Origins & Early Life

Charles Samuel Addams (January 7, 1912 – September 29, 1988) was an American cartoonist known for his darkly humorous and macabre characters. Some of his recurring characters became known as the Addams Family, and were popularized through various adaptations. Charles Addams was born in Westfield, New Jersey, on Sunday, January 7, 1912. He was the son of Grace M.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

(née Spear; 1879–1943) and Charles Huey Addams (1873–1932), a piano company executive who had studied to be an architect. Known as "something of a rascal around the neighborhood," as childhood friends recalled, Addams was distantly related to U.S. presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, despite the different spellings of their last names, and was a first cousin twice removed to noted social reformer Jane Addams. Addams would enjoy the Presbyterian Cemetery on Mountain Avenue in Westfield as a child, where – according to author and Addams expert Ron MacCloskey – he would wonder what it was like to be dead. In the cartoons, his ghoulish creations lived on Cemetery Ridge with a dreadful view.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A house on Elm Street and another on Dudley Avenue – into which police once caught him breaking and entering – are...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alan Turing — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Father of theoretical computer science, known for the Turing machine and codebreaking.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• August Strindberg — Contemporary (Died in 1912) (1912): Pioneering Swedish literary figure, playwright, and essayist of the late 19th century.
• Adele — Contemporary (Born in 1988) (1988): Iconic English singer-songwriter celebrated for powerful mezzo-soprano vocals.
• Alexandra Burke — Contemporary (Born in 1988) (1988): British singer, songwriter, and actress known for winning The X Factor.
• Ana de Armas — Contemporary (Born in 1988) (1988): Cuban-Spanish actress known for roles in Hollywood thrillers and dramas.
• Abd al-Rahman III — Shared historical date (01-07 · Born) (891): Founder of the Caliphate of Córdoba, a period of immense Islamic cultural zenith.
• Adolph Zukor — Shared historical date (01-07 · Born) (1873): Pioneering Hungarian-American film producer, co-founder of Paramount Pictures.
• Alfie Boe — Shared historical date (09-29 · Born) (1973): Acclaimed English musical theatre star, celebrated for roles like Jean Valjean.
• Andrea del Sarto — Shared historical date (09-29 · Died) (1530): Florentine painter celebrated for fresco work during the High Renaissance.
• 1912 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1912
• January 7 (01-07) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 7
• 1988 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1988
• September 29 (09-29) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 29