Loring died at 64, from a massive stroke on January 28 after being on life support for 3 days.
“Loosen up a little,” Wednesday Addams from the Addams Family says to her sidekick. “Let yourself go.” Today, Lisa Loring, the veteran actress, who was the first Wednesday Addams in the 1966 sitcom The Addams Family when she was only six, has gone. She passed away on January 28 at 64.
Rest in Peace Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams.
— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) January 30, 2023
The original Wednesday dance with Ted Cassidy from the 1964 episode, Lurch Learns to Dance. pic.twitter.com/ri3wTorYUo
Jenna Ortega is mourning her loss. On January 31, the Netflix star gave her first public statement on Loring's death. She took to her Instagram Story to share two black-and-white photos of Loring as a child and wrote, "Absolutely devastated. Thank you for everything."
Her family is also taking its time to heal from this loss, as stated by Loring's daughter Vanessa Foumberg on January 28, who also confirmed to Variety that the actor died from complications from a stroke caused by high blood pressure. "She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands."
Prior to the family's official statement, Loring's friend, Laurice Jacobson, announced her death and the details around it in a Facebook post. "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," Jacobson wrote.
"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," she added.
Rest in peace Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams. Your legacy will never be forgotten 🌹 pic.twitter.com/mS9W768FCJ
— MGM Studios (@mgmstudios) January 30, 2023
Her performance as Addams's daughter, with her classic pigtails, has reverberated through film and TV. Loring was born Lisa Ann DeCinces in the Marshall Islands in 1958, later moving to Hawaii and then Los Angeles with her mother. She began modeling when she was three and was cast in television soon after, in the medical drama Dr. Kildare.
Trying to find the words to honor my Lisa…she was at the core a kind, kind soul. Through her struggles she just wanted to be happy. May she R.I.P. - she would call me her little sis. Goodbye sister…trying to process your passing… 😞🙏 #HorrorFamily #LisaLoring pic.twitter.com/XHKK0EPZHA
— Ivonna Cadaver (@IvonnaCadaver) January 30, 2023
After receiving fame as Wednesday Addams, she took roles in the sitcom The Pruitts of Southampton and spy drama The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. During this time, she also worked as a makeup artist on the set of the adult film Traci’s Big Trick – where she met her third husband, adult film actor Jerry Butler, on set.
Media widely covered public spats over Loring’s dissatisfaction with Butler’s continued involvement in the adult film industry. The couple eventually divorced in 1992.
We just received the horrible news that Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams from the Addams Family TV show, just passed away at age 64 pic.twitter.com/tdFoxvl0TE
— Hollywood Horror Museum (@horrormuseum) January 30, 2023
Loring is survived by her daughters, Marianne and Vanessa, and her grandchildren, Emiliana and Charles.
References:
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a42735856/jenna-ortega-wednesday-addams-lisa-loring/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057729/
https://www.instagram.com/jennaortega/
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/lisa-loring-dead-wednesday-addams-family-1235506117/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0521006/
Cover Image Source: (L) Getty Images | Lawrence Lucier; (R) Getty Images | Natasha Campos
