Herman Munster
Encyclopedia
Herman Munster, 5th Earl of Shroudshire, is a fictional character
in the CBS
sitcom The Munsters
, originally played by Fred Gwynne
. The patriarch of the Munster household, Herman is an entity much like Frankenstein's monster
along with Lurch on the show's competitor The Addams Family
.
Due to the thickness of his costume and the heat of the studio lights, Gwynne continually fought enormous weight loss
from perspiration, even after consuming gallons of lemonade
and salt tablets and using an air hose
inside of his costume.
. Work on him was finally completed in around 1850 (neither Lily nor Grandpa is quite sure when) along with his twin brother Charlie. Leaving Germany
for Great Britain
at a young age, Herman was adopted by the Munsters of Munster Hall, a noble family living in the fictitious Shroudshire, England.
At some point Herman moved to Transylvania
(a region in Romania
), where he met Lily Dracula
. In 1865 (technically at the age of 15, but physically older) Herman married Lily, and eventually the couple and Grandpa (Lily's father) moved to America
, where Herman joined the U.S. Army, fighting in World War II
.
In The Munsters Today
, he is given a younger brother named Frank. And in the 1995 movie Here Come the Munsters
he is given a sister named Elsa who resembles the Bride of Frankenstein
. She is also married to Mr. Hyde, who transforms into Dr. Jekyll.
in Mockingbird Heights, having started out as a "nail boy." Herman's co-workers sometimes remark on his height and strength, but otherwise do not appear to find his appearance and color (green) out of the ordinary. Occasionally, Herman is picked up by "the company car" (a hearse
), which he climbs into via the back door and rides as if he was a body being delivered.
The Munster's home address was 1313 Mockingbird Lane, and the exterior set for the house is one of the houses featured weekly on the show, "Desperate Houswives". The house is the home used by Vanessa Williams' character on "Desperate Houswives".
Herman is incredibly strong, once lifting a solid metal demolition ball casually with one hand. He is almost immovable; a number of times, cars have run into him without causing him injury. A safe fell on his head ("John Doe Munster") and gave him amnesia, although it did not hurt him. When asked how much he weighs, Herman says: "Three spins", meaning the dial on the scale goes around three times. In the episode "Herman's Lawsuit", his driver's license gives his weight as 380 pounds (172.4 kg), height as 7 in 3 in (220.98 cm), and eyes as brown. Herman (and the rest of the family) considers himself handsome even though he can crack a mirror by looking at it, once even cracking a shiny frying pan he looked into. In one episode, Herman is struck by lightning, reverting back to a "hideous" form (actually Fred Gwynne without any make-up). He tries to hide his appearance from all those around him until another lightning strike reverts him back to "handsome".
When frustrated (often), he tends to stamp like a child having a tantrum—causing plaster to shower down from the ceiling. His strength is especially useful around "the Parlor"—he can lift occupied caskets unassisted.
came out with a Herman Munster doll that could speak 10 "Munstrous" phrases at random with the pull of his "Chatty Ring". This was a spin off of their highly successful Chatty Cathy
doll for whom the talking mechanism had been invented. The Herman Munster doll was on the market for 2 years, as was a Herman Munster talking hand puppet
which, when the string was pulled, played an additional 10 phrases. Both toys had the same head and hands made of a composite green vinyl
Mattel called, "Plastisol". These two Munster toys are great favorites with collectors today and command top dollar at toy shows and online auctions. When Herman's Chatty Ring was pulled he would say phrases such as, "Hello there, I'm your new babysitter" or "I like the Beatles
...real beetles" all in Fred Gwynne's voice.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
, originally played by Fred Gwynne
Fred Gwynne
Frederick Hubbard "Fred" Gwynne was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? and The Munsters, as well as his later roles: Pet Sematary and My Cousin Vinny...
. The patriarch of the Munster household, Herman is an entity much like Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
along with Lurch on the show's competitor The Addams Family
The Addams Family (TV series)
The Addams Family is an American television series based on the characters in Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. The 30-minute series was shot in black-and-white and aired for two seasons in 64 installments on ABC from September 18, 1964, to April 8, 1966...
.
Due to the thickness of his costume and the heat of the studio lights, Gwynne continually fought enormous weight loss
Weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue...
from perspiration, even after consuming gallons of lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
and salt tablets and using an air hose
Air hose
Air hoses are used in underwater diving, such as scuba diving, to carry air from the surface or from air tanks or diving pumps to the diver. Air hoses are therefore a necessary part of standard diving dress and any type of surface supplied diving equipment....
inside of his costume.
Origins
In the context of the series, Herman was begun in 1815 at the University of Heidelberg by Dr. Victor FrankensteinVictor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein was born in Napoli, is a Swiss fictional character and the protagonist of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley...
. Work on him was finally completed in around 1850 (neither Lily nor Grandpa is quite sure when) along with his twin brother Charlie. Leaving Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at a young age, Herman was adopted by the Munsters of Munster Hall, a noble family living in the fictitious Shroudshire, England.
At some point Herman moved to Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
(a region in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), where he met Lily Dracula
Lily Munster
Lily Munster, Countess of Shroudshire , is a fictional character in the CBS sitcom The Munsters, originally played by Yvonne De Carlo. The matriarch of the Munster household, Lily is an undead vampire. Her character resembles Vampira...
. In 1865 (technically at the age of 15, but physically older) Herman married Lily, and eventually the couple and Grandpa (Lily's father) moved to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where Herman joined the U.S. Army, fighting in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In The Munsters Today
The Munsters Today
The Munsters Today is an American sitcom that aired in syndication from 1988 to 1991. The series served as a sequel to the 1960s sitcom The Munsters.-Production:...
, he is given a younger brother named Frank. And in the 1995 movie Here Come the Munsters
Here Come the Munsters
Here Come the Munsters is a telefilm that aired on Fox October 31, 1995. It starred Edward Herrmann, Christine Taylor and Veronica Hamel. It included cameos from original Munsters surviving cast members Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick, and Pat Priest...
he is given a sister named Elsa who resembles the Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film, the first sequel to Frankenstein...
. She is also married to Mr. Hyde, who transforms into Dr. Jekyll.
In the series
Herman is employed by Gateman, Goodbury and Graves, a funeral homeFuneral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. These services may include aprepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral....
in Mockingbird Heights, having started out as a "nail boy." Herman's co-workers sometimes remark on his height and strength, but otherwise do not appear to find his appearance and color (green) out of the ordinary. Occasionally, Herman is picked up by "the company car" (a hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
), which he climbs into via the back door and rides as if he was a body being delivered.
The Munster's home address was 1313 Mockingbird Lane, and the exterior set for the house is one of the houses featured weekly on the show, "Desperate Houswives". The house is the home used by Vanessa Williams' character on "Desperate Houswives".
Description
Herman is a good-natured buffoon. Although enormously old, he behaves rather childishly, often throwing temper tantrums, punctuated with thundering animal-like roaring. He is very kind to everyone, but he is also very naive, often misunderstanding situations or falling for various schemes. He occasionally has problems recognizing when someone has malicious or dishonest intentions towards him.Herman is incredibly strong, once lifting a solid metal demolition ball casually with one hand. He is almost immovable; a number of times, cars have run into him without causing him injury. A safe fell on his head ("John Doe Munster") and gave him amnesia, although it did not hurt him. When asked how much he weighs, Herman says: "Three spins", meaning the dial on the scale goes around three times. In the episode "Herman's Lawsuit", his driver's license gives his weight as 380 pounds (172.4 kg), height as 7 in 3 in (220.98 cm), and eyes as brown. Herman (and the rest of the family) considers himself handsome even though he can crack a mirror by looking at it, once even cracking a shiny frying pan he looked into. In one episode, Herman is struck by lightning, reverting back to a "hideous" form (actually Fred Gwynne without any make-up). He tries to hide his appearance from all those around him until another lightning strike reverts him back to "handsome".
When frustrated (often), he tends to stamp like a child having a tantrum—causing plaster to shower down from the ceiling. His strength is especially useful around "the Parlor"—he can lift occupied caskets unassisted.
Merchandising
In 1964 MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
came out with a Herman Munster doll that could speak 10 "Munstrous" phrases at random with the pull of his "Chatty Ring". This was a spin off of their highly successful Chatty Cathy
Chatty Cathy
Chatty Cathy is a doll manufactured by the Mattel toy company from 1959 to 1965. The doll was first released in stores and appeared in television commercials beginning in 1960. Chatty Cathy celebrated her 50th birthday in 2010....
doll for whom the talking mechanism had been invented. The Herman Munster doll was on the market for 2 years, as was a Herman Munster talking hand puppet
Hand puppet
A hand puppet is a type of puppet that is controlled by the leg or face that occupies the interior of the puppet. Glove puppets are a variation of hand puppets...
which, when the string was pulled, played an additional 10 phrases. Both toys had the same head and hands made of a composite green vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
Mattel called, "Plastisol". These two Munster toys are great favorites with collectors today and command top dollar at toy shows and online auctions. When Herman's Chatty Ring was pulled he would say phrases such as, "Hello there, I'm your new babysitter" or "I like the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
...real beetles" all in Fred Gwynne's voice.