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.
