Ted Cassidy – Celebrity Facts And Profile Of The Actor and Voice Artist

Ted Cassidy's Net Worth as of December 2024 is $10 Million

Quick Facts of Ted Cassidy

Some Hollywood stars like Ted Cassidy left audiences in a state of nostalgia when they took their last bow. Famed for his distinctive features, the demised screen star was one of the recognizable Hollywood actors.

Amongst these peculiarities were his imperious body and a deep baritone voice that supported the unusual characters he played in movies. Though he never disclosed where he got his aspiration for acting from, he was proud to say that his stature offered him a chance in Hollywood.

His role as Lurch on The Addams Family attracted much attention to him and moved his career to unexpected heights. For the record, Ted had not only employed his voice in movies; he also released two songs with Capitol Record.

What happened to Ted Cassidy?

Ted Cassidy has passed away on Jan 16, 1979, following open-heart surgery for a nonmalignant tumor. At that time, he was only 46 years old.

Who is Ted Cassidy? Bio, Age

Cassidy was born on July 31, 1932, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, and he spent his early years in Philippi, West Virginia.

Not much is known about his parents but from his childhood, he possessed amazing intelligence and this natural gift catapulted him to high school at an early age.

Asides from his days in high school being marked by excellence, despite his active engagement in basketball and football, Ted Cassidy was the center of attention. He was already 6ft 1in tall and was continuously bullied by his seniors who felt he was a threat.

After he completed his college degree at West Virginia Wesleyan in Buckhannon, West Virginia, he attended Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, and became an active participant in the student government.

From 1952 to 1955, Cassidy played basketball for the Stetson Hatters before he graduated with a degree in Speech and Drama in 1956.

Why was Ted Cassidy famous?

Ted Cassidy was famous for his tall stature and his deep voice and amazing acting skills. Mainly, his lankiness and deep voice made him famous.

Celebrity Facts About Ted Cassidy

• Earlier Career

As mentioned earlier, Ted was an extraordinary actor that made remarkable contributions to Hollywood with his enormous stature and deep voice.

Before his journey to his outstanding career, he worked as a lifeguard at Ormond Beach and a mid-day disc jockey with the WFAA-AA radio station.

This job gave him the chance to cover the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and he became one of the first to interview eye-witnesses WE Newman Jr. and Gayle Newman.

• Acting Spell

Ted Cassidy began his career after a successful auditioning as a voice actor in Angry Red Planet. This role revealed just how perfect his natural endowments suited villainous roles.

So, he began to star in movies with a perfect display of villain characters. He concealed traces of passion and tenderness in science-fiction and fantasy series such as I Dream of Jeannie and Star Trek.

Ted’s popularity began to steam up with more different roles and his voice was constantly used in almost all the big screams. This unique baritone was adopted in Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, Blaze Glory, The Incredible Hulk, and Goliath, and it was extensively used in the roars and growls of the Godzilla cartoon series.

He also voiced Metallus, Moltar, and Tarko the Terrible in the Space Ghost series that was shown from 1966 to 1968. Many still doubt that he was the voice behind Brainiac and the Black Manta on the Super Friend show.

Ted Cassidy also played Injun Joe on the NBC show The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1968. He guest-starred in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1967), Lost In Space (1965), The Beverly Hillbillies (1967), Tarzan, Mannix (1968), Bonanza, The Bionic Woman, and Daniel Boone (1964).

Is Ted Cassidy still alive?

No, Ted Cassidy has already passed away on Jan 16, 1979 complications following open-heart surgery.

• Music Exploits

Ted’s voice was not only employed in movies; he was also an accomplished musician. His flair for music was noticed in 1965 when he released two songs, The Lurch and Wesley, on a seven-inch vinyl record, with Capitol Records.

He first performed the song The Lurch on the show Shivaree before his second performance on Halloween show Shindig!

• Latter Career Achievements

Before he finally succumbed to death in 1979, he was portrayed in a number of movies. Notable among them are Mackenna’s Gold (1969), The Limit (1972), Charcoal Black (1972), Thunder County (1974), Poor Pretty Eddie (1975), Harry And Walter Go to New York (1976), The Last Remake Of Beau Ceste (1977), and Goin Coconuts (1978).

• Personal Life

He married Margaret Helen Jesse on June 14, 1956, soon after graduating from university. Their son, Sean, was born in 1957, and their daughter, Cameron, was born in 1960. Presently, both of his children are attorneys. Ted Cassidy and Margaret Helen divorced in 1975.

• Death

Ted Cassidy died on January 16, 1979, at the St. Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles, due to complications from a heart surgery that was conducted to remove a non-malignant tumor.

His body was cremated after his death. Hollywood is yet to find a suitable replacement for Ted.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.