The Man Behind the Munster.

Most people remember him as Herman Munster. However, he was born Frederick Hubbard Gwynne on July 10, 1926, in New York City. After the death of his father, his mother sent him to the exclusive prep school Groton in Groton, Massachusetts.

While at Groton School he became the president of the drama club and made his first stage appearance in a school production of Henry V.

Gwynne graduated Groton School in 1944 and joined the U.S. Navy during WWII. He served as a radio operator aboard the subchaser USS Manville, a small combat ship specially designed to destroy enemy submarines. The Manville served as a patrol and escort ship before being sent to Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1943.

The sub-chasing ship joined the Fifth Amphibious Force ahead of the invasion of Saipan, the largest of the Mariana Islands, in June of 1944. One month later, the Manville took part in the invasion of Tinian. The vessel survived 18 enemy air raids during its service in the Mariana Islands before returning to Pearl Harbor. Six months later WWII ended.

After the war, Gwynne attended art school at the Phoenix School of Design, now affiliated with the Pratt Institute in New York. He wanted to do Saturday Evening Post covers, but found the work did not suit him.

So, Gwynne used his G.I. Bill to transfer to Harvard University, where he majored in English, worked on the staff of the “Harvard Crimson” student newspaper, and was a member of the distinguished Harvard Hasty Pudding Club, where he further refined his acting skills, and graduated in 1951.

Later Gwynne went to New York City and in February 1952, he made his debut in the Broadway play “Mrs. McThing,” opposite Helen Hayes, Ernest Borgnine, Irwin Corey, and Brandon DeWilde.

In 1954, he made his first cinematic appearance playing in an uncredited role as the thug Slim in the Oscar winning film “On the Waterfront.” This led to additional roles on television series such as “The Phil Silvers Show,” and others.

This recognition gave Gwynne his big break in 1961 when he was cast as police officer Francis Muldoon on the comedy series “Car 54, Where Are You?” The series aired for two seasons until 1963. Although the show only lasted two seasons, it became a cult hit in the rerun circuit.

 The following year he was cast in the role for which most people remember him most, Herman Munster. Gwynne was 6’5” with a high forehead, a square jaw and a deep voice so he was perfect for the role.

 Although the “Munsters” only ran for 70 episodes from 1964 through 1966, it too became a cult classic in the rerun circuit and is still shown on television today.

Gwynne appeared in many Broadway plays and played small parts in 40 films and television shows. In his final role in the movie “My Cousin Vinny,” he plays a small-town judge sparring with Joe Pesci as a lawyer. It was the end of an acting career that spanned 42 years.

Gwynne was a very talented man who sang professionally, painted, sculpted and wrote and illustrated 10 children’s books for the publishing house of Simon and Schuster. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Fred Gwynne – Died on July 2, 1993, at the age of 66 from pancreatic cancer in his Taneytown, Maryland, farm home eight days before his 67th birthday. He is buried in an unmarked grave in his rural church’s graveyard. No one knows why.