They were (and remain) creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky, and altogether ooky, and the TV adaptation of Charles Addams’ deliciously ghoulish cartoon characters The Addams Family debuted on ABC on this date in 1964.
Over on CBS, the Addams’ coffin-cousins The Munsters would premiere six days later, but only one of these screamingly beloved fright-coms contained a role that was destined to be played by actresses who, later on, loved to take their clothes off.
That gateway to grown-up flesh was the character of little Wednesday Addams.
On TV, Lisa Loring portrayed Wednesday (middle name: Thursday). In 1988, Lisa got all hot and naked in the thriller Iced.
In the ’90s Christina Ricci played death-moppet Wednesday in two big-screen Addams Family adventures, and she subsequently went on to bust out her topless jack-o-lanterns in Prozac Nation and Black Snake Moan.
So here’s to Wednesday Addams, and the actresses who brought that proto-goth-chicklet to life. Long may they make us Lurch. And to see these glamour-ghouls all grown-up -- and -- out, join us after the jump.
The Addams Family Premieres on ABC -- September 18, 1964
Tagged in: boob tube, goth, Christina Ricci, Addams Family, Lisa Loring, Wednesday Addams, child star
