Lisa Loring, who originated the role of Wednesday in the iconic TV show The Addams Family, has died of a stroke aged just 64.
The actress passed away following ‘a massive stroke,’ according to Deadline.com on Sunday. She was 64.
Her good friend Laure Jacobson shared the news of her death in a Facebook post, saying Loring died on Saturday after being taken off life support.
Lisa Loring, who originated the role of Wednesday in the iconic TV show The Addams Family, has died. The actress passed away following ‘a massive stroke,’ according to Deadline.com; Pictured 2019
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.’
Loring’s iconic character Wednesday Addams had been back in the spotlight recently thanks to the hit Netflix show Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega as the daughter of the fictional Morticia and Gomez Addams.
Loring played Wednesday in the first live-action adaptation of Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoons. The show ran for two season from 1964 to 1966 with a total of 64 episodes
Loring played Wednesday in the first live-action adaptation of Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoons, as Deadline reported.
She took on the role at just six years old. The show ran for two season from 1964 to 1966 with a total of 64 episodes.
Her friend Jacobson shared: ‘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.’
Her good friend Laure Jacobson shared the new of her death in a Facebook post, saying Loring died on Saturday after being taken off life support; Pictured 2016
Loring’s daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed her mother’s death to Variety, saying: ‘She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands’; Pictured 1966
Her character was sweet but gloomy, and loved collecting creepy pets including a lizard named Lucifer, a black widow spider named Homer as well as a headless doll.
Loring went on to reprise her role as Wednesday in the 1977 television movie Halloween with the New Addams Family.
The role was also later portrayed by Christina Ricci, 42, who starred as Wednesday in the 1991 hit movie The Addams Family and its sequel, Addams Family Values
Loring was married four times and is survived by her two daughters Marianne and Vanessa, and her grandchildren, Emiliana and Charles.
Young star: Loring took took on the iconic role of Wednesday at just six. She went on to reprise her character in the 1977 television movie Halloween with the New Addams Family
Her daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed her mother’s death to Variety, saying: ‘She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands.’
Loring married her first husband — childhood sweetheart Farrell Foumberg — at just 15-years-old according to The Hollywood Reporter, and had her first child the following year.
The marriage ended in 1974. She later married actor Doug Stevenson in 1981, with the union coming to an end tow years later.
Her third husband was adult film star Jerry Butler, whom she wed in 1987, before the two divorced in 1992. She married her last husband Graham Rich in 2003 and divorced him in 2014.
Taking on the iconic role: Loring’s character Wednesday had been back in the spotlight recently thanks to the hit Netflix show Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega (pictured in a still from Wednesday)
The role was also portrayed by Christina Ricci, 42, who starred as Wednesday in the 1991 hit movie The Addams Family and its sequel, Addams Family Values; Pictured in a still from The Addams Family
Loring was born as Lisa Ann DeCinces in the Marshall Islands and lived in Hawaii before eventually coming to Los Angeles with her mother following her parents’ divorce.
She began modeling at the age of 3 and was first cast in acting in a 1964 episode of Dr. Kildare, before finding fame as Wednesday.
She often spoke of her time working on The Addams Family and how close the cast were.
Child star: After The Addams Family ended, Loring went on to appear in Phyllis Diller’s sitcom The Pruitts of Southampton (pictured in a 1966 still), as well as The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones, before starring on As the World Turns from 1980 to 1983
‘It was like a real family—you couldn’t have picked a better cast and crew,’ she shared in a 2017 YouTube interview conducted at the Monsterpalooza convention. ‘Carolyn Jones, John Astin — Gomez and Morticia — were like parents to me. They were great.’
With Loring’s passing, Astin is now the last surviving member of the original cast of The Addams Family.
After The Addams Family ended, Loring went on to appear in Phyllis Diller’s sitcom The Pruitts of Southampton.
She also had roles in The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones, before earning a recurring role as Cricket Montgomery on daytime soap As the World Turns from 1980 to 1983.
Her final acting credit was in 2015 with the film Doctor Spine.
Greatly beloved: Loring was married four times and is survived by her two daughters Marianne and Vanessa, and her grandchildren, Emiliana and Charles