Where you want to believe it or not, “The Munsters” became such a hit and beloved show by its audiences that the family sitcom was requested to appear in a Cheerios commercial. The whole commercial was grounded on iconic themes throughout different episodes of the show, each one linking back to the brand Cheerios.
As a matter of fact, it was recounted by Butch Patrick himself with his character Eddie Munster who stated that “Daddy said they’re the best thing since bat wings!” It’s truly a creative marketing ploy by Cheerios as the show was extremely popular with the younger population, who are more likely to indulge in cereal products compared to adults.
Why Was It Shot in Black and White?
The most popular theory regarding the show’s filming in black and white revolved around the studio’s intent on cutting down cost and unwillingness to pay a premium for shooting it in color. Additionally, there are those who argue that the studio feared that portraying the show in color would spook out the kids who watched them on TV.
While the pilot episode of "The Munsters" was filmed in color, the production team immediately resorted to black and white on the rest of the succeeding episodes. More so, the black and white setup brought some sense of nostalgia to the sitcom and bore much resemblance to the classic black and white monster movies that Universal Studios made in the past.
The Same Guy Who Built the Frankenstein Set Built Grandpa’s Laboratory
Kenneth Strickfaden was in charge of special effects on the production crew of "The Munsters." Strickfaden was also the one who created Grandpa’s laboratory and, at the same time, the set of the 1931 movie adaption of "Frankenstein." Following the Frankenstein film, he established himself as one of the most prominent special effects specialists in Hollywood and developed sci-fi setups for more than a hundred movies.
In "The Munsters," Grandpa’s laboratory utilized a number of similar props from the original laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein. And it proved to be just the right move, given the fact that Herman Munster was inspired by Frankenstein's fictional monster character. It couldn't get any more authentic than that!
The Drag-U-La
Grandpa Munster’s ride, given the fitting name of Drag-U-La, was actually developed with the use of an authentic coffin. The coffin was smuggled to North Hollywood in secrecy as it was prohibited to purchase coffins without a corresponding death certificate. The casket was bought using cash and then placed free-standing on the funeral service at the cover of darkness so Barris and his team can safely grab it and start building the Drag-U-La.
Grandpa’s car was featured on the TV series for just one episode but was shown in the end credits of every episode of its second season. The Drag-U-La was likewise created by Tom Daniel, who was also the creator of the Munster Koach.
The Munsters and The Addams Family's - Just a Coincidence
"The Munsters" first premiered on CBS while "The Addams Family" first aired on ABC, both on the same day. A lot of viewers debated on whether or not either one of the shows tried to rip off the other. In reality, though, both shows were produced without any knowledge of what the other was working on. In the long run, "The Addams Family" ultimately became the victor on the TV screen. Nevertheless, "The Munsters" proved to be a revolutionary show in numerous regards.
Although the show only ran for a couple of seasons, it managed to live on with a fresh batch of audiences who discovered the show via syndication. In case you find yourself searching for a new late-night show to binge-watch, you might want to consider "The Munsters" as your next living room craze.