Who Wrote The Addams Family Theme Song: Origins Explained

Audiences are well-acquainted with the kooky, ooky Addams family but few may know the history and origins of the classic The Addams Family theme song. The Addams family returned once again in MGM’s The Addams Family 2, which arrived in time to join the Halloween horror movies of 2021. This film will mark the twelfth appearance of the famed family in film and television. Moreover, the animated adventure will once again feature the franchise’s famous theme song. The now instantly recognizable theme has accompanied the creepy clan in nearly all their on-screen appearances.

Interestingly, the history of The Addams Family theme song runs parallel with the family itself. At the same time the song was in development, Charles Addams’s original cartoon characters were receiving their iconic names for the first time ahead of the 1964 Addams Family television series. Prior to the show, the characters were never provided names and had appeared in illustrations within the pages of The New Yorker. Charles Addams first introduced the Addams family in 1938 so, therefore, the theme was instrumental in introducing audiences to the spooky new television family.

Regrettably, while audiences remember the cult series, which ran for two seasons and spawned Addams Family films and series, few know the true origins and history of the theme song. The theme’s creator Victor Mizzy was a talented and popular lyricist and composer in the 1950s and 1960s, and his  career dated back to the 1930s when he first began writing music for radio which included hits like “My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time” and “I’ll Never Fail You.” Mizzy’s songs would go on to be performed by Doris Day, Dean Martin, and Billie Holiday. However, Mizzy is most recognized for his contributions to film and television with his theme songs for Green Acres and The Addams Family.

Though many of Mizzy’s prior works were upbeat, The Addams Family theme became his most memorable song, and he often joked all it took was two snaps to buy a house in Beverly Hills. Obviously, Mizzy was referring to the snaps which accompanied the harpsichord dominated television theme song. In fact, after Mizzy was approached to do the television series’ theme, he was ultimately urged to direct the intro and opening credits too. He also arranged the position of each Addams family cast member and their individual snaps.

While Mizzy’s Addams Family theme song was popular enough to warrant release as a single, it surprisingly failed to make national charts despite being so catchy. Astonishingly, having developed the theme on his own, Mizzy was able to maintain the publishing rights and received royalties whenever the song was used whether in movies or even live sporting events. Despite “theme songs” often being considered outdated, Vic Mizzy’s theme song for The Addams Family and its history will likely remain a staple of American pop culture. Audiences will have to wait and see if Tim Burton’s Wednesday makes use of the iconic song when it hits Netflix sometime next year – though it feels like a safe bet.

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