With his bald head, lack of eyebrows, and dark circles framing his large, haunting eyes, Jackie Coogan made an unforgettable impression as Uncle Fester, the delightfully macabre, electricity-loving uncle whose gleeful morbidity became one of The Addams Family‘s most iconic trademarks. His performance balanced menace and mischief in equal measure, turning what could have been a grotesque caricature into a beloved figure of darkly comic charm.
But did you know that he cried when he saw himself for the first time in his iconic makeup?
Jackie Coogan’s grandson, actor Keith Coogan, best known for his roles in Adventure in Babysitting and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, took to Reels to answer a few fan questions and shared a few interesting tidbits about his beloved grandfather, who passed away in 1984.