Munster Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Munster Mansion is a house located at Universal Studios
. It is most famous for its use in the 1960s sitcom The Munsters
, but has appeared in many other films. In the series, the fictional mansion was built on the remains of an old fort, and Grandpa put the down-payment when Herman and Lily bought the home.
along with the set currently to its left. After production ended both house sets were put into storage. In the early 1950s Universal decided to build a new exterior residential street on its front lot. These sets were then out of storage and reassembled where they became a part of River Road; one of a number of residential streets constructed in the area.
. It is rumored that producers spent $1,000,000 to dress the house. The house was equipped with bare trees, dead leaves and a stone entrance gate. The house was roughed up slightly and finished off with a crooked vampire-bat weather-vane. The house was used for all the exterior shots. The inside scenes were filmed on separate soundstages within the studio. The original address for the house was supposed to be 13 Friday Street, but was changed to 1313 Mockingbird Lane before shooting began. After production of The Munsters in 1966 and after the film Munster, Go Home the house was stripped of its trees, gates and other landscape dressing. In 1981 the house was redressed for the television movie The Munster's Revenge. Around this time Universal replaced its front lot and the house and other sets were relocated to the backlot. The Munster house was placed in its current spot on Colonial Street
. In the late 1980s the house was renovated again and became more modern. The most notable changes were the removal of the architectural details added for The Munster's; including the peak over the center window and the replacement of the columns and railings of the upstairs tower porch. The original bottom floor porch was replaced with a larger porch.
In the mid 2000's, for the 2nd season of Desperate Housewives, the 2nd floor was demolished and all of the remaining architectural details on the first floor were removed. Producers then had a new 2nd floor constructed with a somewhat similar design, but lacking in architectural detail.
in the ABC series Desperate Housewives
. Before the start of the 2nd season the 2nd floor was demolished and replaced. Producers were concerned that audiences would be distracted by seeing the Munster's house in the series. Over the course of the show a total of four families have established a residence in the home they were: Mr & Mrs Edwin Mullins, Betty Applewhite and her children, Alma Hodge, and gay couple Bob Hunter and Lee McDermott. The house has been a center of bad news on Wisteria Lane. The house is a highlight of the Universal Studios Tour. Even though it is no longer the home of the Munsters, it is always mentioned on the studio tour because the Munsters have been its most famous residents.
, a remake of The Munsters, came about in 1988, the house could not be used. The producers knew the house was just as important as the characters. So an authentic scale model replica was built. The scale model worked well on the show, and many people didn't notice it wasn't the same house. The garden was decorated with dried oregano. There are some slight differences between the original house and the scale model used for the new show: seen from the front, the gates are now directly in front of the porch as opposed to slightly to the right as on the original show. Also, the gateposts are now dramatically smaller and less bulky, and around the perimeter instead of a wall are yet more posts with spiked fencing in-between for several intervals, somewhat similar to what is seen in the 1964 color pilot. Also, there is a small arched basement window that looks down into Grandpa's lab. Today the model can be seen in Universal's new House of Horrors.
began construction of a fully livable "re-creation" of the Munster home, inside and out. With initial construction completed in 2002, cast alumni Al Lewis and Butch Patrick
appeared at the public grand opening. Lewis exclaimed, with tears in his eyes, "This brings back warm memories." The house comes equipped with a grand staircase (which opens up to reveal Spot), a rotating suit of armor, trap doors, secret passages, Grandpa's electric chair, a pipe organ, raven cuckoo clock
, a crooked bat weather vane
on the roof and even a dungeon complete with trap door.
Since then, the McKees have opened their private home to the public for two nights each year on the weekend of Halloween
. Since the death of Lewis, Pat Priest has returned to appear multiple times. The Munster Mansion Halloween Bash each year selects a local charity and donates all proceeds from the event.
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. It is most famous for its use in the 1960s 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,...
, but has appeared in many other films. In the series, the fictional mansion was built on the remains of an old fort, and Grandpa put the down-payment when Herman and Lily bought the home.
Construction
The house set was built on Stage 12 in 1946 for the filming of So Goes My LoveSo Goes My Love
So Goes My Love is an American 1946 comedy film, produced by Universal Pictures. It is based on A Genius in the Family, the memoir of Hiram Percy Maxim, and focusing on the relationship between Maxim and his father, Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim.- Cast :*Don Ameche as Hiram Stephens Maxim*Bobby...
along with the set currently to its left. After production ended both house sets were put into storage. In the early 1950s Universal decided to build a new exterior residential street on its front lot. These sets were then out of storage and reassembled where they became a part of River Road; one of a number of residential streets constructed in the area.
History
The house received its most famous make-over in 1964 when it was being redressed for the premiere of the sitcom The MunstersThe 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,...
. It is rumored that producers spent $1,000,000 to dress the house. The house was equipped with bare trees, dead leaves and a stone entrance gate. The house was roughed up slightly and finished off with a crooked vampire-bat weather-vane. The house was used for all the exterior shots. The inside scenes were filmed on separate soundstages within the studio. The original address for the house was supposed to be 13 Friday Street, but was changed to 1313 Mockingbird Lane before shooting began. After production of The Munsters in 1966 and after the film Munster, Go Home the house was stripped of its trees, gates and other landscape dressing. In 1981 the house was redressed for the television movie The Munster's Revenge. Around this time Universal replaced its front lot and the house and other sets were relocated to the backlot. The Munster house was placed in its current spot on Colonial Street
Colonial Street
Colonial Street is one of the backlot street sets at Universal Studios Hollywood. The street set has a long history, spanning over 60 years of movies and television...
. In the late 1980s the house was renovated again and became more modern. The most notable changes were the removal of the architectural details added for The Munster's; including the peak over the center window and the replacement of the columns and railings of the upstairs tower porch. The original bottom floor porch was replaced with a larger porch.
In the mid 2000's, for the 2nd season of Desperate Housewives, the 2nd floor was demolished and all of the remaining architectural details on the first floor were removed. Producers then had a new 2nd floor constructed with a somewhat similar design, but lacking in architectural detail.
List of appearances in film and television
- So Goes My LoveSo Goes My LoveSo Goes My Love is an American 1946 comedy film, produced by Universal Pictures. It is based on A Genius in the Family, the memoir of Hiram Percy Maxim, and focusing on the relationship between Maxim and his father, Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim.- Cast :*Don Ameche as Hiram Stephens Maxim*Bobby...
, featuring Don AmecheDon AmecheDon Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
and Myrna LoyMyrna LoyMyrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
(1946) - Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible ManAbbott and Costello Meet the Invisible ManAbbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man is a 1951 comedy horror film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Nancy Guild.The film depicts the misadventures of Lou Francis and Bud Alexander, two private detectives investigating the murder of a...
(1951), seen in the beginning as the physician's home and lab. - All I DesireAll I DesireAll I Desire is a 1953 drama film starring Barbara Stanwyck as an actress who returns to visit her husband and children after having run off with another man years before...
(1953) starring Barbara StanwyckBarbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra... - Monster on Campus (1958)
- Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
, seen in episode "Bang! You're Dead" - Leave it to BeaverLeave It to BeaverLeave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...
- The Brass BottleThe Brass BottleThe Brass Bottle is a 1964 American fantasy film about a modern man who accidentally acquires a djinn. Though the word is commonly translated into English as "genie", author F. Anstey made a distinction between the two in the novel of the same name which provides the basis of the film.The film...
(1964) - Dragnet
- The Ballad of JosieThe Ballad of JosieThe Ballad of Josie is a 1967 Technicolor American comedy western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring Doris Day, Peter Graves and George Kennedy...
(1967) - Coogan's BluffCoogan's Bluff (film)Coogan's Bluff is a 1968 American Universal film directed by Don Siegel and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee J. Cobb, Don Stroud, and Susan Clark...
(1968) - It Happened One ChristmasIt Happened One ChristmasIt Happened One Christmas is a 1977 made-for-television movie starring Marlo Thomas and Wayne Rogers.The film, a gender-reversal remake of the classic It's a Wonderful Life, centers on Mary Bailey Hatch, a young woman who dreams of seeing the world but is forced by circumstances to remain in her...
(1977) - Shirley (TV series)
- The Incredible Hulk, used as a backdrop in some episodes
- DragnetDragnet (1987 film)Dragnet is a 1987 film comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, directed by Tom Mankiewicz, based on the television crime drama of the same name starring Jack Webb. The screenplay is written by Aykroyd, Alan Zweibel and Mankiewicz. The original music score is by Ira Newborn...
(1987) used as Dan AykroydDan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
's mother's house - The 'BurbsThe 'BurbsThe 'Burbs is a 1989 American black comedy thriller film directed by Joe Dante starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman and Henry Gibson. The film was written by Dana Olsen, who also has a cameo in the movie...
(1989) - Murder, She WroteMurder, She WroteMurder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
- Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
, used as one of the houses on Wisteria LaneWisteria LaneWisteria Lane is the fictional name of a street which the characters of the American drama television series Desperate Housewives live. Desperate Housewives storylines primarily centre around the residents of the street. Wisteria Lane is located inside Universal Studios Hollywood, and is actually...
Today
The Munster Mansion has been used as a backdrop for many television shows and movies. Its most recent appearance is as one of the main homes on Wisteria LaneWisteria Lane
Wisteria Lane is the fictional name of a street which the characters of the American drama television series Desperate Housewives live. Desperate Housewives storylines primarily centre around the residents of the street. Wisteria Lane is located inside Universal Studios Hollywood, and is actually...
in the ABC series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. Before the start of the 2nd season the 2nd floor was demolished and replaced. Producers were concerned that audiences would be distracted by seeing the Munster's house in the series. Over the course of the show a total of four families have established a residence in the home they were: Mr & Mrs Edwin Mullins, Betty Applewhite and her children, Alma Hodge, and gay couple Bob Hunter and Lee McDermott. The house has been a center of bad news on Wisteria Lane. The house is a highlight of the Universal Studios Tour. Even though it is no longer the home of the Munsters, it is always mentioned on the studio tour because the Munsters have been its most famous residents.
The Munsters Today
When The Munsters TodayThe 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:...
, a remake of The Munsters, came about in 1988, the house could not be used. The producers knew the house was just as important as the characters. So an authentic scale model replica was built. The scale model worked well on the show, and many people didn't notice it wasn't the same house. The garden was decorated with dried oregano. There are some slight differences between the original house and the scale model used for the new show: seen from the front, the gates are now directly in front of the porch as opposed to slightly to the right as on the original show. Also, the gateposts are now dramatically smaller and less bulky, and around the perimeter instead of a wall are yet more posts with spiked fencing in-between for several intervals, somewhat similar to what is seen in the 1964 color pilot. Also, there is a small arched basement window that looks down into Grandpa's lab. Today the model can be seen in Universal's new House of Horrors.
Legacy
In the spring of 2001, Sandra and Charles McKee of Waxahachie, TexasWaxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
began construction of a fully livable "re-creation" of the Munster home, inside and out. With initial construction completed in 2002, cast alumni Al Lewis and Butch Patrick
Butch Patrick
Butch Patrick is a former American child actor. He is widely known for his role on the TV show The Munsters where he played Eddie Munster, the son of Herman and Lily Munster...
appeared at the public grand opening. Lewis exclaimed, with tears in his eyes, "This brings back warm memories." The house comes equipped with a grand staircase (which opens up to reveal Spot), a rotating suit of armor, trap doors, secret passages, Grandpa's electric chair, a pipe organ, raven cuckoo clock
Cuckoo clock
A cuckoo clock is a clock, typically pendulum-regulated, that strikes the hours with a sound like a common cuckoo's call and typically has a mechanical cuckoo that emerges with each note...
, a crooked bat weather vane
Weather vane
A weather vane is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building....
on the roof and even a dungeon complete with trap door.
Since then, the McKees have opened their private home to the public for two nights each year on the weekend of Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. Since the death of Lewis, Pat Priest has returned to appear multiple times. The Munster Mansion Halloween Bash each year selects a local charity and donates all proceeds from the event.