Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams, has died at 64

Lisa Loring – the actress best known for playing Wednesday Addams in the original iteration of The Addams Family – has died at the age of 64.

As reported by Variety, Loring’s passing was confirmed by her daughter, Vanessa Foumberg, who said she died last Saturday (January 28) from a stroke. “She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands,” Foumberg said.

In a Facebook post from her close friend Laurie Jacobson, it was explained that Loring’s stroke had been “brought on by smoking and high blood pressure”. She was said to have been on life support for three days before “her family made the difficult decision to remove it”.

“She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams,” Jacobson wrote. “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 was born on February 16, 1958, and started her career in modelling at the age of three. Her transition to acting came just three years later, when in 1964, she starred in an episode of the NBC medical drama Dr. Kildare.

It was the same year that Loring debuted as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, which ran for 64 episodes (split between two seasons) on ABC. Upon its cancellation, she picked up a role in The Pruitts Of Southhampton, which shared a handful of the same creative team (and broadcaster) as The Addams Family.

Loring kept busy into the 1980s, starring as Cricket Montgomery in the CBS soap opera As The World Turns – her tenure running from 1980 until 1983 – before shifting focus to slasher films with roles in Blood Frenzy (1987), Savage Harbour (1987) and Iced (1988).

Other notable roles of Loring’s include her bit parts in episodes of Fantasy Island, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and Barnaby Jones. She also worked as a makeup artist on porn shoots, for which she was credited under with the pseudonym Maxine Factor.

Have a look at some tributes to Loring below:

Rest in Peace Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams.

The original Wednesday dance with Ted Cassidy from the 1964 episode, Lurch Learns to Dance. pic.twitter.com/ri3wTorYUo

— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) January 30, 2023

Rip dear Lisa Loring. Delightful in the role of the youngest member of The Addams Family, your iconic presence as the original Wednesday will forever be remembered. You were an important part of our cultural history. I was so happy I met you. I hope you knew how much we loved you pic.twitter.com/Srf9XtFmTm

— Barbara Crampton (@barbaracrampton) January 30, 2023

SAD FAREWELL
Lisa Loring recently suffered a massive stroke and died last night. She would have turned 65 next month. I love that Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega always paid respectful tribute to the OG Wednesday. For those of us in our 60s this is like losing an old friend. pic.twitter.com/PUdoou8vy7

— James L. Neibaur (@JimLNeibaur) January 30, 2023