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The Munsters - Family Portrait
episode 1.13
USA 1964
produced by Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly for Kayro-Vue Productions/CBS
directed by Lawrence Dobkin
starring Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Beverley Owen, Butch Patrick, Fred Beir, Harvey Korman, Roy Roberts
written by James B. Allardice, Tom Adair, created by Allan Burns, Chris Hayward, developed by Norm Liebman, Ed Haas, music by Jack Marshall
TV series The Munsters, The Munsters (classic series)
review by Mike Haberfelner
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The Munster family is chosen by Events Magazine's computer as the
(statistically) average American family and a family photo is to appear on
the magazine's cover. But the night the two reporters from Event are due
to arrive, Grandpa Munster (Al Lewis) throws a fit over being called
"average" and runs away. Herman (Fred Gwynne) and Lily Munster
(Yvonne De Carlo) go looking for him, not wanting to lose the prize money
that comes with the photo (no less than $5,000), leaving cousin Marilyn
(Beverly Owens) in charge. When the reporters Chip (Fred Beir) and Lennie
(Harvey Korman) arrive, Lennie immediately has the feeling that
something's not quite right, but Chip quickly falls for pretty Marilyn.
And while Chip tries to get to at least first base with her, Lennie spots
both little Eddie (Butch Patrick) and Grandpa - who has actually been
hiding within the house - and gets rather freaked out. And while Chip
falls fast asleep dreaming of a date with Marilyn, presumably, Lennie also
crosses paths with Herman and Lily, and prepares to leave - upon which
Chip wakes up, and not wanting to lose his job (and his chance with
Marilyn), he agrees to walk through the house with Lennie to prove to him
there are no monsters around. But they're noisy enough to wake up Herman,
who under the impression they're burglars wants to chase them away - and
given his looks, he totally succeeds of course. In the end though, the
Munsters still get their photo taken and get the prize money - as the
magazine puts a Halloween spin on the photo. The premise for Family
Portrait is almost ingenious in its simplicity, and the almost
infinite number of jokes that go with it. And sure enough, the writers hit
almost all of them. And frankly, not all of them are exactly high brow,
but the series regulars are at their usual best and show some great
chemistry to make even the lesser of them work, and Fred Beir and Harvey
Korman in the lead supporting roles neatly fit into the concept and have
some pretty funny back-and-forward between themselves as well, making this
yet another really fun episode in a fun series.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
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the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
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