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Ted CassidyAmerican television, film and radio actor and voice actor
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Biography of Ted Cassidy
Ted Cassidy was an American actor known for his roles in television, film, and radio, as well as for his voice-over work. Standing at an impressive height of 6'9" (2.06m) and possessing a deep bass voice, Cassidy portrayed numerous unique characters and appeared in many science fiction series, including 'Star Trek' and 'I Dream of Jeannie'. However, he gained the most recognition for his role as Lurch in the television series 'The Addams Family' and for voicing the Hulk's grunts and roars.
Early Life and Education
Theodore Crawford "Ted" Cassidy was born on July 31, 1932, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Philippi, West Virginia. Cassidy showed academic talent, entering the third grade at the age of six. While in high school, he played football and basketball, often being teased by his older classmates due to his towering height of 6'1". Cassidy continued his education at college, first attending a college in Buckhannon and then transferring to Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He played basketball for the college's team, the 'Hatters', and was actively involved in student government. Cassidy graduated with a degree in speech and drama.
Acting Career
Cassidy's acting career began while he was working as a disc jockey for WFAA television station. He was occasionally invited to appear on Channel 8, where he played Kritch, a space creature, in Ed Hogan's daytime movies as part of the program 'Dialing for Dollars'. Cassidy also reported on the radio station WFAA on the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated and was one of the first to interview witnesses W.E. Newman and Gayle Newman.
His towering height and distinctive voice allowed Cassidy to take on unusual roles. His most famous role was that of Lurch, the zombie butler, in the mid-1960s television series 'The Addams Family'. He also portrayed the character Thing (a living hand) in the same series, although the role of Thing was played by Jack Voglin. Cassidy added the line "You rang?" to his character Lurch, which became his trademark catchphrase and was later incorporated into the script.
Cassidy continued to appear as Lurch in other projects, such as the episode 'The Penguin's Nest' of the series 'Batman'. He also provided the voice for Lurch in an episode of 'The New Scooby-Doo Movies' and the 1973 animated version of 'The Addams Family'. Additionally, Cassidy played the Indian villain Joe in the NBC series 'The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and had a role in an episode of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'.
After voicing several characters in 'Star Trek', including Balok in the episode 'The Corbomite Maneuver', Cassidy developed a working relationship with the creator of the show, Gene Roddenberry. He played Isaiah in the telefilms 'Genesis II' and 'Planet Earth', both written by Roddenberry. Cassidy also appeared in an episode of 'Lost in Space' and portrayed Bigfoot in the television series 'The Six Million Dollar Man'.
In addition to his on-screen work, Cassidy began to provide voices for characters created by Hanna-Barbera Studios. He voiced Frankenstein Jr. in the animated series 'Frankenstein, Jr. and The Impossibles' and villains such as Black Manta in 'Challenge of the Superfriends' and Metallus, Moltar, and Tarko in 'Space Ghost'.
Later Life and Death
In 1965, Cassidy released a seven-inch vinyl record featuring two songs, 'The Lurch' and 'Wesley'. He performed 'The Lurch' on the television show 'Shivaree!' and again on 'Shindig!' during Halloween of the same year.
Unfortunately, Cassidy's life was cut short. He underwent surgery at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles to remove a benign tumor. However, he experienced complications during his recovery and was readmitted to the hospital. Cassidy passed away on January 16, 1979, at the age of 47.
Cassidy's remains were cremated and later buried in the backyard of his home in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. His voice continued to be used in the opening credits of 'The Incredible Hulk' in all episodes following his death.
