Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. HOMEPAGE

Lisa Loring, the original actor who played Wednesday Addams in 'The Addams Family,' has died at the age of 64

Lisa Loring, who played Wednesday Addams on the first TV adaptation of "The Addams Family," has died
Lisa Loring, who played Wednesday Addams on the first TV adaptation of "The Addams Family," has died. Bobby Bank/Getty Images, ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

  • Lisa Loring has died at age 64, her daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
  • Loring played Wednesday in the original "The Addams Family" series which aired in the 1960s.
  • Her friend Laurie Jacobson wrote on Facebook that Loring "suffered a massive stroke" last week.
Advertisement

The original Wednesday Addams actor Lisa Loring has died, her daughter Vanessa Foumberg has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 64.

Foumberg told the outlet that Loring passed on Saturday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, following complications from a stroke caused by high blood pressure.

"She went peacefully with both her daughters [Vanessa and Marianne] holding her hands," she said.

Loring's personal friend, the author Laurie Jacobson, also shared the news of her death on Facebook, revealing that the actor — who is also known for her role in "As the World Turns" — experienced a "massive stroke" and had been on life support for three days before her family made the decision to take her off it.

Advertisement

"It is with great sadness that I report the death of our friend, Lisa Loring," Jacobson wrote in the post shared on Sunday. "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," her post continued. 

Jacobson paid tribute to Loring's "legacy in the world of entertainment," writing: "She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams."

She added that Loring was a "beautiful, kind, a loving mother" and concluded her post: "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."

Advertisement
The cast of "The Addams Family," which premiered on ABC on September 18, 1964.
The cast of "The Addams Family," which premiered on ABC on September 18, 1964. ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Loring was the first actor to portray the youngest and arguably most iconic member of the fictional Addams family in the sitcom, which ran for two seasons between 1964 and 1966. 

She took on the role of the character, based on the Charles Addams' cartoon series that first ran in The New Yorker when she was just five years old. She reprised her role in the 1977 television movie "Halloween with the New Addams Family." 

Loring's iteration of Wednesday, from her dark plaits to her deadpan dancing, has provided inspiration for the actors who have taken on the role since, including Christina Ricci, who starred in the 1991 film "The Addams Family," and Jenna Ortega, who has breathed new life in the character in the Tim Burton-directed Netflix series, "Wednesday."

Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on "The Munsters," which aired on CBS around the same time as "The Addams Family," also shared a tribute to Loring on Facebook.

Advertisement

He wrote: "Very sorry to hear of my dear friend Lisa Loring's passing. We were very close and worked together often. I know she was very weak. I was in her company just a few weeks ago. Godspeed my friend."

Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account