Lisa Loring, the actress best known for portraying the young Wednesday Addams in the original The Addams Family TV show, has died. She was 64.

Loring's daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed to Variety that he mother died on Saturday (January 28) after having a stroke, saying, "She went peace peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands." She is survived by daughters Vanessa and Marianne.

Laurie Jacobson, a friend of the As The World Turns actress, reported Loring's death in a heartfelt post on Facebook, writing that she suffered a "massive stroke brought on by smoking and high blood pressure" that put her on life support. After three days, the family made the "difficult decision" to remove her from life support and she passed away surrounded by family.

"She is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams," said Jacobson, adding, "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."

When she was just 6 years old, Loring, born Lisa Ann DeCinces, landed the iconic role of Wednesday Addams on the sitcom The Addams Family, setting up the beloved role that has been portrayed by actresses like Christina Ricci in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values films and, most recently, Jenna Ortega in the hit Netflix series Wednesday.

Following the success of Wednesday, Ortega revealed last year that her portrayal of the character was inspired by Loring's run, especially during the now-viral dance, per CNN.

"I paid homage to Lisa Loring, the first Wednesday Addams," she told Jimmy Fallon. "I did a little bit of her shuffle that she does."

Loring also appeared in TV shows like The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Phyllis Diller Show, Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones, as well as movies like Blood Frenzy and Savage Harbor. Her most recent acting credit was 2015's Doctor Spine.

Joey Brooks

Follow

Email