The Munsters with Joan Marshall and Happy Derman

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      The Munsters was a hugely popular monster-comedy tv series in the sixties and re-runs. It had many remakes through the years, including a movie made by Rob Zombie, where he (of course) cast his wife, Sheri Moon Zombie) in the role that Yvonne De Carlo played in the television series. However, De Carlo was not originally cast as Herman's wife, Lily, in fact the matriarch wasn't originally named Lily.        The pilot that was originally filmed was quite different, indeed. Joan Marshall played Phoebe Munster and looked a lot like Morticia Addams, son Eddie was much more of a snarling wolf boy and was played by Happy Derman before being replaced by Butch Patrick. Fred Gwynne was Herman Munster from the start as well as Al Lewis as Grandpa. Beverley Owens from the series was also in the original pilot but was replaced part way through the first season. The recognizable theme music by Jack Marshall was not used originally used, the house is a little different and, oddly, the first pilot was filmed in colour while both seasons of the tv series were shot in black and white. Above is what the DVD case would look like if they stayed with the original cast.

     The original version can be seen here: The Munsters Unaired Pilot

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