not difficult to see why they replaced him. Whereas Butch Patrick gave Eddie an endearing persona, Dorman's portrayal was unlikable in the extreme.
daDoctah 41 months ago
Another western role for John Astin was in "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr", where he played a slightly deranged (and why not?) scientist who was always creating wacky inventions for the title hero.
StrayCat daDoctah 41 months ago
For a classic John Astin western comedy, check out "Evil Roy Slade". One of his finest roles.
JHP StrayCat 41 months ago
Yeah Astin really impressed me with his physicality as a n actor
Corey daDoctah 41 months ago
John Astin played Harry Stone's father Buddy on Night Court. But he's feeling a lot better now.
Moonpie 41 months ago
Let's not forget Carolyn Jones in "House of Wax" and Batman to name a few. She was great!
Peter_Falk_Fan Moonpie 41 months ago
Ah, Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, on Batman. I'll have to look for those Wagon Train episodes.
Peter_Falk_Fan 41 months ago
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Yep, and that was stopped by Alfred, who said that Batman was already married to Aunt Harriet...LOL!
cperrynaples Moonpie 41 months ago
Also, let's not forget the original "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" with Kevin McCarthy!
cperrynaples 41 months ago
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justjeff 41 months ago
The only other time I ever saw Ted Cassidy was in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". He was the baddie who wants to knife fight Butch. Paul Newman tells him there's got to be rules. Ted Cassidy replies something to the effect of "Rules? Who ever heard of rules in a knife fight?" and within a split-second, Cassidy (Butch) kicks Cassidy (Ted) in the uh..."lurch" [rhymes will halls"]!
daDoctah justjeff 41 months ago
You missed his appearance as the android Ruk in the first-season Star Trek episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"
StrayCat daDoctah 41 months ago
He can be forgiven, his eyes were likely on Sherry Jackson.
Peter_Falk_Fan justjeff 41 months ago
There is also his Lurch cameo on Batman. Batman and Robin are climbing the side of a building. You can hear Lurch playing The Addams Family theme song on a harpsichord. Lurch leans out the window and says, "Oh, it's you Batman. You gave me quite a start." Just google "Lurch on Batman"
JHP StrayCat 41 months ago
mine still are:)
sputnik_57 41 months ago
It's sad that Ted Cassidy passed away at age 46; Carolyn Jones at 53, and Ken Weatherwax at 59.
sputnik_57 41 months ago
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sputnik_57 41 months ago
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sputnik_57 stephaniestavr5 41 months ago
It's interesting to read about Jackie Coogan and the California Child Actor's Bill (aka Coogan Act).
I won't go into it here, but you can look it up on Wikipedia.
cperrynaples sputnik_57 41 months ago
Yes, his biggest film as a child was "The Kid" with Charlie Chaplin! His parents spent all of his movie money, so California now requires trust funds for young performers!
Corey stephaniestavr5 41 months ago
Sorry you are wrong Ray Bolger did not die to years later. Ray Bolger was on Little House on the Prairie for a few episodes.
Jon stephaniestavr5 40 months ago
Jackie Coogan replaced Ray Bolger on PF, but not because Ray Bolger died. I imagine Bolger was unavailable for some reason instead. In fact, Bolger outlived Coogan by at least 2 years.
Deleted 41 months ago
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Lantern 41 months ago
Blossom Rock was the sister of Jeanette MacDonald.
justjeff 41 months ago
...and Jessilyn Fax. Who knew that a fax was popular in the 1960s?!
daDoctah 41 months ago
The only other Blossom I know (other than Mayim Bialik) was singer Blossom Dearie.
LoveMETV22 41 months ago
There's a few interesting names out there.Lol- That's a whole new topic.
Jon 40 months ago
Yes, Ms. Dearie had a great little girl's voice, even in middle age. She sang in a few SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK segments, including "Unpack Your Adjectives" and "Figure 8".
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