Anissa would play Buffy for the shows entire run. Although she refused the roles, she was offered a role in "The Brian Keith Show" and "Taxi Driver." She was arrested and spent a few months in a juvenile detention center. "The night Anissa died was wierd. It was such a tragedy that this amazing little girl, such a bright light, was extinguished at such a young age.. "Acting proved to be the big break for the Jones family. Sebastian Cabot died of a stroke in 1977, and Brian Keith died by suicide in 1997. An envelope with Moshos's business address was present at Jones' scene of death, specifying a drug found in Anissa's toxicology report (Seconal), its dosage (1.5 gr), quantity (50), and the recipient's last name (Jones). Shortly thereafter the family moved to Playa Del Rey, California, where her father worked at Hughes Aircraft while also teaching at USC. In four or five months," (via Closer Weekly). Any child will tell you being treated like a little baby when youre hitting puberty is embarrassing and confusing and frustrating. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. But that didnt really happen. Anissa Jones was just eighteen years old. Anissa Jones was a child actress most known for her role as Buffy in the sitcom "Family Affair." She was born on March 11, 1958, in Indiana to John Paul Jones and Mary Paula Jones. On August 28, 1976, Jones went to her friend's house in Oceanside, California with her boyfriend Allan Kovan and a few of her friends to have a party. Anissa was in trouble: petty shoplifting, taking jobs and then quitting them, bad sleeping patterns, bad eating patterns, incredible mood swings., He elaborates, When she turned 18 in March of 76, she received the forced savings from her salary on Family Affair and then another amount of money that had been held for her in trust. She moved to Austin, Texas at a young age, where she attended Austin Public Schools. And anyone who knows anything about drugs, would have been watching her behavior and would have known. In the sitcom, Buffy, her twin brother Jody (Johnny Whitaker), and older sister Cissy (Kathy Garver) are sent to live with their Uncle Bill (Brian Keith) and his valet Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) a year after the children's parents die in a car accident[4] (the DVD collection notes mistakenly state "plane accident"). The following recollection comes from an anonymous posting on theDEATH OF ANISSA JONES Discussion Forum. Anissa Jones was born June 23, 1969, in Dallas, Texas. At eight years old, Anissa was cast as Buffy on Family Affair, which aired from 1966 until 1971. The ones who end up truly well, like Ron Howard, are because his family knew exactly what to do and made sure when he was away from that set, he was a child that had chores in the house and responsibilities at home. Mary Anissa Jones /nis/[a] (March 11, 1958 August 28, 1976) was an American child actress known for her role as Buffy Davis on the CBS sitcom Family Affair, which ran from 1966 to 1971. Life is making decisions and making changes when its necessary. Divorced from Paula Tweel Jones at the time of his death. But after the 1971 season the show began to slump in the ratings and was immediately cancelled. Failed to remove flower. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. A year later, 8-year-old Jones, who was small for her age, was cast as 6-year-old Ava Elizabeth "Buffy" Patterson-Davis on the CBS sitcom Family Affair (1966). You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Advertisement Anissa Jones was born on March 11, 1958, in West Lafayette, Indiana. During the circumstances and how many drugs she took, and she was little that was just too much for her little body to handle.. He was 24 years old. When she turned 18 years old in 1976, Jones finally had access to the salary she acquired from "Family Affair." In 1965, when she was 6, Jones' first TV appearance was in a commercial. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Funeral homes; Help and advice. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. But Anissa Joness life and tragic death tells another story, too. She auditioned for the role of Regan MacNeil in "The Exorcist," but Linda Blair won the part. Jones career was cut short as she started to take drugs. Her death cast a shadow over the feel-good show that entertained an entire generation of television viewers.The Heartbreaking Death of Anissa Jones, Buffy from Family Affair 104 8. Her boyfriend at the time, Allan Kovan did little to curb her enthusiasm and generosity with the drugs and presents and parties. This goes from Shirley Temple and Judy Garland and Jackie Coogan all the way through to todays young people. Her mother would file a police report denoting her daughter as a runaway. Actress. Tragically, Anissa Jones wasnt the only Family Affair cast member to suffer an untimely death. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4285/anissa-jones. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Buffys doll, Mrs. Beasley, would also become the best-selling doll in America at one time during the shows run. We first encountered Buffy three years ago in San Antonio, where the clothes bearing that name first came to the attention of the fashion press. Family Affair finally came to an end in 1971, and Anissas career came to a bit of a halt. As soon as her friends found 18-year-old Anissa, they called the paramedics, but it was too late. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. [2], At the time of her birth, Jones' father, John Paul Jones, was an engineering graduate and faculty board member at Purdue University, where her mother, Mary Paula Jones (ne Tweel), was a zoology student. The parents divorced shortly after moving to California and Mrs. Jones suddenly had to look for a job. Jones fatally overdosed on a combination of drugs including cocaine, angel dust, Seconal, and Quaaludes at the age of 18. At the age of six, Anissa snagged her first role advertising cereal in a television commercial, and two years later she landed the role of Buffy in Family Affair. Buffy had a doll named Mrs. Beasley that went wherever she did; it became so popular that it became Americas best selling doll during the comedys run. Anissa Renee Jones. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Blogs; Online will; Shop. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Mary Anissa Jones her middle name meaning "Little Friend" in Arabic entered the world on March 11, 1958, in Lafayette, Indiana. About six days later, her doctor, Don Carlos Moshos, was charged with manslaughter for illegally prescribing Seconal to her. However, she had a difficult time living on the straight and narrow, and she went back to shoplifting and using drugs. Verify and try again. Her life came to a tragic end at the age of 18 when she died of a drug overdose at a friends house in 1976. A friend, fellow student and partymate Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissa's death. The show ran for five seasons from 1966 until 1971, per Outsider. She and some other kids stayed in a bedroom taking angel dust and coke. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Anissas life sadly came to an end on August 28, 1976, at age 18. But Garver doesnt believe in the so-called Family Affair curse. The coroner said it was one of the most massive overdoses hed ever recorded, Garver wrote. Continuing with her schooling at Westchester High School from 1973 to 1976, she briefly worked at Winchell's Donut Shop in Playa del Rey. I am told that Deputy Coroner Thomas placed the time of death somewhere around 4:30 to 6:30 a.m. in his notes. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. You know, there was a whole episode of Hollywood Palace [in 1967] built around Anissa and Jimmy Durante. Anissa Jones started acting at a really young age, after her parents moved from Indiana to California. She was born on March 11, 1958, in Indiana to John Paul Jones and Mary Paula Jones. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Read more on Wikipedia. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? See Erin Andrews' Most Stunning Bikini Pictures, Marie Osmond Wants Darling Disney Star to Play Her in a Biopic Film, Bruce Willis Family Is Heartbroken After His Dementia Diagnosis, Sailor Brinkley Cook Is Excited About Being Part of the Next Generation, Sean Kanan Suffered Scary Emergency on The Karate Kid III Set, Sailor Brinkley Cook Says Mom Christie Brinkley Is a Big Inspiration, Cary Grants Best Quality Was His Humility, Wife Barbara Jaynes Says, The Reason Why Acting Icon Estelle Parsons Agreed to Star on 'Roseanne', Jenny Marrs Hints at Creatively Challenging HGTV Project Coming Soon, Jenny Marrs Says Her Kids Get 'Creative' While Decorating Their Rooms, Barbara Walters Was Close to Daughter Jackie Before Death at 93. In 1966 she was cast as "Elizabeth "Buffy" Patterson-Davis" in the CBS television series "Family Affair," playing the role for 138 episodes until 1971, when she was age 13. It never eats. Where that love and affection are not only given because of the paycheck theyre bringing in. She received a little less than $200,000, which she blew almost immediately, Mark recalled. She wasn't being very social. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. She felt her role as Buffy became stagnant, as producers insisted on her continuing to play with Mrs. Beasley even though she got older. Anissa, Geoffrey adds, was not taught how to be anything more than Buffy. It was a time of change at CBS, resulting in the loss of a lot of audience favorite shows to start making room for the likes of All in the Family, MASH and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Anissa was in trouble: petty shoplifting, taking jobs and then quitting them, bad sleeping patterns, bad eating patterns, incredible mood swings, explained Geoffrey Mark, who co-wrote Family Affair Cookbook. After their fathers death, Paul and Anissa were forced to move back with their mother who lived at 100 Rees Street in Playa Del Rey, but Anissa often spent much of her time at a friends house instead. Anissa Jones' drug use intensified when she gained access to her wealth. Do you think you know a lot about TV? Gravesite Details. Kathy Garver Opens Up About The Tragic Death Of Her Family Affair Co-Stars, A Cougar I Am Not: Why Betty White Will Only Date Older Men, 10 Childhood Cartoon Characters With Disturbingly Tragic Backstories. One can see from some of her later performances that she was not as happy as in the first years the show was filmed, Garver wrote. Why in the world would her mother allow that? With her blond pigtails and eager smile, Anissa Jones charmed TV audiences in her role as Buffy on Family Affair. Mary Anissa Jones was a child actress in the mid-20th century. When its a real happy day and then I have to do a scene where I have to cry, I have to think of something sad and then I think of it all day. As the star of a hit TV series, Anissa naturally would quite often receive gifts. She played Buffy, the adorable little girl on Family Affair. A neighbor who had a child making TV commercials suggested that Mrs. Jones get Anissa started in the same field. The coroner would later report that she had cocaine, PCP, Quaalude and Seconal in her system. On September 1, 1976 her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. So, I dont think its a curse.. This is the story of the life and death of Anissa Jones, the Family Affair actress who passed away tragically young. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. View all categories; She was four years old when Mary enrolled her in dance classes. To the point where she and her brother, Paul moved in with their father. This, along with the fact that Anissas grades at Westchester High in L.A. began to slip, infuriated her mother. I cant make real tears, you know, but I can make a crying sound., Also commented on was her growing frustration over the fact that she was playing younger than she really was, a 9-year-old pretending that shes 6. This has led to many calling the comedy show cursed, and with only two cast members still alive, one recently answered that question. According to the autopsy report, several drugs were present in Jones' system at the time of her death, including, barbiturates, phencyclidine, cocaine, and Quaaludes. Anissas drug problem continued to escalate to the point that she was taking large doses of quaaludes, angel dust, cocaine, barbiturates, liquor, and marijuana. There is a problem with your email/password. Her parents were divorced prior to the start of her acting career in 1965. See Her Beautiful Bikini Photos, Having Fun at the Beach! After being released, she was sent to live with her mother. Now, she stated, those pressures are permanently, tragically over. Her parents divorce had led to a bitter custody battle, which resulted in her father winning custody of Jones and her brother. . On March 15, 1984, Jones' brother Paul also died of a drug overdose. And anyone who knows anything about drugs, would have been watching her behavior and would have known. Bad parenting. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. When fans called her Buffy she politely insisted on being called Anissa. And as Jones got older, she began to see her role as babyish.. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. She was a little girl whom other little girls envied, but who, in truth, experienced tremendous pressures during those years that should be reserved for the simple joys of childhood, wrote Marilyn. Mary Anissa Jones (March 11, 1958 - August 28, 1976) was an American child actress known for her role as Buffy Davis on the CBS sitcom Family Affair, which ran from 1966 to 1971. And then, once she turned 18, Kathy took the brunt of it, because she could stay late and they couldnt., Buffy Davis, of course, was the part that made America fall in love with Anissa and the characters doll, Mrs. Beasley, which would eventually fly off of toy shelves (unfortunately, Anissa was required to carry the damn thing virtually everywhere). Mary Anissa Jones her middle name meaning Little Friend in Arabic entered the world on March 11, 1958, in Lafayette, Indiana. But if you wanted to talk about poetry, Steinbecks Of Mice and Men (Anissa named her dog Lynny after Lenny) or just about anything else and she was a great listener then you had a chance of making a new friend. Though the cancellation seemed like good timing for Anissa Jones, who yearned to try something new, the young actress would struggle in the subsequent years. Anissa Jones was just eighteen years old. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Wayne Staz, the reporter who initiated the visit, alleged that prescriptions could be obtained with $5.00 and "simply showing identification".[9]. Garver remembered that Joness mother expressed concern about her daughter at Joness 18th birthday party. [1] Early life [ edit] This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. [1], Jones was born in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1958 and was raised in Charleston, West Virginia, until the age of 5. At a time when her mind and body were developing, she was still being given the wardrobe and dialogue fitting a video character who had remained eight years old. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. And that theyd only have to work six or 10 weeks a year, depending on the season. See GMA Host Lara Spencers Bikini Photos, Pink Is a Total Rockstar! This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Although Earl was nothing more than a janitor, Anissa saw him as a kind friend. Anissa's first role was in a commercial for breakfast cereal. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. When "Family Affair" ended, Anissa Jones' co-star Brian Keith approached the young girl to join him in a new sitcom titled "The Brian Keith Show." By the time she was six, Anissa was hawking cereal in her first television commercial. In her early teen years, as reported by Outsider, she started shoplifting and often skipped school. However, it didnt really work out the way she hoped. He won and Anissa went to live with him, but he died very shortly after Anissa arrived, but she didnt go back to her mother, she moved in with a friend. Many child actors walk away from their shows not knowing any of these and weve seen the carnage of it. A friend, fellow student and partymate Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissas death. RELATED: Kathy Garver Opens Up About The Tragic Death Of Her Family Affair Co-Stars. On August 28th, 1976, while attending a party at her friend Helens house, at 2312 Littler Lane in Oceanside, Anissa would take one of her healthy doses of barbiturates, phencyclidine, cocaine and methaquaalone (what a party girl). Shortly after she and her family relocated to California, her parents divorced. Many people were not willing to take her on due to the image she had already made for herself on the show. He got diagnosed with lung cancer and emphysema early in 1997, in April that year his daughter committed suicide. I think cremation is wrong in a prosperous society where one can afford a burial. When she auditioned for the role of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (1973), the director had a hard time imagining adorable little Buffy possessed by a demon. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Family Affair lunch boxes and coloring books were popular; there were also Buffy paper dolls, a Buffy childrens clothing line, as well as a 1971 cookbook with Anissas face on the cover. Brian Keith had the same deal with Don Fedderson that Fred MacMurray had on My Three Sons, he explains, which is the show would not be named after them so they wouldnt have to be the center of every episode. Anissas fame would continue to grow, as she went on to appear in numerous television specials includingRowan and Martins Laugh-In,To Rome With Love(TV series guest appearance), and as a presenter at the 1967 Emmy Awards. Try again later. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Helen Slagle Smith Ward He won and Anissa went to live with him, but he died very shortly after Anissa arrived, but she didnt go back to her mother, she moved in with a friend. Many a time, it was unbeknownst to the public that the person was struggling, although sometimes they have alluded to it in the past (i.e. Idothink she likes to be recognized in public it has some meaning, says Patty, her mother. In Anissas case, this wasnt true.