Fred Gwynne gained recognition as an American actor, artist, and writer, particularly for his performances in the popular 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? (playing Francis Muldoon), and The Munsters (portraying Herman Munster). He also appeared in notable movies such as The Cotton Club, Pet Sematary, and My Cousin Vinny.
Early Life
Frederick Hubbard Gwynne was born on July 10, 1926, in New York City. His father, Frederick Walker Gwynne, was a partner at Gwynne Brothers securities firm. His mother, Dorothy Ficken Gwynne, was an accomplished artist and creator of the popular “Sunny Jim” comic.
Gwynne had two siblings, Dorothy Gwynne and Bowers Gwynne, who unfortunately passed away at a young age. While he did spend some of his early years in Tuxedo Park, New York, Fred Gwynne’s childhood was mostly spent in South Carolina, Florida, and Colorado due to his father’s frequent travels. He later went on to attend Groton School.
Fred Gwynne’s Movies & TV Shows
While building his acting career, Fred Gwynne achieved success by playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1951. After that, he moved to New York and secured a supporting role in Mrs. McThing on Broadway.
Alongside his acting career, he also held a job as a copywriter at the J. Walter Thompson Advertising agency. He was also seen in various other projects, including The Phil Silvers Show, Studio One, and Kraft Theatre.
Being 6 feet 5 inches tall, Fred faced criticism from certain film producers. Nonetheless, at the young age of 28, he gained attention in the film world with his appearance in On The Waterfront.
Afterward, he made an appearance in the Broadway musical Irma La Duce. Between 1961 and 1963, he starred as Francis Muldoon in the NBC TV show Car 54, Where Are You? Along with this, he was also creating children’s books, and one of his works, Best in Show, was released in 1958.
In 1964, Fred Gwynne took on the role of Herman Munster in The Munsters. Despite his tall stature, he had to wear five-inch platform boots for this character. He excelled in the show, gaining popularity among both adults and children. However, by 1966, the show’s ratings began to decline due to the rising popularity of the Batman series.
After the failure of their latest film, Munster, Go Home!, Universal Pictures pulled the plug on the show. As a result, Fred Gwynne was unable to find any new acting opportunities and turned to writing children’s books. Among his works are God’s First World, A Little Pigeon Toad, and A Chocolate Moose for Dinner.
In addition, Gwynne appeared in various films such as Simon, On the Waterfront, So Fine, Disorganized Crime, The Cotton Club, Captains Courageous, The Secret of My Success, Water, Ironweed, Fatal Attraction, and The Boy Who Could Fly.
Although he was concerned about being stuck in one type of character, he accepted the opportunity to play Herman Munster again in the 1981 television special The Munsters’ Revenge. Gwynne’s last movie was the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny, in which he portrayed Judge Chamberlain Haller.
Personal Life
Fred Gwynne tied the knot with Jean “Foxy” Reynard, a well-known socialite and descendant of New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor, in 1952.
Their marriage lasted until 1980 and produced five children: Kieron (1953–1998), Gaynor (b. 1954), Evan (b. 1956), Dylan (1962–1963, drowned), and Madyn (b. 1965). After their divorce, Gwynne remarried in 1988 to Deborah Flater and they remained together until his passing in 1993.
Death
At the age of 66, Fred Gwynne passed away in the cigar room of his Taneytown, Maryland home on July 2, 1993 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was laid to rest in an unmarked plot at Sandy Mount United Methodist Church Cemetery in Finksburg, Maryland.
