John Astin

Carolyn Jones

Jackie Coogan

Henry Darrow

Jane Rose

Elvia Allman

Ted Cassidy

Lisa Loring

Ken Weatherwax

Parley Baer

Vito Scotti

Patrick Campbell

Dean Sothern

Terry Miller

Felix Silla

Jennifer Surprenant

Ken Marquis

David B. Johns

Clinton Beyerle

George Ranito Jordan

Suzanne Krarna

Alice Fries

Dennis Steinmetz

Vic Mizzy

George Tibbles

Charles Addams

Charles W. Fries

David Levy

Paul Pieratt

Jacques R. Marquette

Ken Baker

Caro Jones

Bill Ross

William P. Owens

Linda Sohy

Malcolm Stuart

Comedy

Horror

TV Movie

Halloween with the New Addams Family

Charles Fries Productions

United States of America

**_Stick with the original B&W TV series or the two early 90’s movies_**
 
Eleven years after the previous televised adventures of the Addams Family, Gomez’ brother, Pancho (Henry Darrow), visits just in time for a Halloween celebration. He’s still interested in Morticia (Carolyn Jones), which stirs the jealousy of Gomez (John Astin). Meanwhile some burglars (Vito Scotti, et al.) are interested in getting their hands on the family fortune. The cast also includes Ted Cassidy (Lurch), Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester) and Felix Silla (Cousin Itt), amongst others. 

“Halloween with the New Addams Family” (1977) was considered a pilot for a revival series, which wasn’t picked up and wisely so. While I always prefer color over B&W, this is the exception because the color mixed with videotape, as opposed to film, give the proceedings a seriously amateur quality. It’s so bad you’ll be tempted to tune out in 5-10 minutes. 

Also, the Addams’ house set is long gone and the real-life mansion used (cited below) just isn’t very effective by comparison. Then there are curious additions that don’t work, like Gomez’s brother who’s basically a replica of Gomez. It’s the same with Wednesday Jr. and Pugsley Jr., who add nothing to the proceedings. So why are they there? Lastly, the corny gags that were amusing in the mid-60s are now hackneyed and unfunny, like the spy (Vito Scotti) being scared by every little odd thing in the Addams’ creepy manor.

Thankfully, Carolyn still looks great and Lisa Loring as Wednesday Sr. is a highlight on the feminine front, being 18 during shooting. There are some entertaining bits, but this is strictly for die-hard fans of the 60’s show interested in a low-rent reunion over a decade later.

The flick runs 1 hour, 14 minutes, and was shot at Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch Mansion, Los Angeles.

GRADE: C-

English

Halloween With The New Addams Family Intro (1977 TV Movie)