[5] Others at the party ranged in age from 12 to 22, as police later determined. Bright and personable, her role as Buffy was to cause her increasing psychological straining She was nearly 14 when Family Affair ended and, at an age where she was growing interested in boys, was still being instructed to play with dolls on camera and on personal appearance tours. On March 11, Anissa Jones would have celebrated her 61st birthday, that fact led to a trip down memory lane and to Family Affair where it all began. But shaking off her reputation as the adorable Buffy proved an insurmountable challenge. He got diagnosed with lung cancer and emphysema early in 1997, in April that year his daughter committed suicide. 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. A friend, fellow student and partymate Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissa's death. Garver remembered that Joness mother expressed concern about her daughter at Joness 18th birthday party. On August 28, 1976, Jones was dead in a bedroom of her friends. Her divorced mothers continual drive for Anissa to succeed in the industry and her need for other things in life as well drove them apart. She became a ward of the court. Suddenly she had more money than she knew what to do with. She also starred in an Elvis Presley comedy film, The Trouble with Girls. She and some other kids stayed in a bedroom taking angel dust and coke. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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." But after the 1971 season the show began to slump in the ratings and was immediately cancelled. She eventually stopped going to school in 1975, per Groovy History. Life is hard. She died from combined drug intoxication when she was 18. based on information from your browser. It wouldnt be strange for you to think of Sarah Michelle Gellar and the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, about a teenager battling a wide assortment of the undead. The familys move to California took place while the kids were still toddlers. Sadly shortly after their father gained custody of Anissa and Paul in 1973, he died of heart disease, and the siblings were forced to go back to their mother. They difibed her once and put on the electrodes but it was clearly useless, and Tri City Dr. Mitchell (jr.) gave the order to cease. Life is advocating for oneself. Bettmann/Getty ImagesJohnnie Whitaker as Jody and Anissa Jones as Buffy on Family Affair in 1966. http://reelreviews.com/shorttakes/anissajones.htm, Mary Anissa Jones was born in West Lafayette, Indiana to Purdue students John P. Jones and Mary P. Tweel on March 11, 1958. Her first exposure to acting was in a breakfast cereal commercial when she was only six years old. She is always ready to say, Please call me Anissa when people refer to her as Buffy, her name on the show. If you havent got anything to ground you, thats a very heady experience. In Anissas case, this wasnt true. When she finally was given access to her television earnings, she quickly spiraled downwards with reckless abandon.Anissa's drug problem would eventually claim her life. As she started to audition for movies, however, Jones felt pigeonholed by her reputation as the precocious and adorable Buffy.. There were Buffy paper dolls,Family Affaircoloring books and lunch boxes, a Buffy line of childrens clothes, and a Buffy Cookbook in 1971, with Anissa featured on the cover. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Playa Del Rey, California, where her father worked at Hughes Aircraft while also teaching at USC. She wasn't being very social. An hour later her friends would find Anissa dead. A friend, fellow student and partymate Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissa's death. The San Bernardino County Sun wrote, Buffy is a charming little girl, but one cannot help wondering why she is being subjected to such exploitation. [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. She wasnt being very social. When the comedy got canceled after five seasons in 1971, Anissa was relieved. In 1965, when she was 6, Jones' first TV appearance was in a commercial. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. So it seems like she had no port in the storm and the storm finally overtook her literally at the beach., On August 13, 1976, syndicated columnist Marilyn Beck wrote a moving column about Anissa, noting that she had first spoken to the actress when she was 8, and told at the time that Anissa wanted to eventually be a mommy with six kids and work as a veterinarian taking care of puppies and kitten. Please reset your password. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Try again later. Born on March 11, 1958, to parents John Jones and Mary Tweel in West Lafayette, Indiana, the family moved to Playa del Rey, California when Anissa was still very young. "The night Anissa died was wierd. Tragic Details Found In Anissa Jones' Autopsy Report. Geoffrey Mark, one of the creative forces behind a number of Inside Televisions GreatestandBehind the Famedocumentaries, states how child actors were required the same responsibilities as that of an adult actor. Failed to report flower. After the series was canceled, Jones wanted to change the direction her career was headed and decided that she wanted to act in movies. Their time by contract belonged to the production company and the network. The coroner would later report that she had cocaine, PCP, Quaalude and Seconal in her system. By the time the show ended and she could finally say goodbye to Mrs. Beasley Anissa was at a career crossroads. Anissa Jones part 4 Jones had no funeral. During filming, she attended school on the studio lot alongside many other child actors. Your IP address is listed in our blacklist and blocked from completing this request. Wayne Staz, the reporter who initiated the visit, alleged that prescriptions could be obtained with $5.00 and "simply showing identification".[9]. Closer Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Try our quiz and enter to win $500!Click below to check the trivia questionRemember Anissa Jones? There was an error deleting this problem. Please enter your email and password to sign in. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. She was cast in the role of "Carol Bix" in the Elvis Presley film "The Trouble with Girls" in 1969 and also appeared as her "Family Affair" character of "Buffy" in the television series "To Rome with Love" in 1970. Due to logistical concerns, Anissas younger brother, Paul almost always accompanied her to the studio. Jones's mother, Mary Paula Jones, outlived her entire family. After putting clothes on her, they called the paramedics but it was too late. All rights reserved. She and some other kids stayed in a bedroom taking angel dust and coke. She received a little less than $200,000, which she blew almost immediately. Do you think you know a lot about TV? 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). Learn more about managing a memorial . Learn more about merges. Anissa would play Buffy for the shows entire run. She is best remembered for her role of Buffy on the television series Family Affair. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Anissa Jones I found on Findagrave.com. So the whole season would have to be written beforehand; they didnt do them one at a time. Some four commercials later, Anissa was seen and signed by a producer of Family Affair for the part of Buffy., Geoffrey Mark, a creative guiding force behind a number of Inside Televisions Greatest and Behind the Fame documentaries, notes that by its very nature, the shooting schedule of Family Affair was a boon financially, but a recipe for disaster for the children. It was by 1970 that Anissa was doing a lot of public appearances, which allowed her very little private time. That birthday was a significant one. Buffys doll, Mrs. Beasley, would also become the best-selling doll in America at one time during the shows run. Soon after the birth of Anissa's brother John Paul Jones, Jr. (called "Paul" by the family), the family moved to Playa Del Rey, California, where John Paul, Sr. took a job in aerospace engineering and Anissa attended Paseo del Rey Elementary School, then Orville Wright Junior High School.[3]. Try our. Or, go inside the tragic death of The Land Before Time child actress Judith Barsi. The next thing I heard about Anissa was that she was dead. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. [5] Jones was 12 when the series ended in 1971. Could go either way. Continuing with her schooling at Westchester High School from 1973 to 1976, she briefly worked at Winchell's Donut Shop in Playa del Rey. Indeed, Anissa Jones didnt have much time left. In four or five months," (via Closer Weekly). 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. However, it didnt really work out the way she hoped. Anissa was declared dead from what the coroner would reportedly call one of the most massive overdoses hed ever seen. She felt that she was typecast as the adorable little girl when she played Buffy, which resulted in her not being chosen for other roles, such as the one in "The Exorcist." As far as she was concerned, acting and Hollywood had lost its allure. All Rights Reserved. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Rhoton Funeral Home Obituary Anissa Jones was born June 23, 1969, in Dallas, Texas. Of course, they all miss their lines, too, once in a while., Unfortunately, there were already issues developing, partially from the divorce and partially from the impact of the show. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. As much as Anissa tried to disassociate herself from the little girl she played on the show, I still found her the same person. Robin Williams, just to name an example). Sep 09, 2021 04:42 P.M. Anissa Jones was trapped in the role of little Buffy from "Family Affair" and when she finally got away from it all, her life was tragically cut short. Officer Graf arrived at 12:37 p.m., I have been told he has posted in this forum under the name of Old Marine or something close to that and is a member of the other forum. On August 28, 1976, Anissa Jones went to a party in Oceanside, California with her boyfriend, Allan Kovan. On March 15, 1984, Jones's brother, Paul, died of a drug overdose. Sometimes we just pick the flowers and then sell them, but were always careful not to sell the flowers to the lady we pick them from., Her brightness was also on display in a piece that ran in the Star-Gazette of Elmira, New York, as the reporter noticed her mouthing dialogue being spoken by both Johnnie and Brian. As the star of a hit TV series, Anissa naturally would quite often receive gifts. The parents divorced shortly after moving to California and Mrs. Jones suddenly had to look for a job. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. They said that Dr. Moshos illegally prescribed the drug Seconal to Jones, which contributed to her death. She acted alongside Johnny Whitaker as her twin brother Jody, Kathy Garver as her older sister Cissy, Brian Keith as her Uncle Bill, and Sebastian Cabot as Uncle Bills butler. A friend, fellow student and partymate Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissa's death. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. Following a private service, Anissa was cremated and her ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Her life was not only short-lived but it was also full of tragedy, heartbreak, and controversy.Like this content? She finds playing a mere child of 6 babyish, offered The Republic of Columbus, Indiana, and quickly reveals her true age to anyone willing to listen., By 1970, Anissa was doing public appearances every other weekend, drawing thousands of people, but allowed her very little private time. Year should not be greater than current year. Some four commercials later, Anissa was seen and signed by a producer ofFamily Affairfor the part of Buffy, The San Francisco Examinerreports. Anissa Renee Jones. And by the time it bubbled over, it was too late., Back in 1967, while speaking to the Star-Gazette, Anissa let the reporter in on a secret: she really didnt think she would be an actress all her life. In 1966, producer Don Fedderson, who had created the Fred MacMurray series My Three Sons, collaborated with producer-writer Edmund Hartmann to create Family Affair. Verify and try again. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Cremated and her ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean from 12 to 22, as police later.. One at a time slide dots his daughter committed suicide audition for movies, however, it really. Based on information from your browser location will be saved to your photo list. Or deselecting below, or jump to a slide with the slide dots to a party in Oceanside, with. Lot about TV contract belonged to the studio Steve Hanford recalled the following about Anissa relieved. 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