Summary
It may surprise some fans ofThe Munstersthat Butch Patrick almost didn’t play the memorable role of Eddie Munster.The 1960s family sitcomThe Munsterstook the classic suburban American show tropes and used traditional movie monsters as the vehicle. The Munster family, comprised of Herman (Fred Gwynne), Lily (Yvonne De Carlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), Marilyn (Beverley Owen and Pat Priest), and Eddie Munster (Butch Patrick) are just like any other family, except that they look like the Universal movie monsters.
Eddie Munster, the only child of Herman and Lily, is part-werewolf. He’s a precocious young boy who loves his parents, and frequently talks about how great his father is. He can have a bad temper, but,for the most part, is a kind and fun-loving kid. One of his running jokes was that he would appear in cabinets and closets with no explanation of how he got there. Eddie is as memorable a part ofThe Munstersas Pugsley is ofThe Addams Family. Surprisingly, Butch Patrick wasn’t the first person to play Eddie on TV.
Every The Munsters Movie & TV Show, Ranked Worst To Best
A ranking of every movie & TV show property in The Munsters franchise from worst to best, and why they fall in that particular order.
Butch Patrick Replaced Happy Derman As Eddie Munster In The Munsters
Joan Marshall Was Also Replaced As Lily Munster
The Munsterswas pitched to studios with two standalone pilot episodes. The first pilot featured Happy Derman as Eddie and Joan Marshall as Lily (named Phoebe at the time). However,it was determined that Derman was not right for the role, as he played the character too aggressively, while Marshall looked too similar to Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia Addams inThe Addams Family(viaRemindMagazine). Though Butch Patrick had found success in Hollywood at a young age, he had moved back to his Grandmother’s in Illinois by the timeThe Munsterspilot had been cast (viaBloody Disgusting).
After CBS determined Derman was not right for the role, they put out a casting call in LA, which is when Patrick’s agent heard about the opening, as Patrick toldBloody Disgusting,
“My agent got wind of it and told them, ‘You need to look at Butch.’ And they go, ‘We looked at every kid in Hollywood.’ And she said, ‘Well, that’s the problem. He’s in Illinois with his grandmother.’ She got them to fly me out, and I went from the airport to the studio. I did a screen test with Yvonne De Carlo, and they said, ‘Report to work Wednesday.'”
Just like that, Patrick was now working onThe Munsters, living with his uncle in LA, and being driven to set by a hired hand.
Pat Priest replaced Beverly Owen as Marilyn Munster after 13 episodes ofThe Munsters.
Patrick Was The Perfect Eddie Munster — “It Was Just Me Being Me”
Patrick Loved Being On Set Of The Munsters
Butch Patrick’s performance as Eddie Munster works so well becausehe plays him simply as a young boy. He has all the proclivities, sweetness, and energy of any other sitcom child, but he also has all the animalistic tendencies of a wolf. If Patrick had played Eddie like a ravenous wild child, audiences may have gotten sick of him quickly. His more down-to-earth portrayal makes him much more relatable.
His excitement about the set translated to the performance because every time Eddie appeared on-screen, he was laughing, grinning, or buzzing with excitement.
Patrick had a fantastic time working on the set as well. He toldRemindMagazine,
“It was just me being me. I could do dialogue well and was a quick study. I felt like an equal cast member, which was unusual because in a lot of other series the kids were secondary and wouldn’t get meaty parts written for them. This was different.”
For an 11-year-old, the set probably felt like a playground.Patrick specifically pointed to scenes with the Munsters’ car, the Munster Koach, as some of his favorite to film,
“I loved it because it meant two things. I got to ride around in the coolest car, up in that little coachman seat that was like a perch, and it meant that we would be shooting outside, which was always fun.”
His excitement about the set translated to the performance because every time Eddie appeared on-screen, he was laughing, grinning, or buzzing with excitement. It’s a performance that was clearly informed by the young actor’s real emotions being a part of the historic show.
Patrick Continues To Work Steadily & Appears At Many Fan Conventions
Patrick Runs The Munsters Fan Website
Post-The Munsters, Butch Patrick worked steadily, primarily in TV, appearing inLidsvilleandThe Smith Family; and he also appeared in some movies such asThe Phantom Tollbooth. However,it’s his role as Eddie Munster that he still seems to have the most love for. He still runsThe Munstersofficial websiteand frequently appears at conventions and fan signings.
He toldBloody Disgustinghow happy he is that the show remains an important part of people’s lives,
“You never know, doing a little show so long ago, how it can affect people in a positive way. For me, how can you not enjoy having people come up with positive energy and smiles and sharing why they like this show you did? You were part of their family not knowing it; they’re sort of living vicariously with you or through you. In this day and age, the way things are, it’s a pretty lucky thing to be a part of a positive force like that on a daily basis. I continue to do it because I enjoy it. I enjoy meeting them as much as they seem to enjoy meeting me.”
It’s always satisfying when an actor appreciates their work as much as fans do, and Butch Patrick understands what his role inThe Munstersmeans to so many people.
The Munsters
Cast
The Munsters is a ’60s sitcom starring Fred Gwynne (Herman), Yvonne De Carlo (Lily), Al Lewis (Grandpa), and Butch Patrick (Eddie). Together, they make up the Munster family, a group of monsters who don’t quite understand why their community treats them so differently. Beverley Owen, and later Pat Priest, played Lily’s niece Marilyn.
