An (Addams) Family affair! As Lisa Loring dies at the age of 64, FEMAIL takes a look back at what happened to the stars of the beloved original series - from Morticia's secret cancer battle to Uncle Fester's family squandering his fortune Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams, has passed away at the age of 64 The actress died of a 'massive stroke' over the weekend brought on by smoking Here FEMAIL explores what happened to the cast of the original 1964 series By Nola Ojomu and Lydia Hawken For Mailonline Published: 05:03 EST, 30 January 2023 | Updated: 10:29 EST, 30 January 2023 e-mail 46 shares 56 View comments To modern-day audiences, Jenna Ortega is the face of Wednesday Addams. But almost six decades before Netflix 's smash-hit adaption landed on screens, little-known child actress Lisa Loring turned the sweet but gloomy character into a household name. With her distinctive black plaits and sassy one-liners, Loring's portrayal of Morticia and Gomez's youngest child made a fan favorite among devoted viewers who tuned in every week to watch the successful series, which began in 1964.
Last night, the actress's good friend, Laure Jacobson, announced the sad news that Loring had passed away following a 'massive stroke' brought on by smoking and high blood pressure. Classic cast: The first live-action Addams starred John Astin as Gomez, Carolyn Jones as Morticia, Lisa Loring as Wednesday, Ken Weatherwax as Pugsley and Jackie Coogan as Uncle Fester. Pictured in 1965 Loring in character as Wednesday Addams (left) in 1964.
The actress, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 64, pictured on right in 2016 With Loring's passing, 92-year-old John Astin - who played Wednesday's father Gomez - is now the last surviving member of the original cast of The Addams Family. But what about the original cast members who helped bring the iconic roles to life? Things played out in very different ways for the show's stars, with some continuing to work in Hollywood - landing notable movie and TV show roles. Meanwhile, others battled addictions, suffered from health issues, and made a move into the adult entertainment industry.
Here, FEMAIL takes look at what happened to the stars' careers once the show came to an end. Wednesday Addams played by Lisa Loring Loring first introduced the world to the creepy-cool Wednesday Addams, who fast became a fan favorite Loring was born in February 1958, in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. The actress began her career aged three as a child model before she then ventured into acting.
Her big break came in the form of Wednesday Addams and she continued acting after the show came to an end. Her character was sweet but gloomy, and loved collecting creepy pets, including a lizard named Lucifer, a black widow spider named Homer and a headless doll. Her later roles included a reunion with her TV family as Wednesday Sr.
in the made-for-TV film, Halloween With The New Addams Family. Her personal life soon started to overshadow her career after she got married to her childhood sweetheart, Farrell Foumberg in 1973, aged 16. The couple had a child the following year, but soon got divorced in the months that followed.
In recent years, Loring (bottom left) took time to celebrate the show on social media and attended many fan events This led to a turbulent period for the star who was unable to turn to family for help. Her mother, who was an alcoholic, developed complications due to her addiction and died in 1974. Loring made a TV comeback at 22 as the 'troubled teen' Cricket Montgomery on As The World Turns from 1980 to 1983, but she was unable to land lucrative roles in the years that followed.
After her second marriage to Doug Stevenson failed and she continued to be unhappy with the direction her career was taking, she made a move into the adult entertainment industry. During this time, Loring was exposed to drugs which played a hand in ending her third marriage to Paul Siederman. When they divorced, the actress was prompted to enter a drug rehab program for heroin abuse after she found a friend who had committed suicide.
Happy Father's Day to my TV dad, John Astin. pic. twitter.
com/HGAmxk5KVu — Lisa Loring (@RealLisa_Loring) June 19, 2016 After that, she continued pursuing a Hollywood career, landing a handful of smaller roles. Some of Loring’s notable roles include Roxey in the 1988 action-drama film Death Feud and Vera in the 2014 comedy-horror, science-fiction movie, Way Down In Chinatown. After she became sober, Loring also got a job at an interior design company in Santa Monica.
The mother-of-two remarried for the fourth time in 2003 to Graham Rich. The marriage ended in 2008, but they did not finalize the divorce until 2014. In recent years, Loring took time to celebrate the show on social media and wished her 'TV dad' John Astin a happy birthday message on Twitter in 2016 when she posted a GIF of him exchanging a knowing smile with co-star Carolyn Jones.
Last night, Loring's friend Laure Jacobson announced that the actress had sadly passed away at the age of 64 after being taken off life support on Saturday. Lisa Loring pictured in August 1983. The actress went on to star in the 1988 action-drama film Death Feud and Vera in the 2014 comedy-horror, science-fiction movie Way Down In Chinatown Loring pictured at a Breast Cancer Fund celebrity meet and greet.
She leaves behind daughters Marianne and Vanessa following her death over the weekend Jacobson wrote: 'It is with great sadness that I report the death of our friend, Lisa Loring. 4 Days ago she suffered a massive stroke brought on by smoking and high blood pressure. 'She had been on life support for 3 days.
Yesterday, her family made the difficult decision to remove it and she passed last night. ' Paying tribute to Loring's work, Laure continued: 'She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams. Beautiful, kind, a loving mother, Lisa's legacy in the world of entertainment is huge.
And the legacy for her family and friends — a wealth of humor, affection and love will long play in our memories. RIP, Lisa. Damn, girl… you were a ton of fun.
' Loring is survived by her two daughters, Marianne and Vanessa, and her grandchildren, Emiliana and Charles. Her daughter, Vanessa Foumberg, confirmed her mother's death to Variety, saying: 'She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands. ' Gomez Addams played by John Astin Fans loved John Astin for his portrayal of charming pater familias Gomez Addams.
He's pictured right in 2010 John Astin was born in Baltimore, Maryland and studied mathematics at Washington & Jefferson College before he transferred to Johns Hopkins University to study drama. The actor also voiced Gomez in a cartoon series, for which he landed an Emmy nomination - pictured in 1970 After graduating, he began his career on Broadway as an understudy in Major Barbara while doing voiceover work for commercials. However, his big break came with a small role in West Side Story in 1961 which led to guest roles until he landed the part of Gomez in The Addams Family.
When the series came to an end, he later reprised the role of Gomez in the 1977 made-for-television film Halloween With The New Addams Family and voiced the role of Gomez in the animated series The Addams Family from 1992 to 1993. In the Canadian-American television series The New Addams Family, which ran from 1998 to 1999, Astin appeared as Grandpapa Addams, with the role of Gomez played by Glenn Taranto. Indeed, Astin kept himself busy with a slew of guest spots on TV shows such as Night Court, Webster and The Facts Of Life.
He also kept dipping his toe into big screen projects such as National Lampoon’s European Vacation and Freaky Friday, while he also made appears on stage frequently over the years. During his career, he received an Oscar nomination for Prelude, a short film which he directed, wrote and produced. He also landed an Emmy nomination for the cartoon voice of Gomez.
Astin starring as Evil Roy Slade in the 1992 made-for-television Western comedy Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin (pictured in January 2018) was adopted by John during his marriage to Patty Duke His love life became headline news at the time after he was married to actress Patty Duke from 1973 to 1985. When that relationship came to an end, he found love again with Valeria Ann Sandobal. The pair have been together in Baltimore ever since they tied the knot in 1989.
Astin has three sons with his first wife, Suzanne Hahn. Meanwhile, he shares a biological son with Patty Duke and he also adopted her son Sean Astin - who went on to star in The Goonies and Lord of the Rings - from an earlier marriage. Sean previously told People magazine : 'If you want to know who I am, John Astin is my father, Michael Tell is my biological father.
' Morticia Adams played by Carolyn Jones Carolyn Jones was the first actress to don the long black wig famously linked with matriarch Morticia Addams The famous scene in which Gomez kisses Morticia's arm has become a staple in future iterations of the show Carolyn Jones was born in Amarillo, Texas in April 1930. Due to suffering from severe asthma, the young star wasn't able to go to the movies as often as she wanted, which led her to become obsessed with Hollywood. Jones was already a recognizable star once she landed the role of Morticia after starring in King Creole alongside Elvis Presley - pictured in 1958 After she decided to become an actress, her grandfather paid for her to enroll at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.
It proved to be a life-changing opportunity as Jones secured a contract with Paramount Pictures after being spotted by a talent scout at the playhouse. She began to make guest appearances on television shows for the next decade while also standing out with parts in films such as House of Wax, The Seven Year Itch and acting opposite Elvis Presley in King Creole. She had a leading role in 1956 flick Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and went on to get an Academy Award nomination for her part in The Bachelor Party.
Jones also won a Golden Globe for her part in Marjorie Morningstar, meaning she was already a recognizable star once she landed the role of Morticia. Following the successful run of The Addams Family, she went back to episodic TV work, appearing in notable shows such as the miniseries Roots. Jones then reprised the role of Morticia in the 1977 NBC reunion film, Halloween With The New Addams Family.
During her career, Jones was married a total of four times, including a marriage to future uber-producer Aaron Spelling (who famously had a hand in creating hit TV shows such as Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place) from 1953 to 1964. Carolyn Jones as Lisa Whittaker in cop show, The Mod Squad. Pictured in 1969 While working on CBS daytime soap opera, Capitol, in 1981, the actress was diagnosed with colon cancer.
Pictured in 1970 She was then married to Tony Award-winning Broadway musical director Herbert Greene from 1968 to 1977. Jones never had any children. While working on CBS daytime soap opera, Capitol, in 1981, the actress was diagnosed with colon cancer.
She chose to keep it a secret and told her cast members that she was being treated for stomach ulcers. The cancer quickly spread to her liver and her stomach, but the star powered through the pain to film her scenes - many of which saw her in a wheelchair. The actress died on August 3, 1983 at the age of 53 and she donated her Morticia costume and wig to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - pictured 1965 In September of the following year, she married her boyfriend of five years, actor Peter Bailey-Britton.
She wore a lace and ribbon cap to hide the loss of her hair from chemotherapy. In July 1983, she fell into a coma at her home in West Hollywood, California, where she died on August 3, 1983 at the age of 53. Jones donated her Morticia costume and wig to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, while a collection of Addams Family scripts were donated by Bailey-Britton to UCLA.
Pugsley Addams played by Ken Weatherwax Ken Weatherwax was already a skilled child star by the time he was hired to play Pugsley Addams He delighted fans by making appearances at Addams Family-related events with former co-stars over the years. He's pictured with John Astin (Gomez) and Felix Silla (Cousin Itt) in 2006 Ken Weatherwax was born in Los Angeles, California, into a show-business family. His aunt was actress and dancer Ruby Keeler, while his half-brother, Joey D.
Vieira, played 'Porky' on the first three seasons of Lassie under the stage name of Donald Keeler. His uncles were Frank and Rudd Weatherwax, Lassie's trainers and owners of the first dog to play the role. Despite initially joining the family business, Weatherwax lost interest in acting once The Addams Family came to an end.
He decided to join the U. S. Army aged 17, and was focused on that until he agreed to reprise his role as Pugsley aged 21 at the 1977 reunion film Halloween With The New Addams Family.
Soon he began to establish a career behind the camera as a movie studio grip and set builder. Meanwhile, he delighted fans by making appearances at Addams Family-related events with former costar Loring. The two remained lifelong friends until Weatherwax's death from a heart attack on December 7, 2014.
Lurch played by Ted Cassidy Ted Cassidy was a fan favorite as Lurch and only began saying his iconic line, 'you rang' by accident Ted Cassidy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but raised in Philippi, West Virginia. In his youth, he was academically gifted and attended third grade at age six. He also had athlete interests after joining the football and basketball teams during his freshman year of high school aged 11.
Cassidy found steady work in a variety of other television shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s and even played Lurch in some of his guest appearances - pictured 1966 Cassidy played college basketball for the Hatters at Stetson University before graduating with a degree in speech and drama. He married Margaret Helen Jesse in 1956, and they moved to Dallas, Texas where he launched his career when he worked as a midday DJ on WFAA. During his time, he gave an in-studio report from WFAA radio station on the day John F.
Kennedy was assassinated and was among the first to interview eyewitnesses. He famously played Lurch on The Addams Family but also played Thing - unless the characters were sharing a scene together. Though the character of Lurch was originally intended to be mute, when Cassidy ad-libbed 'you rang?' in response to the butler call, it immediately became his signature line.
When the show ended, he went on to play or voice Lurch in other shows such as Batman and The New Scooby-Doo Movies as well as the 1973 animated series adaptation of The Addams Family. Cassidy found steady work in a variety of other television shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He had a prominent role on NBC's The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as Injun Joe, who was the blood
