I just didn't get what her role was on the show.

I don't think It would of been as funny without her. I loved It when her boyfriends or who ever would meet her and think the Munsters were just a regular family. But once they seen Eddie, Herman or the rest of the family members, they would be wanting to get the hell out of there. I believe she played a good part. Just wouldn't be the same without her.

She was eye candy. :lol: I do agree though that she was used mainly in order to get normal people into the mansion. If she wasn't around I don't think anyone would have even went there. The house looked like it should have been condemned. :lol:

I liked her role. I thought it was a scream how she was portrayed as strange by her family, while they were portrayed as normal, lol. As mentioned, she provided some good plot opportunities.

I thought she was a necessary character and provided with some good stories.

Well, obviously the producers thought she was a necessary character:
otherwise, why bother replacing Beverly Owen with Pat Priest? Yes, I
think she provided a necessary contrast to the other bizarre members
of the family. According to Stephen Cox's book, Marilyn Munster was
supposed to be the daughter of Lily Munster's sister. (She must have
inherited her looks from her father!) Her character profile also states
that her abilities include "cooking, chatting, smiling" and that her marital
status is "involuntarily single." Her most noticeable quality is "periodic
melancholia" and her goal is "to find a man--any man." :lol:

Marilyn Munster was probably the most important character on the show! First of all her "normal" appearance was a constant reminder of how different, odd , ghoulish etc. the rest of the family was in contrast to her. Secondly as mentioned by a previous poster it was often Marilyn who brought insiders into the mansion or caused them to visit. Also she was the only family member with an ambition to move out of the mansion(she wanted to get married) so she was very important to the storylines. The Munsters wouldn't be the Munsters without Marilyn.:wave:

According to Stephen Cox's book, Marilyn Munster was
supposed to be the daughter of Lily Munster's sister. (She must have
inherited her looks from her father!)

That's stated in various episodes too, but I don't think she got her looks from her father. I think she turned out "weird" in her family, so both parents are probably monsters; maybe they sent her to live with Lily and Herman because they couldn't deal with how she turned out?

IMO, Marilyn was absolutely necessary to the show (even if she was played by two almost identical looking blondes) because by her family loving her despite them believing her 'unfortunate' and her loving them despite the rest of the world being freaked by them, this showed the Munsters' humanity and compassion. Also, it was funny to consider that her 'type' was usually supposed to be monsters' victims but instead they considered her a vital part of their lives. Who did the Addamses have as a character in this capacity- Pugsley?! Yes, he looked like a 'normal' fat kid but one could hardly call him the family freak. Moreover, the Munsters believed themselves 'normal' and 'typical' (apart from Grandpa Dracula, natch) whereas the Addamses reveled in being creepy, kooky and ooky!

IMO, Marilyn was absolutely necessary to the show (even if she was played by two almost identical looking blondes) because by her family loving her despite them believing her 'unfortunate' and her loving them despite the rest of the world being freaked by them, this showed the Munsters' humanity and compassion. Also, it was funny to consider that her 'type' was usually supposed to be monsters' victims but instead they considered her a vital part of their lives. Who did the Addamses have as a character in this capacity- Pugsley?! Yes, he looked like a 'normal' fat kid but one could hardly call him the family freak. Moreover, the Munsters believed themselves 'normal' and 'typical' (apart from Grandpa Dracula, natch) whereas the Addamses reveled in being creepy, kooky and ooky!
One of the almost identical blondes who played Marilyn, Beverly Owen, was actually a brunette who wore a blonde wig to play the part!

Yes!! She was a very good character!!! It was so funny, as pretty as she was, she was considered the homely one in that unusual family!!!

Did any of you ever make the connection between Marilyn Munster and Marilyn Monroe? In a way it's kind of eerie. Cause it wasn't long after Marilyn Monroe died, that the Munsters debuted ! And they get a very blonde girl, who really resembles Marilyn Monroe (esp. the first one Beverley Owen) And they name her Marilyn and their last name is Munster!!! Similar name ,kind of like was she supposed to be Marilyn Monroe come back to life or something? Like her ghost!!! She looked so normal, but maybe that was it, that is how she fit in the family ,she was really a ghost!!!! Just a thought!!

http://the-reelgillman.com/munsters/images/bo.jpg

the simpsons spoofed The Munsters on 1 of their treehouse of horrors

Similar name ,kind of like was she supposed to be Marilyn Monroe come back to life or something? Like her ghost!!! She looked so normal, but maybe that was it, that is how she fit in the family ,she was really a ghost!!!! Just a thought!!

No she was definitely alive, she was the child of Lily's sister (Grandpa's other daughter). "Poor thing" they just thought she was "deformed" and "so unfortunate", lol.

Yes most definitely. It was an interesting constant to this bunch of ghouls. The show really touches on the outward appearance. The Munsters despite the scary exterior are very fine people. Marilyn was a hottie and was sort of out of place which made an interesting twist on the show.

I agree, I liked Marilyn for those same reasons, her pretty exterior was a funny counterpoint to the rest of the family's ghoulish appearances. They all just took everything in stride and felt sorry for Marilyn on her search for a man....any man!