The Original Wednesday Addams, Lisa Loring, Dead at 64

It is with heavy hearts that we report the passing of Lisa Loring, who first brought Wednesday Addams to life in The Addams Family. According to her daughter Vanessa Foumberg (via Variety), Loring passed away on Saturday as a result of complications from stroke at the age of 64. She will be remembered fondly for bringing one of our favorite characters to life.

“She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands,” Foumberg told the trade.

Laurie Jacobson, Loring’s companion, also confirmed the news through a statement published on Facebook. “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. She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams,” Jacobson wrote.

She added, “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.”

Butch Patrick, the beloved actor from The Munsters, took to Facebook and gave a heartfelt statement regarding his experience, adding that he was “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.”

For two consecutive seasons, Loring portrayed the iconic Addams character before progressing to acclaimed programs such as The Pruitts of Southampton, The Girl From UNCLE, Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones.