He was “Largo” in Los Locos Adams, suffered bullying and had a sudden death: the hard life of Ted Cassidy

Ted Cassidy was Lurch in Los locos Adams(Instagram photo @tedcassidytribute)

The series are currently the most viewed content on streaming platforms. The stories catch by their particular narratives and for being divided by chapters. But, there was a beginning that marked the beginning of this format. One of the most prominent fictions in this regard was the of The Addams Family, premiered in 1964. The striking characters captivated the public who still remember them today. One of them was played by Ted Cassidywho made “Length”the butler of the peculiar clan.

The life of Cassidy began on July 31, 1932 in Pennsylvania, United States. Since his arrival in the world, he has already taken everyone’s gaze: he was bigger than an average baby. This characteristic accompanied him until the day of his death. As a child he was diagnosed with acromegaly, a chronic disease related to the excessive secretion of growth hormone.

Ted Cassidy shinedó with various papers that highlighted his height (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

Ted Cassidy shone with various roles that highlighted his height (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

But, Ted proved that he was much more than his illness. His talent, training and gift of person led him to become an example for hundreds of viewers who were excluded at some point in his life, especially for his physical appearance.

Since he was a child, he found in sports that refuge he needed to leave behind the gaze of others, the one that made him look like a rare attraction in every place he went, due to his striking height. He played basketball from the age of 11 until he finished high school.

grow and grow

The bullying It is the term that is used today to talk about physical or psychological harassment against a person, and although when Ted was a child that word did not exist, it was exactly what he suffered during school days.

Ted Cassidy foughtó for being an actor (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

Ted Cassidy struggled to be an actor (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

During adolescence, his height was the one that took all the attention. Back then, 15 centimeters separated him from measuring two meters (as an adult he reached 2.06). He was the center of ridicule from his classmates but, despite that, he continued to excel in his studies. He attended West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon and later transferred to Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, where he was also a member of the student body. He always stayed close to the basketball courts and was even a lifeguard.

Acting, the passion that led him to fight for his dream

Choosing his college path was no regret for Ted, who opted for a career in speech and theater to put his diverse talents to work. By the late 1950s he moved to Dallas and had already given his first television roles for the network ABC. In general, they were interpretations of imaginary creatures, whose height was an important characteristic of the character.

The man diedó at age 46 (Instagram photo @tedcassidytribute)

The man died at the age of 46 (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

The young actor knew perfectly well that those roles were exactly for him and, far from denying, he took every job that was presented to him.. At that time he began to be passionate about the piano and even participated in radio programs, something with which he not only sought to have new knowledge but also to be recognized. The latter came early as it was airing its cycle on WFAA at the time of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, and was in charge of providing detailed coverage of the tragic event that marked the political history of the United States with fire. His performance received praise from the public and little by little he began to gain notoriety.

But, it was the acting that was Ted’s main focus. Being able to get a role on the small screen made this actor who also ventured into dubbing sleepless. In the early 1960s, he was presented with an opportunity that unwittingly became his trademark. He was Lurch (Largo) in the series Addams Family and, little by little, he entered the homes of thousands of families, whom he conquered with his interpretation full of terror and fantasy and his phrase: “Did you call?”

the addams family was born from a series of cartoons by Charles Addams for the newspaper The New Yorker. That beginning gave rise to capture that particular story of a clan that combined terror and black humor in a program which aired in 1964. Ted’s height, again, gave him a certain distinction among the other applicants for the role of this butler, so obtaining the job came immediately. His audition had a plus, since the producers suggested that it be his hand that plays Thing (Fingers), something that he accepted immediately.

The visibility of this character was as great as it was popular. The native of Pennsylvania touched the sky with his hands in terms of work. There were 64 episodes that made up the two-season series. After the success, she made several appearances putting herself in the shoes of this beloved butler for other fictions, as in the case of Batmanin 1966.

He stood out in The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Uncle’s Man, and the big screen also hosted him, since he was in charge of giving voice to the classics of cinema tarzan and hulk.

Ted’s popularity reached Argentina

It was 1969. A single DeFilm video file is the material evidence of a visit that is little remembered, but it was an event that managed to bring together the renowned American actor with two Argentine emblems: Nicholas “Pipo” Mancera and Luis Sandrini. Lasting just under a minute, a black and white film shows the meeting that took place at the Ezeiza airport.

Mancera got off a plane, while behind him descended a large retinue made up of both men and women. Quickly, Ted appeared who, slowly, followed the movements of his companions. Back then, driver tv left your role as a passenger and took a microphone to speak with who had shared the flight.

Ted, a little nervous while holding his belongings, looked at the camera and, immediately, merged into a cordial greeting with Louis Sandrini. Hundreds of people who had approached the airport applauded the moment.

More than 50 years after that meeting, almost nothing is known about the reasons for the visit of the American actor to Argentina.

Cassedy’s tragic death

During his career, Ted had the unconditional company of his wife – Margaret Helen Jesse- with whom he married in 1956 and had two children, Cameron and Sean. Two decades later they decided to separate. A couple was never publicly known to him again.

While personally he was not going through a good time, at work he was. For this reason, it was unthinkable for his audience that a tragedy would end his life. On January 16, 1979, the media filled their news with the sad information of his death, at the age of 46..

Ted Cassidy is remembered for being the first Luch of what he becameó a classic (Photo Instagram @tedcassidytribute)

Ted Cassidy is remembered for being the first Luch of what became a classic (Instagram photo @tedcassidytribute)

He entered a Los Angeles medical center for scheduled surgery to remove a tumor kind at heartsomething that professionals attributed to a consequence of her genetic disease. Although the intervention had a satisfactory result, days later he suffered a decompensation and death occurred. Just as he requested, the remains of him were cremated and thrown in the patio of his house, the one that sheltered not only his family but also his successful career.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED | ON VIDEO

Brad Pitt took refuge in art to escape his ‘miseries’ with Angelina Jolie

We would like to thank the author of this short article for this incredible web content

He was “Largo” in Los Locos Adams, suffered bullying and had a sudden death: the hard life of Ted Cassidy