Why did Lisa Loring quit acting? Late actress, 64, played Wednesday Addams when she was just 5 years old
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Lisa Loring, the actress who played Wednesday Addams in the first screen adaptation of 'The Addams Family,' has died at the age of 64 after suffering a stroke. Loring played the role of Wednesday in the '60s TV series. The sitcom was the first screen adaptation of the comic strip by Charles Addams and was aired from 1964 to 1966.
Laurie Jacobson, one of her friends, wrote 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. "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."
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Lisa was born on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which is about 2,600 kilometers west of Hawaii. When she was three years old, her parents separated. They lost her mother when she was very young. She made her first appearance on screen in an episode of Dr Kildare when she was just five years old. The following year she got the role that would define her career: Wednesday Addams until 1966 alongside Christopher Hart, Elizabeth Wilson, Judith Malina, Jimmy Workman and many others.
Lisa's career after 'The Addam's Family'
'The Addam's Family' was canceled after two seasons in 1966. Loring starred in another sitcom called 'The Pruitts of Southampton' alongside Phyllis Diller, Gypsy Rose Lee and Richard Deacon. However, series was canceled after only one season in 1967. It wasn't until the early 1980s that Loring made headlines again, this time for her role as Cricket Montgomery in the successful CBS serial 'As the World Turns.' In addition, 'Blood Frenzy,' 'Iced' and 'Doctor Spine' are just some of the horror films in which Loring starred. In 1977, Loring again played the role of Wednesday in the film 'Halloween' with the New Addams Family.
Why did Lisa Loring quit acting?
According to IMDb, in the early 1990s Loring was on the decline professionally and her marriage was in trouble. She developed a drug addiction after repeatedly trying to self-medicate her symptoms. When Loring found her friend and actress Kelly Van Dyke had died after an apparent suicide by hanging in 1991, she was the first person to find her body. Loring's mental health was precarious. Not long after, she also attempted suicide. The year was 1992, and Loring had finally decided to get help for her drug problem. She gave a few interviews in the mid-1990s, but otherwise largely withdrew from acting.
In the early 1990s, Loring had a difficult time finding decent jobs. She told People in 1995, "I'm trying, but I'm terrified of the rejection." She further said that she was selective in her role preferences. "In other words, I refuse to engage in low-quality work. Yet, if I could act in a movie directed by Quentin Tarantino, I would, she said.
Before working at an interior design firm in Santa Monica, California, she worked in the beauty industry. She retired from acting to spend more time with her loved ones. She still attends conventions and enthusiastically greets her loyal followers.