'BEING A MUNSTER WAS A REAL BLAST'

THE FORMER CHILD STAR REFLECTS ON THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME

- By Craig Bennett

Butch Patrick, forever loved as Eddie Munster from The Munsters, says the classic sitcom remains the ultimate highlight in a career spanning almost 65 years.

"I loved the show while we were making it, and six decades after it ended its original run, the memories remain undimmed," Butch shares with New Idea in an exclusive chat from his home in Conway, Arkansas.

Running from 1964 until 1966, The Munsters was the higher-rated rival to The Addams Family. The characters were based around the classic Universal Studios movie monsters.

Butch, whose real name is Patrick Lilley, was 11 when he signed on to play werewolf Eddie, the only son of Herman and Lily Munster (played by Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo).

"There were about 500 kids who tried out for the role," he remembers.