Creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky… Many adjectives have been used to describeThe Addams Familyever since they were first created byCharles Addamsascartoons forThe New Yorkermagazine in 1938.However, perhaps no word is more representative of the Addams than “beloved.” For 85 years, the family has been receiving the love of fans non-stop, particularly through their multiple adaptations to the screen. As of 2023, there have been at least two movie series and four TV shows, not to mention specials and cross-overs, featuring the Addams, and the devotion of fans towards these creations has never dwindled.
But with so many different iterations of the Addams available, it can be hard to keep track of who’s who in their enormous household. After all, though some family members remain the same in between adaptations, others disappear completely or change roles. There are even those who remain in our collective imaginations even though they’re just one-time additions. In case you’re struggling to get your Cousin Itts sorted from your Uncle Festers, here’s a guide to all the most important Addams family members.
The Addams Family
Con artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle.
Morticia Addams
Born Morticia Frump,the loving wife of Gomez Addams has given birth to a varying number of children, depending on which adaptations ofThe Addams Familyyou take into consideration. Wednesday and Pugsley are always in the game, but in theBarry SonnenfeldmovieAddams Family Valuesshe also has a baby named Pubert. In the 1977 TV specialHalloween with the New Addams Family,in which the entire original cast appears in color,she and Gomez have two extra kids by the names of Wednesday Jr. (Jennifer Suprenant) and Pugsley Jr. (Ken Marquis). She’s the daughter of Hester Frump and the younger sister of Ophelia.
A lover of the macabre, a fluent speaker of French, and, in some cases, a proficient fencer, Morticia has varying opinions about how much her children should interact with the world outside the Addams' household. In Netflix’sWednesday, she’s eager to have her oldest daughter enrolled in her alma mater, Nevermore Academy, while in the 2019 animated feature, she’s a bit wary of Wednesday’s (Chloë Grace Moretz)interactions with other kids and even insists on homeschooling both her and Pugsley.
Ever sincethe premiere of the 1964 ABC sitcom, Morticia has been played by over ten actresses in both movies and TV. Her most notable incarnations are portrayed byCarolyn Jones, in the 1960s television series,Anjelica Huston, in the Sonnenfeld movies, andCatherine Zeta-Jones, on Netflix’sWednesday. The latter is the only version to have the supernatural ability to experience psychic visions of the past, present, and future.
Gomez Addams
He goes haywirewhenever Morticia speaks French, he’s a gentleman and a swordsman, and he’s had some trouble with the law in his latest incarnation on Netflix’sWednesday.Gomez Addams is the husband of Morticia and the patriarch of the Addams Family.Extremely lucky and wealthy, Gomez is a proud, charming man who enjoys smoking cigars and spending time with his family. He’s also the brother of Fester Addams, with whom he is frequently shown to have a loving, albeit sometimes conflicted, relationship.
Much like Morticia, he’s been portrayed by numerous actors ever since he was first transplanted to the screen.John Astinwas the one who gave life to Gomez in 1964, but, arguably, the most beloved incarnation of the character is the one played byRaul Juliain the Barry Sonnenfeld films. Most recently, Gomez was portrayed byLuis Guzmánin Netflix’sWednesday.
Wednesday Addams
Wednesday is the eldest daughter of Gomez and Morticia and an elder sister to Pugsley and Pubert. Arguably the face of theAddams Family, Wednesday’s personality wasn’t always that ofa snarky, pre-adolescent goth. While in the original Charles Addams comics she was a woeful little girl who was often on the receiving end of her brother’s cruelty, nowadays, she’s mostly remembered as being a psychopath in the making who enjoys beheading dolls and tormenting absolutely everyone who dares cross her way. She’s often portrayed as an outcast who has trouble blending in even with others of her kind. OnWednesday, she’s also shown to have psychic abilities much like her mother’s and to be a promising teenage detective.
Most recently portrayed byJenna Ortegain the Netflix series that bears her name, Wednesday was originally played by actressLisa Loringin the 1964 TV series. In the 1990s, she was brought to life once again byChristina Ricci,who turned her into a certifiable goth icon.
Pugsley Addams
The younger brother of Wednesday and second-born child of Morticia and Gomezdoesn’t receive as much love as other members of his family. Still, with his inherent dorkiness and his gleeful acceptance of his sister’s torments, he deserves to be remembered as much as any other Addams. While, originally, he was much more cruel and mean-spirited, over time, he became more of a victim than a perpetrator. OnWednesday, he’s even shown to be bullied by his schoolmates.
Arguably, the most Pugsley-centric adaptation ofThe Addams Familyis the 2019 animated movie directed byConrad VernonandGreg Tiernan. In it, a young Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard) strives to beat his shyness and honor his family’s tradition in a coming-of-age ceremony known as the Sabre Mazurka. In the most well-known and beloved versions of the comics, Pugsley has been played byKen Weatherwax(1964 sitcom),Jimmy Workman(Sonnenfeld movies), andIsaac Ordonez(Wednesday).
Pubert Addams
The baby son of Morticia and Gomez, Pubert (Kaitlyn HooperandKristen Hooper) is an exclusive character in the 1993 movieAddams Family Values. Normally, appearing in just one movie wouldn’t earn you a place in an article such as this one, and he would be relegated to oblivion much like Wednesday Jr. and Pugsley Jr. However, considering how formativeAddams Family Valueshas been toAddams Familyfans, it’s pretty hard to cut him off.
Born with his father’s mustache, Pubert isn’t old enough to develop a personality of his own, though the movie makes it quite clear that the baby has also inherited Gomez’s luck, since he escapes death numerous times, particularly at his siblings' hands. Due to the stress brought on his family by his Uncle Fester’s (Christopher Lloyd) marriage to Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack), Pubert briefly suffers from a rare condition that turns him into a blond, smiley baby that embodies everything that the Addams abhor. But, being the loving parents that they are, Morticia and Gomez manage to nurture him back to health. In the end, a recovered Pubert is instrumental in saving the family from the evil Debbie.
Granny Frump
Sometimes referred to as Grandma Addams,Hester Frump is the mother of Ophelia Frump and Morticia Addams. Often shown to be witchy, with deep knowledge of mysterious poisons as well as the occult, she was portrayed in the original series as having a preference for her firstborn daughter, Ophelia. In most recent adaptations, this preference has gone mostly undiscussed. Granny’s most well-known incarnations are the ones portrayed byMargaret Hamilton, in the 1964 series, andCarol Kane, in the Sonnenfeld films of the 90s.
Ophelia Frump
Morticia’s cheerful, blonde older sister Ophelia, played in the 1964 series by Carolyn Jones herself, was supposed to be the one to marry Gomez Addams as per an agreement made between the two families. Thankfully,she ran away with Cousin Itt before the ceremony was over,leaving Gomez and Morticia free to be with one another.
Ophelia isn’t exactly a prominent character in mostAddams Familyscreen adaptations, but she does make frequent appearances in the background and sometimes even manages to get a few lines. In the Sonnenfeld movies, she was played by bothAllegra KentandLaura Esterman.In the 2019 animated movie, she pops up as one of the guests at Pugsley’s Sabre Mazurka.
Goody Addams
An original character of Netflix’sWednesday,Goody Addams (Jenna Ortega) is a distant ancestor of Gomez who lived during the 17th century. Persecuted by the pilgrims of her village, led by Joseph Crackstone (William Houston), due to her psychic abilities, Goody just barely escaped being burned alive along with other outcasts -or humanoid supernatural beings, inWednesdaylingo. Seeking revenge, she killed Crackstone and cursed his soul. Still, not everything is grim and gloomy in Goody’s biography:she’s also the founder of the Nightshade Society,an organization devoted to bringing equality and justice to outcasts everywhere.
Fester Addams
Dim-witted weirdo missing part of his memory orman of mystery? Wednesday and Pugsley’s uncle or great-uncle? The role that Uncle Fester plays in the Addams Family has changed a lot in between adaptations of Charles Addams' comics.In the 1964 sitcom, it is said that Uncle Fester is actually Morticia’s maternal uncle. However,later shows and movies featuring the Addams Family always cast him as Gomez’s brother, and some of the films even imply that he is a little bit attracted to Morticia.
The best-known incarnation of Uncle Fester is Lloyd’s portrayal of the character inThe Addams FamilyandAddams Family Values. InWednesday, the character is played byFred Armisen, whilein the 1964 sitcom he was brought to life byformer child star Jackie Coogan.
Somewhere between pet, servant, and live-in friend, Thing T. Thing, or simplyThing, is a disembodied hand that performs various tasks for the Addams and accompanies them in their adventures. The character is extremely charismatic and has been expertly played by many actors,who have managed to infuse it with a distinct personality through the mere use of their hands. Thing’s most well-known performers areTed Cassidyin the 1964 sitcom,Christopher Hartin the Sonnenfield films, andVictor DorobantuonWednesday.
Lurch is the Addams' butler and driver who mostlycommunicates through moans. He’s consistently portrayed with a cadaveric, Frankenstein-monster-like appearance, although little is revealed about his origin, which varies a lot. For instance, in the 2019 film, he’s shown to have escaped from an asylum. Meanwhile, in the forgottenAddams Family Reunionfilm, it’s implied that he’s also an Addams. Lurch is portrayed byGeorge Valentin BurceainWednesday,Carel Struyckenin the Sonnenfeld movies, and Ted Cassidy in the 1964 sitcom.
Cousin Itt
Despite being called “cousin”,it is never exactly clear how Itt is related to the Addams. In the 1964 sitcom, he joined the family by marriage, tying the knot with Morticia’s older sister, Ophelia. However, in the Sonnenfeld films,Itt marries the Addams' neighbor, Margaret Alford (Dana Ivey), with whom he has a son named What.He has been portrayed byFelix Silla(1964 sitcom),John Franklin(Sonnenfeld movies), and, oddly enough,Snoop Doggin the 2019 animated movie.
Debbie Jellinsky
The black widow herself, serial killerDebbie Jellinsky (Cusack) joined the Addams family after marrying Uncle Festerfor his money inAddams Family Values. Initially, though, she was a babysitter for little Pubert. One of the most iconic villains of the 90s by far, Debbie tried to murder her husband and then his entire family for the cash, but failed miserably and was literally defeated by a baby.
Barry Sonnenfeld’sThe Addams Familyis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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