Lisa Loring, the first actress to play Wednesday Addams in the original The Addams Family sitcom, has passed away. She was 64.
In a statement to CNN on Monday, Loring’s longtime agent Chris Carbaugh said that the actress died “surrounded by her family” on Saturday, January 28th.
“She brought to life one of the most iconic characters in Hollywood history that is still celebrated today,” Carbaugh said of Loring, who was also a mother and grandmother. “Lisa loved sharing her memories and meeting all her fans across the world. She will be missed dearly.”
Lisa Loring’s cause of death
Loring’s friend Laurie Jacobson also took to Facebook on Monday to share the heartbreaking news.
“It is with great sadness that I report the death of our friend, Lisa Loring,” wrote Jacobson. “Four days ago, she suffered a massive stroke brought on by smoking and high blood pressure. She had been on life support for three days. Yesterday, her family made the difficult decision to remove it and she passed last night. She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and, in our hearts, always as Wednesday Addams.”
Jacobson went on to describe Loring as a “beautiful, kind, and 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,” added Jacobson. “RIP, Lisa. Damn, girl…you were a ton of fun.”
Lisa Loring’s movies and TV shows
Best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, Loring took on the iconic role in 1964 when she was just six years old and continued to portray the death-obsessed character until the show’s finale two years later.
Loring’s depiction of Wednesday became the blueprint for the pale, pigtail-wearing Wednesday. Her deadpan delivery of lines as Wednesday also served as inspiration for other actresses who have played the iconic character. These actresses include Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega. Ricci starred as Wednesday in the 1991 movie The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values. Ortega, on the other hand, stars as Wednesday in the hit Netflix series Wednesday, which premiered in 2022.
After The Addams Family concluded, Loring joined the cast of Phyllis Diller’s sitcom The Pruitts of Southampton and landed a recurring role in As the World Turns as Cricket Montgomery. Loring’s acting credits also include films like 2015’s Doctor Spine, 2014’s Waydown in Chinatown, 1987’s Savage Harbor, and more.
Lisa Loring’s spouse
Loring married and divorced four times during her lifetime. She was first married to Farrell Foumberg from 1973 to 1974. She then tied the knot with Doug Stevenson in 1981, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1983. For her third marriage, Loring wed Jerry Butler in 1987 but they divorced in 1992. Fast-forward to 2003, Loring married Graham Rich but they also ended up divorcing in 2014.
Lisa Loring’s net worth
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Loring had an estimated net worth of $500,000 in 2022.