There have been many incarnations of Wednesday Addams since Charles Addams first published The Addams Family cartoons in the New Yorker. In those first cartoons, she never even had a name. It was not until five-year-old Lisa Loring played the role in the 1964 series that Charles Addams christened the little girl Wednesday. Taking the name from the Monday’s Child nursery rhyme, Loring became Gomez and Morticia’s daughter who was “full of woe”. The character, complete with her signature two long braids, black dress and crisp white collar, became an icon for goth girls everywhere. Loring’s Wednesday always seemed wise beyond her years and cool in the face of all the spooky happenings in the Addams’ mansion, creating the lovable morbid character who would capture the cultural imagination beyond any other family member. To this day, Wednesday Addams, and Loring’s performance, is beloved by horror nerds, classic comedy fans and generations of women who grew up empowered by a character so unashamedly marching to the beat of her own drum.
The original show was shot in black and white and only ran for two seasons, but it came to be regarded as a classic TV sitcom that balanced zany slapstick with political satire. Creator David Levy kept the heart of the cartoon, with Wednesday and her family being spooky oddballs but ultimately a loving family. The show’s 64 episodes aired on ABC in the US and ITV in the UK, but syndication means reruns are still being broadcast today.
