The Addams Family Halloween Special

1977

In 1977, an attempt was made to bring back the Addams Family for another season. A Halloween reunion show was put together as a test to see if it would be as well recieved as the original series running in syndication.
The original cast was brought together once again to reprise their roles( except for Blossom Rock who was too ill to return).
Filming took place in an actual house instead of a set. Due to the huge amount of pilfering after the original show was canceled, most of the original set had to be replaced, The familiar feel of the house was gone In fact, the only props retrieved were Cousin Farouk, (now named cousin Ahab) and Pierre, the moose head with the twisted antlers.
The script was written by George Tibbles, who had never worked on the Addams Family, but rather, had a extensive carreer as a writer for rival show, "The Munsters". The outcome was a decidedly "Un- Addams" like quality. There was no attempt to follow any continuity. Brothers, Mothers and new children family members were brought in only to serve as window dressing.
The Hallween Special aired on October 30th, to a wide amount of well deserved criticism. Ted Cassidy was noted as saying that the only reason he was reprising his role was the money, and to work with the other stars one more time.
The feature was such an abysmal failure that the new series was cancelled before it even started.

Cast

Plot

Gomez's long- lost brother, Pancho comes to visit just as Gomez is off to Tombstone Arizona for a lodge meeting. It seems Pancho once courted Morticia and Gomez is jealous.
Gomez has actually been fooled by crooks who have their hearts set on stealing the family fortune. They immediately set about trying to find the fortune. Wednesday and Pugsley Sr. are both home from school. (Wednesday studies the Piccolo and Pugsley is in Niarobi, studying to be a witch doctor). The Crook comes into the house on the premise of being a house assesor. He searches for the fortune. Aliong the way he endures Cleopatras strangle hold, Wednesday Sr.'s Piccillo playing (which shatters all the glass in the house,) and Pugsley Srs attempt at curing him of his fear. Finally, Fester takes him to the play room and attempts to put him on the rack to calm him down. The crook runs into the next room which happens to be Kitty Kats hiding spot. He is scared away when he accidentally steps on Kitty Kats tail.
The crooks do not easily give up however, And concoct a plan to use a Fake Gomez and Morticia to fool the family. Two bikini clad musclemen are hired on as henchmen. The criminals enter the families' Halloween party as "John Quincy Addams and Family".
As The real Gomez returns in time for the Halloween festivities, the crooks tie him and Morticia up. The Fakes replace them to confuse Pancho, who still has the hots for Morticia. The other crooks pretend to be long lost relatives. Lurch, however, scares most of them off, while Fester, trying to be nice ties one of them to the rack in the playroom. As he tries to escape, he also steps on Kitty Kats tail. When the police arrive, the crooks willingly give themselves up (in Munsters fashion). The Addams Family is left to celebrate the Halloween holiday together.

Major Changes

Cousin Farouk, (the foot in the swordfish)is now Cousin Ahab.
Gomez now has a brother, which was never mentioned in the original series.
Wednesday and Pugsley now have siblings... Named Pugsley junior and Wednesday Junior.
Mother Frump appears and helps out with the Halloween Festivities.. She even rides a broom.
Cousin Shy is now a holiday icon. He appears every Halloween to carve the pumpkin for the scare-crows' head.

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