< PreviousAddams could be. Before the sixties T.V. hit, the nameless Gomez was depicted as a somewhat grotesque, pug-nosed man. Astin gave him an air of sophistication and class that provided the springboard for Juliá’s later take. Juliá’s incarnation in the 1991 cult film (and subsequent 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values) brought a level of passion and beauty to the character’s existence unseen in Astin’s version. Juliá’s Gomez is darkly charming but all the while beguiling. He’s stylish without being ostentatious. He’s a man with a penchant for fine suits. He’s a learned man. He’s the winning patriarch with the clever quips. He revels in sartorially minded activities such as dancing, golfing and smoking cigars. Yet beyond the eccentric characteristics that made Gomez attractive to viewers in the nineties, it was his steadfast morals and values that enabled him to become one of the most likeable literary figures in history. Gomez is a romantic at heart, infatuated with Morticia. Theirs was the first real portrayal of a monogamous relationship that explored love in a way that was not common in 1991, let alone 1964. “Look at her,” Gomez says. “I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss.” Above all, it’s Gomez’s aptitude for fatherhood that is deeply human — he’s the supportive father you might have yourself, or perhaps have wished for — and it’s this level of humanity that is pleasantly surprising in a particularly morbid world. Unequivocally, his sartorial elegance flows from these virtues. Today, The Addams Family is as relevant as it ever was, with a Netflix adaptation in the works. And who will be playing the role of Gomez Addams, you ask? None other than the veteran actor Luis Guzmán. Will Guzmán bring with him the flair Gomez Addams has become known for? Undoubtedly. We await with eagerness its official screening. by josh bozin When The Addams Family first aired its morbid comedy, in 1964, it did so in an era of lowbrow television sitcoms that lacked much character substance or development. The Addams Family and its lovable yet macabre band of misfits changed that, doing so in a way that was enchanting and endearing. They were guided by everyone’s favourite patriarch and the show’s leading man, Gomez Addams. A man with a taste for theatrics, Gomez encapsulates the primary qualities of a literary rake. Whether it was with a cigar in hand — “I’ve since I was five… mother insisted,” he said — dancing the tango with his beloved wife, Morticia, or engaging in a midday sword fight, Gomez entertained, thrilled and charmed his way through both iterations of The Addams Family. Gomez Addams was, and still is, a representation of the times. Handsome, well groomed and family oriented, he is a suave, debonair, hopeless romantic, eccentric by nature and passionate in his pursuit of adventure. Sure, there’s something a tad manic about him and his abnormal family... but then again, what family isn’t like that? The series began life as a satirical cartoon for The New Yorker. Creator Charles Addams’ illustrations first appeared in the magazine in 1938 as a one-panel comic strip, and ran in the same magazine until his death in 1988. The world was introduced to the Addams Family in the flesh in 1964, with an ABC-led black and white show that spanned 64 episodes. It was the American actor John Astin (above) who first brought to life the celebrated illustrations of the then nameless Gomez Addams (Astin chose the character’s name), laying the foundation for the late, great Raúl Juliá, who would make the swashbuckling character his own some 30 years later. Astin afforded viewers an insight into who and what Gomez 128 In spite of his jet-black hair, pencil-thin moustache and panache for dressing boldly, Gomez Addams is more than just a pin-up of gothic satire. He remains as relevant today as he was in the 1964 and ’91 renditions of The Addams Family. ALL ADDS UP RAKE INCARNATE GETTY IMAGES TRME_128_Incarnate Gomez Addams_11917091.indd 12810/01/2022 10:54:00 AMMIDDLE EAST EDITION THE MODERN VOICE OF CLASSIC ELEGANCE FOLLOW THE RAKE ON SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WOR LD OF BESPOKE LIVING AND ELEVATE YOUR FEED WITH UPDATES ON STYLE, MENSWEAR AND THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE. THE RAKE – THE MODERN VOICE OF CLASSIC ELEGANCE @TheRakeMiddleEast @TheRakeME TRME-057_AUTUMN-SEP2020_AD PAGES.indd 13103/09/2020 09:42:16 AMALPINE EA GLE XL CHRONOALPINE EA GLE XL CHRONO The pure yet bold Alpine Eagle XL Chrono is a column-wheel chronograph equipped with a flyback function. Its 44 mm case houses the Chopard 03.05-C chronometer-certified automatic movement, for which three patents have been registered. This exceptional timepiece is made of Lucent Steel A223, an exclusive ultra-resistant metal based on four years of research and development. Proudly handcrafted by our artisans, it represents the expertise and innovation cultivated in our Manufacture. Next >