Lisa Loring, celebrated as the first actress to bring Wednesday Addams to life in the classic television series The Addams Family, has passed away at the age of 64. Her daughter, Vanessa Foumberg, confirmed that Loring died on Saturday night at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank due to complications from a stroke induced by high blood pressure, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Foumberg shared the poignant details of her mother’s passing, stating, “She went peacefully with both her daughters [Vanessa and Marianne] holding her hands.”
For generations, Lisa Loring remains synonymous with Wednesday Addams, the endearingly gloomy, pigtailed daughter from ABC’s iconic black comedy The Addams Family. Taking on the role in 1964, she portrayed Wednesday for two formative years, establishing the quintessential blueprint for all live-action interpretations of the character that followed. Her legacy has recently seen renewed appreciation, with many acknowledging her profound influence on Jenna Ortega’s widely acclaimed portrayal of Wednesday in the recent Netflix hit series, Wednesday.
Born Lisa Ann DeCinces on February 16, 1958, in the Marshall Islands, Lisa Loring’s early life took her to Los Angeles with her mother following her parents’ divorce. Adopting the stage name Lisa Loring, she embarked on her career in entertainment remarkably early, starting as a model at just three years old. Her debut on television came in 1964 with a guest appearance on the NBC medical drama Dr. Kildare, marking the initial steps in what would become a memorable acting journey.
At the tender age of five and a half, Loring secured the role of Wednesday Addams in ABC’s MGM-produced television adaptation of Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoons. This half-hour comedy series became her formative acting experience. In later interviews, she recounted her unique method of learning lines, stating she “learned to memorize before I could read,” a testament to her early dedication and talent.
Lisa Loring often spoke with warmth and fondness about her time on The Addams Family during fan conventions and interviews. In a 2017 YouTube interview at Monsterpalooza, she fondly recalled the set as a familial environment: “It was like a real family — you couldn’t have picked a better cast and crew,” she stated. She expressed particular affection for her on-screen parents, Carolyn Jones and John Astin, who played Morticia and Gomez Addams, describing them as parental figures to her, emphasizing, “They were great.”
The Addams Family, which aired alongside CBS’s similarly themed sitcom The Munsters, enjoyed a successful two-season run, totaling 64 episodes. Decades later, in 1977, Loring and much of the original cast reunited for the NBC telefilm Halloween With the New Addams Family, much to the delight of fans.
With the passing of Lisa Loring, John Astin now stands as the last surviving member of the original Addams Family cast, marking the end of an era for the beloved show.
Following the conclusion of The Addams Family, Lisa Loring, recognized for her burgeoning talent, quickly found further television opportunities. She and John Astin both transitioned to ABC’s The Pruitts of Southampton, a sitcom led by Phyllis Diller, where Loring played Susan “Suzy” Pruitt. Interestingly, both shows shared executive producer David Levy. However, The Pruitts of Southampton faced critical challenges and lasted only a single season. In 1966, Loring also made a guest appearance in an episode of The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., but her career experienced a period of relative quiet in the subsequent years.
In her personal life, Lisa Loring entered her first marriage at the young age of 15 to her childhood sweetheart Farrell Foumberg in 1973. The following year marked the birth of her first child, but also brought personal tragedy with the death of her mother, Judith, at 34 due to chronic alcoholism.
Loring returned to acting roles with Halloween With the New Addams Family and secured guest appearances on popular shows like Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones. In the early 1980s, she took on a recurring role in the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, playing Cricket Montgomery, diversifying her acting portfolio.
As her television career began to evolve, Loring ventured into the horror genre, featuring in a series of slasher films in the late 1980s. She starred in Blood Frenzy and Savage Harbor, both released in 1987, and Iced in 1988. Despite this foray into film, her move to feature roles was brief, and personal challenges, including a battle with heroin addiction, significantly impacted her acting career.
Lisa Loring’s personal life continued to be eventful. Her first marriage to Foumberg concluded in 1974. She then married Search for Tomorrow actor Doug Stevenson in 1981, although this union ended in divorce after two years. In 1987, she married adult film star Jerry Butler, who committed to leaving the pornography industry. However, Butler’s secret continued involvement in adult films created considerable strain, leading to their divorce in 1992. Her fourth marriage was to Graham Rich in 2003, which also ended in divorce in 2014.
Lisa Loring is survived by her daughters, Vanessa and Marianne, and her grandchildren, Emiliana and Charles. Her portrayal of Wednesday Addams remains a cultural touchstone, influencing generations and securing her place in television history.
Mike Barnes contributed to this report.
