TV on DVD: 'The Addams Family'

Thursday, October 26, 2006

'THE ADDAMS FAMILY'

With the flood of TV shows to DVD, it's always a little surprising to discover series that are just now making their premieres in the format. In time for Halloween, "The Addams Family" joins the DVD ranks this week with its first volume of spoooky-funny episodes ($29.98, MGM Home Entertainment), and it's a welcome and thorough debut.

Extras include a five-minute featurette on the recording of the memorable theme song with its composer, Vic Mizzy; an 11-minute feature on the life of Charles Addams, who created the characters in his single panel cartoons and helped adapt them to TV; and a gallery of Addams' cartoons.

In the 13-minute "Addams Family Portrait," surviving cast members John Astin (Gomez), Ken Weatherwax (Pugsley), Lisa Loring (Wednedsay) and Felix Silla (Cousin Itt) discuss making the 1960s show, a family sitcom where father knew best even when the familiar stories were hidden beneath ghoulish haunted house trappings.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor