Avid fan of 'The Munsters' is re-creating the TV house in Waxahachie
Posted on 03/18/2002 8:25:45 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Avid fan of 'The Munsters' is re-creating the TV house in Waxahachie
03/18/2002
WAXAHACHIE - Sandra McKee has lost count of how much she has spent on memorabilia from the 1960s TV show The Munsters.
Now she and her husband, Charles, are spending $250,000 to build a Victorian-style house to replicate the creepy home shown on the program.
Ms. McKee, 44, isn't just a fan of the sitcom about a family of odd, Gothic characters headed by Herman, a Frankenstein monster lookalike.
Fanatic would better describe Ms. McKee.
She owns all 70 episodes of the black-and-white program, which aired from 1964 to 1966 on CBS. From video clips and photos acquired from Munsters collectors around the country, the McKees are painstakingly re-creating the home inhabited on TV by Herman, wife Lily, Grandpa, cousin Marilyn and young son Eddie.
"They really were a normal family, other than looking different," said Ms. McKee, a retired insurance agent. "I thought this would be a really cool house to have."
She has made a Munsters fan out of her husband, who went along with building the two-story, 5,800-square-foot house with only gentle persuading. The frame home has arched windows, 10-foot ceilings and sits on 2 acres.
"If this is what she wants to do, this is what we'll do" said Mr. McKee, 46, a plumber.
He understands the appeal of the Munsters.
"It had good, clean humor," he said. "My mother's church thought it was satanic. I told them to go home and watch it. Those people are as far from satanic as could be."
On Sunday, the actor who played Eddie flew in from Las Vegas at the McKees' invitation to inspect the house. "I think it's going to be fabulous," said Butch Patrick, 48, who makes frequent appearances at Munsters autograph shows and memorabilia conventions. "It's really a nice tribute to the show."
He plans to host a Halloween party there next fall, about the time it is scheduled for completion.
Mr. Patrick said The Munsters, off network TV for more than 35 years, is more popular than ever. Reruns are aired in 44 countries in multiple languages and can be seen regularly in about three-fourths of the United States, he said.
"I think it's because it was so campy the idea of having monsters live next door," he said.
Even though the house is still under construction, it has created a buzz.
Gary Blatt and his wife, Deborah, drove from Dallas on Sunday to see it.
"I think it's absolutely amazing," said Mr. Blatt, 42. "It was worth the trip. I'll probably be sending a lot of people down here."
Ms. McKee, who watches The Munsters every day and has memorized the dialogue, designed the floor plan herself based on the show. She is having many elements such as the front door and massive staircase custom built to ensure authenticity.
"I knew what I wanted, but getting someone to build it is another story," Ms. McKee said.
If you print the photo of the house, I'll post a radio interview with the owner.
HA! That's hilarious!! I never realized that there was such a strong resemblance.
Sandra McKee is creating her very own house in Waxahachie, Texas, to look exactly like the mansion in the 60's TV show The Munsters.
(If you have any problems or questions, let me know)
And the "Koach" looks best with "Marilyn":
:-)
I'm really leery about having a coffin in my house. . .
I only want to get in a coffin once and it's not to answer the phone. . .
Fun & Games time. . .See the sound link/interview with the owner of the house at post #10, & photo on #8.................
(((PING))))))
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my ping list!. . .don't be shy.
BUMP
Why can't these people be normal and build an exact replica of the Brady Bunch house like I intend to do someday? :-)
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