The versatile Edie Adams who was adept to musicals, comedies and dramas died of pneumonia on 15th October 2008.She was born Elizabeth Edith Enke on April 16, 1927, in the relatively small town of Kingston, Pennsylvania, but moved while fairly young to Grove City. Her family relocated again, this time to Tenafly, New Jersey, where she grew up. Following her graduation from high school, Edie aspired to become an opera singer and studied voice and piano at New York's Juilliard School of Music. She then went on to t
ake acting classes at the Columbia School of Drama.
ake acting classes at the Columbia School of Drama.The winner of such contests as Miss US TV, Adams was hired to sing on Ernie Kovacs's variety series, "Ernie In Kovacsland" in 1951. After appearing together in the offbeat comedian's follow-up series, the two got married in 1955.
Subsequently she found fame on Broadway, billed as Edith Adams, winning a Theatre World Award for "Wonderful Tow
n" and a Tony Awards in 1956 for playing Daisy Mae in the musical "Li'l Abner". Following that were more musical and dramatic ventures on the stage including "The Merry Widow" (1957), a show she would return to more than once, "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1960) and "Free as a Bird" (1960).
n" and a Tony Awards in 1956 for playing Daisy Mae in the musical "Li'l Abner". Following that were more musical and dramatic ventures on the stage including "The Merry Widow" (1957), a show she would return to more than once, "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1960) and "Free as a Bird" (1960). One of Edie's last pairings with Kovacs was in 1960 when they appeared as guests on the very last episode of "The Luci-Desi Comedy Hour." The pair appeared as themselves with one of the highlights having Edie crooning the lovely ballad "That's All". Kovacs' sudden 1962 death was a terrible reversal of fortunes for Edie. An inveterate gambler, he left her owing much 
money to the IRS. Instead of filing bankruptcy, however, she worked her way out of debt. In the process, her career received a second wind. Perhaps it didn't hurt that the public adored Edie and that she was a genuinely sympathetic figure in the wake of her private tragedy.
money to the IRS. Instead of filing bankruptcy, however, she worked her way out of debt. In the process, her career received a second wind. Perhaps it didn't hurt that the public adored Edie and that she was a genuinely sympathetic figure in the wake of her private tragedy.When she was ready for film she made an impressive debut as Fred MacMurray's vengeful secretary in the Oscar-winning "The Apartment" (1960). She had a good role in the Doris Day/Rock Hudson comedy,
"Lover Come Back" (1961). Thereafter, she played off such comedy pros as Bob Hope in "Call Me Bwana" (1963); Sid Caesar in "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963); and Jack Lemmon in "Under The Yum Yum Tree" (1963) and had a showy bit as a stripper in "Love With A Proper Stranger" (1963).
"Lover Come Back" (1961). Thereafter, she played off such comedy pros as Bob Hope in "Call Me Bwana" (1963); Sid Caesar in "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963); and Jack Lemmon in "Under The Yum Yum Tree" (1963) and had a showy bit as a stripper in "Love With A Proper Stranger" (1963).
Adams had her own short-lived vareity series, "The Edie Adams Show" (1963 - 1964). She showed up as one of Rex Harrison's greedy mistress, a fading star, in the ensemble piece "The Honey Pot" (1967).
While growing noticeably heavier in later years, she never lost her trademark humor and sex appeal. Edie co
uld still be seen from time to time on the stage in such shows as "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," the female version of "The Odd Couple," "Hello, Dolly!" and "Nunsense". She remained committed to the end to restoring/preserving her late
husband's videotapes and kinescopes of his ground-breaking 50s TV work. She also recalled her offbeat life with Kovacs in the book Sing a Pretty Song, which was published in 1990.
Edie remarried in 1964 to photographer Marty Mills, with whom she had a son, Josh. That union ended in divor
ce in 1971. The following year Edie married jazz trumpeter Pete Candoli. She and Candoli, who died in January of 2008, divorced in 1989. In another eerie, tragic circumstance, daughter Mia was killed in a 1982 Los Angeles auto accident at age 22 -- exactly 20 years after her father's similar demise. Suffering from cancer and losing weight in recent years, the beloved Edie died of complications from pneumonia at age 81 in Los Angeles.
uld still be seen from time to time on the stage in such shows as "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," the female version of "The Odd Couple," "Hello, Dolly!" and "Nunsense". She remained committed to the end to restoring/preserving her late
husband's videotapes and kinescopes of his ground-breaking 50s TV work. She also recalled her offbeat life with Kovacs in the book Sing a Pretty Song, which was published in 1990.Edie remarried in 1964 to photographer Marty Mills, with whom she had a son, Josh. That union ended in divor
ce in 1971. The following year Edie married jazz trumpeter Pete Candoli. She and Candoli, who died in January of 2008, divorced in 1989. In another eerie, tragic circumstance, daughter Mia was killed in a 1982 Los Angeles auto accident at age 22 -- exactly 20 years after her father's similar demise. Suffering from cancer and losing weight in recent years, the beloved Edie died of complications from pneumonia at age 81 in Los Angeles. 
No comments:
Post a Comment