Eddie Munster Returns!
Guard your jugular veins, kids! Butch Patrick — who played Eddie, the boy vampire, on The Munsters — is back. This week, his '60s spook-com's first season arrives on DVD, giving classic TV fans a treat to sink their fangs into. Here, TV Guide Online asks the 51-year-old actor what it's like being forever known as Herman and Lily's toothy son, and looks back at life behind the scenes at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.
TV Guide Online: What's on the DVD?
Butch Patrick: It's 38 episodes, plus the [never-before-seen] pilot. The first 13 episodes are the ones with Beverly Owen, the first actress to play Marilyn [before Pat Priest assumed the role]. She was my favorite because I had a real big crush on her. The shows will also have their original full length of 24 minutes. Over the years in reruns, it's been cut back to sometimes as low as 19 or 20 minutes for commercials.
TVGO: Fans must approach you with the silliest questions.
Patrick: They ask, "Was that your real hair?" And I say, "Yes it is. My receding hairline is now normal!" I also get: "How tall was Herman? Was Spot a real dragon? How much money did you make?" Things of that nature.
TVGO: Don't you get sick of putting up with that at fan conventions?
Patrick: To be perfectly honest with you, I have been asked this stuff umpteen times, but it's the first time they've had the pleasure of asking the question. So as long as they're sincere and not making you the brunt of a joke with their friends, I always have time to answer. At the same time, if it's a long day and I'm getting cranky, then it's up to me to get up and take a break. [Laughs]
TVGO: You're so nice. C'mon, what Munsters question really bugs you?
Patrick: People will try to bust my chops by asking, "What else have you done?" Because they assume you haven't done anything else. I have about 75 credits to my name, including four other series like [Sid and Marty Krofft's '70s Saturday-morning show] Lidsville, 16 movies, 64 commercials, and all these guest-starring roles on shows like My Three Sons. That usually stops them right there! I also did stand-up for a while and I hated it, but it gave me really good skills for dealing with smartasses.
TVGO: You sang in Dickie Roberts: Child Star. How was that?
Patrick: Fun! I jumped all over it. But I do not sing. I've put record companies out of business! I tried to sing as a teenybopper in 1971. Metromedia Records had just gotten rid of Bobby Sherman and my producers pushed me down their throat, since Lidsville was a hit. I toured with the group called Sugarloaf, but I couldn't sing a note. I was the original Milli Vanilli because I faked it! And then in 1983, I had a band called Eddie and the Monsters and we had a hit song called "Whatever Happened to Eddie?"
TVGO: Well, we'd say Eddie grew up into a well-adjusted adult.
Patrick: Hey, I grew up wearing shorts and carrying a doll called Butch. Believe me, I've had my share of problems. But I think I'm the only kid in Hollywood who hasn't been through rehab! Oh, I should also mention that I have a new syndicated TV show called Macabre Theater coming out in late September. My costar's name is Ivonna Cadaver and we're hosting monster movies.
