Felix Silla, the actor who shuffled beneath Cousin Itt's iconic mane on the TV version of The Addams Family, has passed away at age 84. Silla is best known for playing the hirsute family member on the gothic comedy and other comedic character roles on TV and in film. Born January 11, 1937, Silla joined Hollywood in the early 60s, becoming part of many iconic projects.
Before embarking on his acting career, Silla trained professionally as a circus performer and toured with the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He mastered multiple acts during his time with the circus including tumbling, trapeze, and bareback horse-riding. Silla's physical talents eventually translated into work as a stuntman and actor in the entertainment industry. Like Cousin Itt, many of his roles involved movement work in collaboration with voice actors. Silla played a robot named Twiki on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and provided stunt work in A Ticklish Affair. His favorite role was Litvak, a comedic villain inspired by Adolph Hitler who antagonized George Segal's Sam Spade Jr. in 1975's The Black Bird, a sequel to The Maltese Falcon.
Silla was lost to pancreatic cancer on April 16, 2021, THR reports. The actor is survived by his wife, Sue, and two children, Bonnie and Diana. His son, Michael Silla, passed away in 2020. Felix resided in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2003 until his passing, where he continued to work in film while greeting fans at conventions. The multi-talented performer also played harmonica at nightclubs in Reno and Las Vegas with an ensemble cheekily named The Original Harmonica Band. Gil Gerard, Silla's friend and former Buck Rogers co-star, shared on Twitter yesterday that the actor and stunt performer died in Las Vegas at age 84 with a rueful memory:
While living in Las Vegas, Silla acted in Joe Binkowski's offbeat comedy CHARACTERz about mascots working at an amusement park. He also physically embodied Bitcoin, a formless digital cryptocurrency, in a mini-series titled Meet Slate. Due to his unique combination of skills, Silla participated in a wide variety of entertainment projects in different capacities throughout his career. The performer often served as a stunt double for children because of his similar height, which allowed him to contribute to such classic films and TV shows as The Hindenburg and Battlestar Galactica. Silla left his mark on a number of beloved movies including The Planet of the Apes, Spaceballs, and Point Blank.
No other performer could have filled Silla's shoes, and his diverse resume reflects the actor's deep impact on film industry. As a stunt double for kids, Silla also worked on Demon Seed and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. As a stuntman, he helped make E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Poltergeist, and Batman Returns, among many others. Silla also plays a hang-gliding Ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. Silla's varied legacy beyond The Addams Family is succinctly summed up by the actor himself on his website, where he writes this personal message to fans:
Hi, this is Felix Silla! I am proud to have entertained over 3 generations of T.V. and Film viewers, and hope I have given you a few laughs…and screams! :-) Enjoy and Thanks for Visiting!
Rest in Peace Felix Silla: January 11, 1937 - April 16, 2021
Source: THR