John Astin as Gomez Addams

Earlier than touchdown the position of the rich and indulgent Gomez Addams, John Astin starred alongside James Garner and Lee Remick in 1963’s The Wheeler Sellers. In a 2015 interview with the Tv Academy Basis, Astin recalled that his efficiency in that movie was well-received. 

“I get a name from Filmways, they produced that film,” Astin detailed. “They stated, ‘After we had been previewing this film, we received a big response on you from the individuals who stuffed out their preview playing cards. We wish to make a deal.’”

The studio offered three doable initiatives for Astin: films The Americanization of Emily and The Liked One, or a TV venture primarily based off The Addams Household cartoons. Coincidentally, Astin was a “large fan” of Charles Addams and had his comedian panels hung up as decorations throughout faculty. Astin may solely select one venture and he selected the fastest-moving one: The Addams Household. 

“I’m actually fortunate that’s what I ended up doing as a result of many issues have occurred to me which can be good on account of The Addams Household,” he stated.

Amongst these “good” issues are roles in Operation Petticoat, Night time Courtroom and The Frighteners (1996) alongside Michael J. Fox. Astin additionally reprised his position of Gomez for the TV film Halloween with the New Addams Household (1977) and the 21-episode season of The Addams Household animated sequence in 1992. 

Astin’s newest roles embody a voiceover within the animated sequence Justice League Motion. In 2022, Astin revealed in an interview with the AV Membership that he was retiring from appearing and instructing at Johns Hopkins College. The 94-year-old adoptive father of Sean Astin is the ultimate dwelling solid member of the present.

Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams

After enjoying Morticia Addams for 2 seasons, Carolyn Jones landed a job as Marsha, Queen of Diamonds on the Batman TV sequence. Her DC Comics roles didn’t finish there. She additionally performed Queen Hippolyta, the mom of Marvel Girl on the motion sequence. Jones additionally appeared within the history-making mini-series Roots in 1977. 

After having issue reserving roles, Jones determined to pursue one other artwork type: writing. In 1971, she launched her debut intercourse novel, Twice Upon A Time. 

Together with a lot of the unique solid, Jones reprised her Addams Household position within the TV film Halloween with the New Addams Household (1977). 

In 1981, Jones was recognized with colon most cancers. After the most cancers entered remission, Jones joined the solid of the daytime cleaning soap opera Capitol in 1982. Shortly after the beginning of the present, Jones’ medical doctors found her most cancers had returned. This resulted in numerous ache for the actress, typically confining her to a wheelchair. On Aug. 3, 1983, Jones died at age 53.

Ken Weatherwax as Pugsley Addams

Ken Weatherwax was 8 years outdated and in third grade when The Addams Household started. He performed the kind-hearted, lovable and chubby son of Gomez and Morticia: Pugsley. After the sequence finale, Weatherwax solely added two extra appearing credit to his identify. The primary was a small position within the TV sequence Wagon Prepare and as Pugsley Sr. in 1977’s Halloween with the New Addams Household. 

In 2008, Weatherwax joined Invoice O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Issue to debate his life after stardom. 

“[The Addams Family] didn’t have very a lot of an impact till after the present was over and I had to return to public college and cope with it,” he stated. “Frankly, I didn’t cope with it very nicely. I used to be kicked out of six or seven colleges and ended up within the service on the age of 17.”

Weatherwax stated he interviewed and auditioned for extra roles however believes he was “typecast” as Pugsley. From ages 10 to 16, Weatherwax was continuously acknowledged, however that every one went away after he shaved his head as a cadet.

On Dec. 7, 2014, Weatherwax died on the age of 59. His niece, Shanyn Vieira, revealed on Fb that her uncle died from a coronary heart assault.

Lisa Loring as Wednesday Addams

Beginning at simply 6 years outdated, Lisa Loring performed the death-obsessed Wednesday Addams on The Addams Household. Loring was the primary actress to don the enduring pigtails, black gown and white collar synonymous with the character. 

Following the sequence finale, Loring had a brief stint in The Pruitts of Southampton and performed Cricket Montgomery within the TV drama As The World Turns. She additionally appeared on iconic exhibits like The Lady from U.N.C.L.E., Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones. 

In 2022, Loring made headlines as a part of Jenna Ortega’s inspiration for the well-known dance scene on Netflix’s Wednesday. 

“I knew there have been sure issues that I wished to do,” Ortega advised Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Present. “I paid homage to Lisa Loring, the primary Wednesday Addams. I did somewhat little bit of her shuffle that she does. After all, they lower [it] out of digicam after I did do it, however it’s there, I do know it’s.”

On Jan. 28, 2023, Loring died of issues from a stroke brought on by hypertension at age 64. 

“She went peacefully with each her daughters [Vanessa and Marianne] holding her palms,” Vanessa Foumberg advised The Hollywood Reporter on the time of her dying.

Ted Cassidy as Lurch

With a 6-ft., 9-in., stature, Ted Cassidy was nearly destined to play the Addams household’s loyal butler Lurch. The character was initially meant to stay mute; nevertheless, after Cassidy advert libbed the well-known line “You rang?,” his deep and entrancing voice, together with the humorous supply, meant extra talking components for Lurch. 

Unbeknownst to many viewers, Cassidy additionally oftentimes performed the position of Factor — a dismembered hand that assists the household. When Lurch and Factor had been in a scene collectively, different crew members would step in, most notably Assistant Director Jack Voglin. 

After enjoying Lurch and lending a hand as Factor (actually), Cassidy went on to seem in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child and The Bionic Girl. On TV, he starred in The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Cassidy additionally made a reputation for himself as a voice actor for cartoons like Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle and Godzilla. He additionally narrated the The Unbelievable Hulk film (1977) and TV sequence (1978).

Cassidy returned to reprise his position as Lurch within the TV film Halloween with the New Addams Household (1977) and the short-lived Hanna-Barbera animated present The Addams Household in 1973. 

In 1979, Cassidy underwent an open coronary heart surgical procedure to take away a benign tumor. Throughout his restoration at house, issues arose. He returned to the hospital a couple of days later and died on Jan. 16, 1979, at age 46.

Jackie Coogan as Uncle Fester

Jackie Coogan’s appearing profession began lengthy earlier than his position as Uncle Fester on The Addams Household. His youngster appearing days return to the Twenties, when he performed the titular character in films like Oliver Twist (1922) and Tom Sawyer (1930). He even starred alongside Charlie Chaplin in The Child (1921). His first foray into a daily TV position was as Sergeant Barnes in McKeever and the Colonel. 

Following The Addams Household, Coogan made appearances in quite a lot of iconic TV sitcoms like I Dream of Jeannie, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Household and extra. He returned to play Uncle Fester in each the TV film and Hanna-Barbera sequence. 

At age 69, Coogan died of coronary heart failure on March 1, 1984, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Marie Blake as Grandmama Addams

Blossom Rock, who adopted the identify Marie Blake for her movie profession, held quite a lot of film roles all through the Thirties, ’40s and ’50s. She starred alongside a few of Hollywood’s biggest like Judy Garland, Joan Crawford and Mickey Rooney. 

After The Addams Household wrapped, Blake suffered a stroke in 1967 that completely impacted her speech. This meant she couldn’t reprise her position as Grandmama for the TV film Halloween with the New Addams Household (1977). The subsequent yr, Blake died on Jan. 14, 1978, at age 82.