Joe Adams (actor)
| Joe Adams | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 11, 1924 |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. |
| Occupation | Actor, disc jockey, businessman |
Joe Adams (April 11, 1924 – July 3, 2018) was an American actor, disc jockey, businessman and manager. He was manager to Ray Charles and won a Golden Globe[1][2] — the first African-American to do so.[3][4]
Contents
Early years
Adams was a native of Los Angeles. His father was a Jewish businessman, and his mother was African-American.[3]
Career
After being told that, because of his race, he should not try for a career in radio, Adams took an indirect route to reach that goal. He went from being a truck driver to being chauffeur and general assistant for Los Angeles radio personality Al Jarvis. After six months, Adams had become Jarvis' assistant producer.[5]
Adams was the first African-American announcer on NBC's radio network,[6] handling West Coast jazz remote broadcasts and prducing segments of NBC's Monitor program.[7] In 1948, he became a disc jockey and announcer on KOWL radio in Santa Monica, California,[5] and 10 years later he was described in a newspaper article as "the station's top personality and most valuable property".[7]
Adams became the Emcee and stage director for the fourth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. on September 12, 1948, and continued for the annual event for 10 more years. The event showcased over 125 artists over time. Dizzy Gillespie, Frankie Lane, Little Miss Cornshucks, The Sweethearts of Rhythm, The Honey Drippers, Joe Turner, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Blenders and The Sensations were all featured as Adams emceed his first Cavalcade of Jazz concert.[8]
On June 19, 1951, Adams began his own television program on KTTV in Los Angeles. The show featured Adams' 15-piece orchestra, vocalist Mauri Lynn, and the Hi Hatters dance team.[9]
In 1954 Adams played boxer "Husky Miller" in the award-winning "Carmen Jones" film opera featuring an all-black cast headed by Best Actress Oscar-nominee Dorothy Dandridge.
On stage, Adams had the role of Joe Nashua in the Broadway musical Jamaica (1957).[10]
Personal life
Adams married Emma Millhouse in 1946.[11] They remained married until his death 72 years later.[12]
Recognition
The Los Angeles City Council designated March 15, 1953, a day to honor Adams.[7] In 1955, he received FEM magazine's Man of the Year Award.[13]
Papers
Adams' photographs, scrapbooks, and other materials are housed in the Joe Adams Papers collection in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution.[11]
Select credits
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - psychiatrist[3]
- Carmen Jones (1954)
- Sheena: Queen of the Jungle – "The Ganyika Kid "
- Channing – "The Face in the Sun"
- Ballad in Blue (1965)
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Joe Adams, Radio and Television Personality, Broadway Actor, Philanthropist and Longtime Manager to the Late Ray Charles to Visit Columbia's Campus", PR Newswire; New York, New York, 21 April 2006: n/a.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Peck, Audrey Hepburn Get Top Awards: Awards", Los Angeles Times, 25 February 1955: 2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Joe Adams at the Internet Broadway DatabaseLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Joe Adams at the Internet Movie Database
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1924 births
- 2018 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- African-American male actors
- African-American businesspeople
- African-American DJs
- American bandleaders
- Male actors from Los Angeles
- Jewish American male actors
- New Star of the Year (Actor) Golden Globe winners
- African-American Jews
- 21st-century African-American people
- 21st-century American Jews
