While “The Munsters” ran for just two seasons on CBS in the 1960s, it has lived on in syndication.
Butch Patrick was in many other TV shows before and after, but he will be most remembered for playing Eddie Munster, the werewolf child in the family.
Now 70, Patrick is fine with that. Patrick will serve as the grand marshal of the Allied Solutions CarmelFest parade July 4. Napleton Automotive Group is the sponsor of Patrick’s appearance.
Patrick said he was contacted by an agent, Pat Brunner, who works with celebrities who have vehicles from their shows.
“I have Grandpa’s coffin dragster, Drag-u-la, and Munster Koach,” Patrick said. “I have my Harley Davidson’s Munsters chopper. I have other hot rods myself, so anything to do with parades and cars (I’m in).”
Patrick had guest starred in several TV shows, such as “Bonanza” and “My Favorite Martian” and had a recurring role in “The Real McCoys” before “The Munsters” debuted in 1964. After “The Munsters,” he had a recurring role on “My Three Sons” and appeared in shows such as “I Dream of Jeannie” and “Gunsmoke.”
Patrick said he is remembered most as Eddie Munster because “The Munsters” has retained such a following in syndication. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the show’s debut.
“I just happened to be on it,” he said. “I’m very blessed that people come to the table with fond memories and big smiles. A few minutes of my time makes people feel good and how many people can say that?”
Patrick said he was fortunate to be born in the best of times.
“The ‘60s and ‘70s were the best time for movies, TV and music,” he said. “It’s a time you can’t even explain to people unless you were there.”
Patrick said “The Munsters” cast went their separate ways after the show, but he later became good friends with Al Lewis, who played Grandpa, in the early 1980s.
“We brought Pat Priest (who played Marilyn) into the mix and we started doing personal appearances all over the country,” Patrick said.
Lewis died in 2006. Priest, 87, is the only other living member of the main cast.
“When I first quit acting I got tired of the audition process,” he said. “I thought, I had been doing this 16 years and I’ve done a lot of work, you would have thought you would elevate toward a respectful situation where they would call you and have something in mind as opposed to going up for a cold call. I was never a true actor. I wasn’t in love with the business. It was more of a hobby that paid well.”
In the last several years, independent filmmakers have called Patrick to be part of horror films.
“I’m affordable and I’m trying to give back to the industry that has been so good to me,” he said. “It’s kind of an honor for them to think of you. It’s a low-budget movie but it’s very important to them. When you participate with that, it feels good and helps them with their dream.”
Although Patrick avoided many of the highly publicized troubles of child actors from his era, he joked he was lucky he didn’t get caught.
“When you grow up in the ’60s and you are old for your age, you’re wise beyond your years, you have money and you have access to stuff, bad behavior was running amok, especially in California living at the beach,” he said. “I’ve survived somehow and lived a long life. I’m going to be 71 (in August). I’m glad I’m alive, but it’s been a long, strange trip, as the Grateful Dead would say.”
Patrick made a cameo along with other child actors at the end of “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star,” a 2003 movie about a fictional child actor.
