26. Her Fortunes Changed
Even though Carolyn only got eight minutes of screen time, her performance generated oodles of buzz: The critics gave her rave reviews, reporters clamored to interview her, and best of all, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. After all this time, she was, at last, getting some much-deserved recognition, and Carolyn really, really wanted to win that award.
But she was about to be disappointed yet again.
27. Her Loss Was Her Gain
When Carolyn's big night finally came, she was denied that precious golden statue. Another actress, Miyoshi Umeki, took home the Academy Award, and Carolyn had to be content with the bittersweet honor of just getting nominated. Still, this only made her more scrappy about her success, and in 1958, Carolyn got her biggest opportunity yet—a movie with Elvis Presley.
But filming didn’t quite go the way she expected.
28. She Got Sick Again
Okay, so at the time, Elvis was kind of a big deal, and the movie, King Creole, turned out to be the last film he’d make before joining the army. Unfortunately, with a fever of 103, Carolyn once again took ill. This time, however, she got to keep her role…which meant that Elvis got the esteemed privilege and joy of sharing his romantic scenes with an extremely sick person. Eww.
Luckily for Carolyn, he had a sense of humor about it.
29. She Didn’t Want To Kiss Elvis
During filming, poor Carolyn felt like she was about to keel over. Understandably terrified of accidentally getting Elvis sick, Carolyn reportedly begged to get out of their kissing scene. But Elvis had other ideas. He allegedly quipped to her: “That’s all right; maybe it’ll get me out of the army.” Germ-spreading aside, the movie was another hit. But Carolyn's reaction to her newfound success wasn't what you might think.
30. She Wanted Meatier Roles
Carolyn aspired to become a leading lady, but she had a problem: She kept getting cast into quirky, supporting roles. So, when Carolyn got offered a part in the film Career, she insisted on playing the romantic lead, leaving Shirley MacLaine to act as the offbeat sidekick instead. But the film didn’t work out the way she hoped.
Even though Carolyn performed wonderfully and received the greatest reviews of her career, the movie completely flopped. It was discouraging, to say the least. And maybe that's why Carolyn started acting out in other ways.
Career (1959), Paramount Pictures
31. She Lived A Rich Life
As frustrated as she was, Carolyn dove right into the Hollywood lifestyle. Believing that she owed it to her fans to live glamorously, Carolyn and her husband splurged on the construction of a crazy 13-room mansion, complete with deep baths, a tennis court, and—amazingly—a soda fountain. Carolyn also stocked her wardrobes with furs and started accessorizing with high-end jewels (you know, for the fans…). But soon enough, there was trouble in paradise.
32. Her Star Began To Wane
By 1960, Carolyn still had yet to make the big leap to leading lady, which she fervently wanted. To add insult to injury, the media frenzy surrounding her started to fade, and her job offers shrank to fewer and fewer. Strangely, as her prospects dwindled, her husband’s writing career surged, and Aaron unexpectedly became the more successful of the two.
Naturally, the sudden imbalance in their careers disheartened Carolyn and put a strain on their relationship. Slowly, her marriage began to deteriorate.
33. Her Marriage Crumbled
Once Aaron developed the suspicious habit of remaining out late at night for no apparent reason, there was no going back. Carolyn and Aaron divorced in August 1964, though they managed to remain good friends. Even so, Carolyn felt her universe spinning out of control. At a mere 34 years old, it seemed like everything in her life was coming undone. Little did she know, Carolyn would soon land the greatest role of her life.
34. She Turned To Television
Carolyn had turned down several offers to appear on television in the past because the idea of acting on TV never really appealed to her—she’d only ever wanted to become a movie star. But everything changed when an intriguing offer for a leading lady’s role on daytime TV caught her eye. It would be an understatement to say the role piqued her interest: Quirky, dark, and comedic, the part seemed custom-made for Carolyn. It was a no-brainer—and the defining moment of her career.
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35. Her On-Screen Romance Shocked Viewers
In 1964, Carolyn joined the cast of The Addams Family as the iconic Morticia. However, it also brought her a ton of controversy. When The Addams Family originally aired on September 18th, 1964, many viewers were immediately taken aback by the blatant romantic chemistry between Carolyn’s character, Morticia, and her on-screen husband, Gomez. Morticia and Gomez’s brazen PDA hit conservative audiences like a sack of rocks.
I mean, Gomez actually used to kiss Morticia’s arms! How dare they!? Such scandal! But the chatter surrounding her on-screen romance was nothing compared to her tribulations with Morticia’s distinctive dress.
The Addams Family (1964–1966), ABC
36. Her Costume Was Uncomfortable
It may have looked amazing, but Morticia’s signature gown was actually a serious pain in the butt to wear. It was so ridiculously tight that Carolyn could barely walk, and it would take the poor woman 20 minutes to peel it off of herself at the end of filming. Ultimately, the costume designers had to sew Velcro into the back of the dress to make it easier to open and allow her to walk around in-between takes. Luckily, it was all worth it.
The Addams Family (1964–1966), ABC
37. The Role Made Her An Icon
Though it wasn’t exactly the glamorous film career she’d always envisioned for herself, the show gave Carolyn the level of stardom she had always desired. The Addams Family quickly became a pop culture sensation, and at 35 years old, she achieved mega-celebrity status with legions of devoted fans. It was a dream come true, and Carolyn loved every minute of it. And then…that dream came to a crashing halt.
The Addams Family (1964–1966), ABC
38. She Grieved The Loss Of Her Show
Despite the show’s massive popularity, ABC chose to cancel The Addams Family after only two seasons. Of course, Carolyn was heartbroken. Irrespective of the years of hard work and dedication she’d put into her acting career, it was her beloved role of Morticia that ultimately put her on the map...What would she do without it, now? And things weren’t easy for her.
The Addams Family (1964–1966), ABC
39. She Became A Typecast
Carolyn went on to do guest appearances on various shows over the next year, but she received few other employment opportunities after that. Carolyn had a sneaking suspicion she knew why: Everyone always expected her to be Morticia Addams. She’d become so synonymous with the character that watching her portray any other role EXCEPT Morticia just wasn’t the same anymore.
Her career started to suffer as a result—and there was no comeback in sight.
The Addams Family (1964–1966), ABC
40. She Returned To Her Roots
With little recourse, Carolyn returned to the one potential place that people might not consistently expect her to act as Morticia—the theater. Though she managed to secure a role for herself on the Broadway play, The Homecoming, in the end, she hated every second of it. In this emotional state, she began to make some very rash romantic decisions.
41. She Got Married A Third Time
Feeling washed up and bitter, Carolyn turned to a friend for comfort, her vocal coach Herbert Greene. Their relationship soon evolved well beyond friendship: Carolyn and Herbert fell in love, getting married in December 1968. For Carolyn, it was supposed to be a second shot at love after her marriage to Aaron Spelling imploded. But behind the veil, the truth was much more complicated.
42. Her Marriage Was Toxic
In actuality, many of Carolyn's circle disapproved of their union. Her friends felt uncomfortable around him: He reportedly struck others as quite strange, and he wasn’t particularly nice. And he had an even darker side. Greene had somehow convinced Carolyn to quit acting and persuaded her to move away with him to Palm Springs.
Now isolated and careerless, Carolyn’s once happy life turned miserable.
43. She Broke Free
It took seven years, but Carolyn eventually came to realize that she’d completely lost her joie de vivre. She missed acting, and even though she knew it would be hard to restart her career at age 46, she was determined to do it. So, she ended her unhappy marriage and returned to LA, where she slowly came back to life. Thankfully, the spotlight hadn’t forgotten her.
44. She Made A Comeback
Carolyn successfully returned to acting after her long hiatus, appearing on TV as a guest star and performing in theatrical shows. After such a lengthy break, she was proud to reclaim her sense of self-fulfillment. However, it appears that the stage was a romantically fortuitous location for Carolyn. Astonishingly, her work in theatre led her to romance again when she fell head-over-heels for her castmate, Peter Bailey-Britton.
Regrettably, she had no idea that the sands of time were already sinking.
45. She Had An Emergency
Carolyn became severely ill while flying from Dallas to Los Angeles one night. She barely had enough time to enter the restroom before gruesomely vomiting up large amounts of blood. Terrified, Carolyn had no idea what was going on. Upon landing, she rushed to an emergency room, where physicians proceeded to surgically remove much of her stomach.
Carolyn subsequently claimed that ulcers were to blame for her condition. However, the true reason was much more serious.
46. Her Illness Was Life-Threatening
Carolyn had no idea that her terrible stomach problems were due to colon cancer. Shocked by the diagnosis, the 51-year-old decided not to tell anyone, opting instead to undergo agonizing surgery and brutal chemotherapy in secret. She’d only just gotten her life back; now, she was in for the fight of her life. Still, despite everything, she stayed dedicated to her profession.
47. She Took On A New Role
After Carolyn’s cancer went into remission, she took on a starring role in a soap opera called Capitol. Sadly, just as Carolyn got used to the part, her doctors made a disturbing discovery. They found that her cancer had returned. Though Carolyn fought it aggressively, her body stopped responding to treatments. Medically, there was nothing more anyone could do.
48. She Remained Stoic
Carolyn resolved to make the most out of her bleak situation. Acting was her whole life, and she was adamant that she’d never give it up for anything ever again. In pain but still undeterred, Carolyn continued to act on Capitol. Then, after her cancer spread and she became too frail to disguise her sickness any longer, Carolyn resorted to acting from her wheelchair to complete her scenes for the season.
Seriously, that’s one tough lady. Respect.
49. She Married The Love Of Her Life
Carolyn did her best to fill her final days with joy. She knew that she didn’t have much longer to live, and she wanted to surround herself with as much love as possible. So, in a special ceremony, Carolyn married her boyfriend, Peter Bailey-Britton, in September 1982. Wanting to look good for her special day, she made herself up as glamorous as possible, wearing a lace and ribbon cap to cover her hair loss.
The wedding drew a lot of admiration from her castmates.
50. Her Castmates Greatly Respected Her
Carolyn was a force of nature, and her castmates knew it. Nicholas Walker, who played her stepson on Capitol, once commented: “The pluck and courage that lady has is amazing. That week was heck for her. They cut her open on the Monday, and she was back on set on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, she was standing at the altar.”
51. She Was Gone Too Soon
Carolyn went into a coma in July 1983 at her home in West Hollywood, California, before dying on August 3, 1983. She was 53 years old at the time. After the cremation of her body, a memorial ceremony was conducted on August 5 at Glasband-Willen Mortuary in Altadena, California. Ever thoughtful, Carolyn made arrangements to donate her Morticia outfit and wig to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before died. UCLA later received a collection of Addams Family scripts from her widower, making sure that no one will ever forget her iconic portrayal of Morticia Addams.
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