You’re probably thinking of the 1960s. Or maybe the 1990s. Honestly, both are right, but they also barely scratch the surface of when this kooky family actually started haunting our pop culture. If you want to know what year did the Addams Family come out, the answer isn't a single date on a calendar; it’s a slow-burn evolution that began nearly a century ago in the ink-stained pages of a high-brow magazine.
Most people don't realize that Gomez and Morticia didn't even have names for the first twenty-six years of their existence. They were just anonymous figures in single-panel cartoons. It wasn't until a television producer came knocking that Charles Addams had to actually sit down and figure out what to call these weirdos.
The 1938 Origins: It Started With a Single Cartoon
The Addams Family first came out in 1938. That is the hard starting point. On August 6, 1938, The New Yorker published a cartoon by Charles Addams featuring a vacuum cleaner salesman trying to sell his wares to a tall, pale woman in a dilapidated mansion. Behind her stood a hulking, silent man.
That was it. No "Snap-Snap." No Cousin Itt. Just a vibe.
Charles Addams was a fascinating guy who actually lived a bit like his characters. He supposedly kept a medieval crossbow in his apartment and had a collection of Victorian funeral gear. Between 1938 and 1964, he drew about 150 of these cartoons. They weren't a series with a plot. They were just glimpses into a family that found the macabre delightful and the "normal" world terrifying.
It's weird to think about now, but for over two decades, the Addams Family lived only in these black-and-white drawings. They were biting, satirical, and often much darker than the versions we see on screen today. In one famous cartoon, the family is on their roof, tilting a cauldron of boiling oil over the side to pour onto Christmas carolers. You wouldn't see that on Nick at Nite.
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1964: The Television Explosion
The version of the Addams Family that most of the world recognizes—the one with the iconic theme song—came out in 1964. Specifically, September 18, 1964, on ABC.
This was a massive year for "monster" sitcoms. Interestingly, The Munsters premiered on CBS just six days later. It was a weird arms race of supernatural domesticity. David Levy, the producer, was the one who convinced Charles Addams to give the characters names and backstories. Addams chose "Gomez" (he almost went with Repelli) and "Morticia." He named the daughter Wednesday based on the nursery rhyme line "Wednesday's child is full of woe."
The show only ran for two seasons. Only 64 episodes. That feels impossible given how much of a footprint it left on history. John Astin’s manic energy as Gomez and Carolyn Jones’s cool, detached Morticia created a blueprint for a healthy—if eccentric—marriage that TV hadn't really seen before. They were actually attracted to each other, which was a huge departure from the bickering-couple trope of the 60s.
The 1970s and the Lost Animated Years
After the live-action show was canceled in 1966, things got a bit quiet until 1972. That's when the Addams Family made a guest appearance on The New Scooby-Doo Movies. They were animated by Hanna-Barbera, and the response was so good that they got their own cartoon series in 1973.
If you grew up in the 70s, this might be your Addams Family. It was bright, colorful, and they traveled around in a Victorian-style RV that looked like a haunted house on wheels. It was definitely "kiddy-fied," losing much of the dark wit of the original cartoons, but it kept the brand alive for a new generation.
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There was also a weird, often-forgotten TV movie in 1977 called Halloween with the New Addams Family. It reunited most of the original 1964 cast. Honestly? It's a bit of a mess. It was shot on videotape and feels very low-budget, but seeing John Astin and Carolyn Jones back in the roles one last time is a treat for die-hards.
1991: The Movie That Changed Everything
When people ask what year the Addams Family came out, they are very often thinking of the Barry Sonnenfeld movie from 1991. This was a pivotal moment. It moved the family from "retro TV kitsch" to "blockbuster powerhouse."
The casting was lightning in a bottle.
- Raul Julia as Gomez.
- Anjelica Huston as Morticia.
- Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester.
- Christina Ricci as Wednesday.
Ricci, in particular, redefined Wednesday Addams. In the 60s show, Wednesday was a sweet, slightly odd little girl who liked spiders. Ricci turned her into a deadpan, homicidal sociopath with a heart of... well, maybe not gold, but something sturdy. This movie and its superior 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values, are widely considered the gold standard for the franchise. They returned to the dry, cynical humor of the original 1930s cartoons while adding high-production Gothic flair.
The Modern Era: Animation and Wednesday
The franchise didn't stop in the 90s. We had a brief, mostly ignored live-action series in 1998 called The New Addams Family, and then a long gap.
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The Addams Family came out in a new animated form in 2019. These CGI films, produced by MGM, went back to the original character designs from Charles Addams’s 1938 sketches. Gomez was shorter and more pug-like, rather than the suave leading man John Astin or Raul Julia portrayed. It was a hit with kids, leading to a sequel in 2021.
Then came the monster hit. 2022.
Tim Burton finally got his hands on the property with the Netflix series Wednesday. Starring Jenna Ortega, this version focused solely on the daughter at a boarding school. It became one of the most-watched shows in Netflix history, proving that even after nearly 90 years, people are still obsessed with this family.
Why the Timing Matters
Understanding when these versions came out helps explain why the Addams Family survives. They adapt. In 1938, they were a satire of the upper class. In 1964, they were a satire of the nuclear family. In 1991, they were a celebration of being an outsider in a commercialized world. In 2022, they became a vehicle for teen identity and "dark academia."
They are the ultimate counter-culture icons. Every time society gets too polished or too obsessed with "normalcy," the Addams Family comes back out to remind us that "normal" is an illusion.
How to Explore the Addams Timeline Today
If you want to dive deeper into the history or host a marathon, here is how you should actually approach it:
- Track down "The World of Chas Addams": This book is the best collection of the original cartoons. See where it all started in 1938. You'll notice details that the movies later picked up, like the chemistry set or the bear rug that bites.
- Watch the 1964 pilot alongside the 2022 "Wednesday" pilot: It is wild to see how the tone shifted from "vaguely spooky sitcom" to "Gothic horror-mystery" while keeping the core family values intact.
- Don't skip the 1993 sequel: Many people watch the '91 film and stop. Addams Family Values (1993) is actually the better-written film, especially the Thanksgiving play sequence which remains a masterpiece of satirical writing.
- Check out the Musical: Yes, there's a Broadway musical that came out in 2010. It features an adult Wednesday and a completely different musical style. It's a great example of how the characters work in literally any medium.
The Addams Family didn't just "come out" once. They are a recurring phenomenon. Whether you’re a fan of the 30s ink drawings, the 60s finger-snapping, the 90s sarcasm, or the 2020s TikTok dances, the family remains the same: creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky, and altogether together.