From The Mind of Merc - Raul Julia

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was pondering the latter years of Raul Julia - the actor perhaps best known for his performance as Gomez Addams in two of (and, in my opinion, the better) Addams Family films (no disrespect is intended):

 

It is said that you never know who’s listening…

In 1993 Raul Julia starred in the film ‘Addams Family Values’. In one heartfelt scene, when he learns baby Pubert's 'transformation' into a blonde-haired rosy-cheeked cherub may be permanent, he looks skyward and implores "Please – I beg you – take me."

 

Shortly after filming, he began suffering from a stomach infection (which was rumoured to be bowel cancer) and underwent surgery. His health subsequently deteriorated.

In October 1994 he began experiencing intense abdominal pain and was hospitalised, suffering a stroke the same night. Four days after the stroke he fell into a coma and four days after that Raul Julia died on October 24 1994 – less than a year after the release of Addams Family Values.

 

 You never know who’s listening.