Ted Cassidy

Theodore Crawford "Ted" Cassidy (July 31, 1932 – January 16, 1979) was an American actor. Noted for his tall stature at 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m), (A result of acromegaly) he tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as Star Trek and I Dream of Jeannie. He is perhaps best known for the role of Lurch on The Addams Family.

Early life and career

Cassidy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but raised in Philippi, West Virginia. In his youth, Cassidy was an academically gifted individual. He attended third grade at age 6. During his freshman year of high school, at age 11, Cassidy was on the basketball and football team. Despite this, he was a frequent target of bullying by his much older peers, having already reached a height of 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) by then.

After graduating from high school, Cassidy moved to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. He later attended Stetson University. At Stetson, Cassidy was active in the student government.