Cassidy was best known for playing Lurch, the tall and spooky butler on The Addams Family TV show. The Pittsburgh native grew up in Philippi. By age 11, he was already 6-feet 1-inch tall and eventually grew to 6 feet 9 inches.

Cassidy went to West Virginia Wesleyan College but didn’t finish. He moved to Texas to work in radio and helped report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Soon after, he moved to California to become an actor.

In 1964, he got his most famous role as Lurch. His deep voice and height made him perfect for the part. Even after The Addams Family ended in 1966, Cassidy kept acting in shows such as Star Trek, I Dream of Jeannie, and Bonanza. He also did voice work for cartoons like Space Ghost, Super Friends, and Scooby-Doo.