KINGSTON — Actor Butch Patrick says he has a new catchphrase: “I put smiles on people’s faces.”
That certainly was true when the man who played Eddie Munster on TV visited Strange and Unusual in Kingston on Thursday to meet fans, pose for photos and sign autographs.
Patrick, who celebrates his 66th birthday today, came to the store with his wife, Leila. A crowd outside the store awaited his arrival.
He said he crisscrosses the country meeting fans at interesting stores. Before greeting people inside the store, he posed for a photo with the smiling crowd waiting outside.
“It’s always nice when you pull up to see a big crowd,” Patrick said. “It’s nice for someone like myself and ‘The Munsters’ in this particular type of store where people really appreciate it, and it’s nice to be the only kid in town where you have a nice big line for yourself. It’s good for your ego.”
Hanover Twp. resident Cindy Yale waited outside Strange and Unusual for 2½ hours Thursday and was the first in a long line to meet Patrick.
Yale, 58, said she watched the 1960s television comedy series when she was young. She had a Munsters lunchbox and toys. She was thrilled to get an autograph and photo with Patrick, who was best known for his role as the child werewolf in the family.
“The Munsters” aired on CBS from September 1964 to May 1966. Patrick was 11 and 12 when he portrayed Eddie Munster, the only child of Frankenstein monster-type Herman Munster and vampire Lily Munster. Their niece Marilyn Munster was a blond beauty and the only family member not ghoulish in appearance, but by the Munsters’ standards, she was unattractive.
After the sitcom was canceled, it found a large audience in syndication. Those who came to meet Patrick on Thursday varied in age, and many said they like to visit Strange and Unusual, which sold Munsters memorabilia Thursday.
“It’s nice to know there is a new generation of kids who really enjoy unusual stuff, and ‘The Munsters’ is a classic and iconic television show that a lot of people of all ages tend to gravitate toward, so I’m very lucky,” Patrick said.
The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to Patrick.
Patrick, who is originally from Los Angeles, married Leila in 2016 and moved to Florida. While he is best known for his role as Eddie Munster, he also appeared on the soap opera “General Hospital” and the sitcoms “The Real McCoys” and “My Three Sons.”
Before the meet-and-greet Thursday, he stopped by the White House Diner in Forty Fort. After leaving Kingston, he was headed to Washington.
“I drive everywhere because I have a big 32-foot trailer,” he said. “We spend a lot of time on the road. We decided we are going to try to find interesting things on the way, and it seems every city and state has some really interesting folks doing interesting stuff, and it has worked out really well.”
Patrick said he came to Strange and Unusual to meet fans at no charge to store owner Josh Balz, and people didn’t have to pay admission.
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