Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones is chiefly known for her role as Mortica in the cult television series “The Adams Family”. However she is much much more than that. She gave several highly effective performances in the 1950’s and 1960’s and it is a pity that Mortica has obscured her other roles. She was born in Amarillo, Taxas in 1930. Jones spent several years in tiny parts in films and on television. In 1957 she was featured in “Batchelor Party” as a beatnik who was lonely and looking for security. She was heartbreaking in the role and was nominated for an Academy Award. Over the next five years she made several good movies, “Hole in the Head”, “King Creole” “Last Train from Gun Hill” and “Ice Palace”. Then came “The Adams Family”. When the series finished, she seemed to concentrate on television At the time of her death in 1983 she was starring in the long-running soap “Capitol”.
In addition to her movie work, Miss Jones appeared in about 30 different television programs, including six episodes in the ”Dragnet” series. She also had roles in ”Playhouse 90” productions and the ”Colgate Comedy Hour.” But it was her performances in the early 1960’s television series, ”The Addams Family,” that brought her greater popularity than any of her movie portrayals.
She is survived by her husband and a sister, Betty, of Massachusetts.
Article on Carolyn Jones on the “Cult Sirens” website here.
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New York Times obituary in 1983:
The movie and television actress Carolyn Jones, who was best known for her role as the ghoulish Morticia in the television series ”The Addams Family,” died of cancer today at her home here. She was 50 years old.
Among the films in which Miss Jones appeared were, ”Marjorie Morningstar,” ”The Road to Bali,” ”Baby Face Nelson” ”The Saracen Blade,” ”The Man Who Knew Too Much,” ”The Seven Year Itch,” ”House of Wax,” ”The Tender Trap,” ”Last Train From Gun Hill” and ”Ice Palace.”
In addition to her movie work, Miss Jones appeared in about 30 different television programs, including six episodes in the ”Dragnet” series. She also had roles in ”Playhouse 90” productions and the ”Colgate Comedy Hour.” But it was her performances in the early 1960’s television series, ”The Addams Family,” that brought her greater popularity than any of her movie portrayals. Early Interest in Acting
Miss Jones was born in Amarillo, Tex., and showed an early interest in acting. When she was 15 years old, she enrolled in classes at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, even though she was three years under the acceptable age.
Her first motion-picture role came as a result of a Playhouse production when she was seen by a talent scout and signed to appear with William Holden in ”The Turning Point” in 1952.
Miss Jones’s first marriage, to the producer Aaron Spelling, ended in 1964. She later married Herbert Green, a conductor-arranger, and lived in semiretirement for two years in Palm Springs – which she called ”God’s waiting room.” After her second marriage ended in divorce, Miss Jones married an actor, Peter Bailey-Britton, in 1981.
She is survived by her husband and a sister, Betty, of Massachusetts