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As every inveterate Googler must know by now, yesterday was Charles Addams's birthday. What you might not know is that his first wife, Barbara Jean Day, was the inspiration for Morticia (pictures follow), that Charles was a latter-day Casanova whose romantic interests included Greta Garbo and Jackie O., that he tended to be as well and conventionally dressed as the art and furniture he collected were mildly unappetizing, and that his compilation of source material, Dear Dead Days, has amused and inspired cabals of the initiated for generations.
 
Derbies off, Charles A., and thanks tons, Barbara J. D.!
 
Mr. Addams and funster Ms. Day:
 

 

 
A bit of bio for your delectation:
 
NYTimes
 
Squidoo
 
My favorite of his books:
 

 
A few of the images it contains:
 






 
 
 
 

 

[Samgotit]

One of his books has been on page "41-50" of my Amazon cart for probably a quarter of a score. I came across his name once when Googlin' Gorey's The Unstrung Harp, specifically what the hell a fantod was:
 
 

Mr Earbrass irritatedly wonders why anyone should have had a fantod stuffed and put under a glass bell.

 
I'll have the book shipped now. 

 

[scrypt]

That sounds like an ultra-neat purchase on your part, Mr. Gotit.
 
A friend just asked what the fleck Mr. and Mrs Addams were drinking in that first photo.
 
Judging by the pictures in Dear Dead Days, it could be effervescent vertebrae powder and tonic.

 

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In case you were wondering how much of Mort's style was cribbed from the Mrs., here's Barbara either modeling for Charles or being observed:
 
 

 
Here's Mr. Addams enjoying his vintage 1927 Mercedes with Mrs. Addams-Day in 1951:
 

 
A cartoon which is perhaps not unrelated: