The Addams Family was first created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938, with many of his single-panel cartoon creations appearing in The New Yorker. Since then, the characters, such as Wednesday Addams, have become a fixture in popular culture. Most recently, actor Jenna Oretga took on the iconic role in the hit Netflix series Wednesday.
Before Jenna, there was Lisa Loring, who played the role on the original Addams Family television show at just 6 years old. Lisa died on Saturday, January 28, 2023, after being taken off life support following a stroke.
Lisa’s friend Laurie Jacobson announced her death 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,” Laurie wrote.
Laurie remembered and honored her friend’s life. “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 concluded.
Beyond Wednesday, Lisa’s acting credits include Susan "Suzy" Pruitt in The Pruitts of Southampton, which starred Phyllis Diller. She also appeared as Cricket Montgomery in the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. She leaves behind two daughters.
To learn more about the original Wednesday Addams, her legacy, and her death, watch this video.
