Frederick Hubbard Gwynne
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Fred Gwynne, known for playing Herman Munster in the 1964 sitcom The Munsters, also starred as Officer Francis Muldoon in Car 54, Where Are You? 1961 and as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary 1989. He authored and illustrated several children’s books, including The King Who Rained 1970. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1993.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Fred Gwynne — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Fred Gwynne by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Fred Gwynne — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
New York City, July 10, 1926 — Frederick Hubbard Gwynne arrived as the son of stockbroker Frederick Walker Gwynne and Dorothy Goddard Ficken. At the Groton prep school, he first performed on stage in a student production of Henry V. After serving as a radioman in the US Navy during World War II, he studied English at Harvard University, class of 1951, working on the Harvard Lampoon and performing in Hasty Pudding theatricals.
Gwynne made his Broadway debut on February 20, 1952, as Stinker in Mrs. McThing opposite Helen Hayes. He appeared uncredited in On the Waterfront 1954. His breakthrough came when Nat Hiken cast him as Officer Francis Muldoon in Car 54, Where Are You? 1961. In 1964, he began playing Herman Munster in The Munsters, wearing heavy boots and 40-50 pounds of padding. After the show’s cancellation in 1966, he struggled with typecasting but returned to Broadway, earning rave reviews for his Big Daddy in the 1974 revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He later found film success in the 1980s, notably as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary 1989 and Judge Chamberlain Haller in My Cousin Vinny 1992.
Gwynne married socialite Jean Foxy Reynard in 1952; they had five children: sons Kieron, Evan, and Dylan who drowned in the family pool in 1963, and daughters Gaynor and Madyn. They divorced in 1980. He married Deb Gwynne in 1981, who was over 20 years his junior. They lived in a renovated farmhouse in Taneytown, Maryland. He avoided the Hollywood social scene and refused interviews.
Gwynne’s portrayal of Herman Munster ranked #19 on TV Guide’s 2004 list of 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time. His performance as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary 1989 has been parodied on South Park since 2001. His children’s books like The King Who Rained 1970 remain in print. He is remembered for both his comedic television roles and his late-career film performances.
Little-known facts about Fred Gwynne — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
Gwynne graduated from Harvard University with the class of 1951.
By choice, he never participated in the Hollywood or Broadway social whirl, living quietly in suburban Bedford, New York and later in a renovated farmhouse in rural Taneytown, Maryland. Most who knew him described him as a good friend and neighbor who liked to keep his personal and professional lives separate.
In addition to acting, Gwynne was the talented author and illustrator of several popular children’s books, including A Chocolate Moose for Dinner, The King Who Rained, and A Little Pigeon Toad.
He was originally under consideration for the part of Henry Warnimont on Punky Brewster until a casting director referred to him as Herman Munster instead of his real name. An offended Gwynne abruptly withdrew from consideration, and George Gaynes wound up with the part.
When NBC approached him to reprise his role of Herman Munster for a 1981 TV movie The Munsters’ Revenge, Gwynne was initially not interested. His second wife suggested he ask for a large paycheck they would probably refuse, but when NBC agreed, he accepted the role.
Five children with Jean Reynard Foxy Gwynne: three sons Evan Gwynne, Dylan Gwynne died in 1963, drowned in the family pool, and Keiron Gwynne became mentally handicapped after an illness at a little over a year old. Two daughters: Madyn Gwynne and Gaynor Gwynne.
In his most popular post-The Munsters role, that of Judge Chamberlain Haller in My Cousin Vinny 1992, one of the sight gags is that the good judge looms a full foot taller than his antagonist, Vinny Gambini, as played by Joe Pesci.
Between 1975 and 1982, he appeared in 79 episodes of The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre.
In 1964, along with Al Lewis and the Munstermobile with car designer George Barris at the controls, he appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
He was a member of the Harvard a cappella group, the Krokodiloes.
In his later years as an actor, Gwynne received much critical acclaim in the theatre.
Following the cancellation of The Munsters, Gwynne refused to discuss his part in the TV show. Not long before his passing, he relented slightly by sharing his thoughts on his most famous character.
Herman Munster, Gwynne’s character on The Munsters, was ranked #19 in TV Guide’s list of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time June 20, 2004 issue.
He refused to grant interviews, preferring to maintain a low profile when not working.
He was of English maternal and Northern Irish paternal ancestry.
His second wife was over 20 years his junior.
He performed in Harvard’s famous drag troupe Hasty Pudding Theatricals from 1949 to 1951. Harvard University Class of 1951.
He received rave reviews for his performance of Big Daddy in a Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
He turned down the role of history teacher Mr. Arnold Hand in Fast Times at Ridgemont High 1982 due to the sexual content of the film. Fellow television character actor Ray Walston was cast in the role instead. Ironically, five years later Gwynne appeared as Michael Douglas’ boss in the smash hit Fatal Attraction 1987, which was a somewhat sexually explicit film.
He worked as a salesman at Seal Lock Burial Vault, Forest Hills, New York in the early 1950s this business later became a florist shop, still operating in 2007.
Gwynne was relieved when The Munsters show was cancelled, having grown tired of Herman Munster.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II on a submarine chaser in the Pacific Theater, on active duty during the Battle of Saipan.
The animated show South Park has used Gwynne’s likeness and vocal affectation in his role as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary 1989 as a recurring character. The character, an unnamed farmer, usually appears out of nowhere to warn others about ancient curses and strange circumstances. In the episode Marjorine 2005, the character specifically warns a couple not to bury their supposedly dead son in an ancient Native American burial ground, much like in Pet Sematary. The farmer first appeared in Butters Very Own Episode’ 2001 and most recently in Tegridy Farms Halloween Special 2019.
He was featured or parodied in Playboy’s Little Annie Fanny comic strip The Unhappy Comic, April 1963 as Freddy, and represented by Annie’s agent Solly, a character based upon Phil Silvers.
Biography in: Who’s Who in Comedy by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 199-200. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387.
In 1952, Gwynne married socialite Jean Foxy Reynard, a granddaughter of New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor. Before divorcing in 1980, they had five children: son Kieron 1953-1998, daughter Gaynor b. 1954, son Evan b. 1956, son Dylan 1962-1963, drowning, and daughter Madyn b. 1965.
Gwynne is buried in an unmarked grave at Sandy Mount United Methodist Cemetery in Finksburg, Maryland because he wished to be remembered as himself, not his famous character Herman Munster, and to avoid his resting place becoming a tourist attraction. His family respected this decision, with speculation that they would wait for his wife to join him before any marker was considered, though none was placed.
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