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Edie Adams

Actress

"We want to strive for something better. If mediocrity is the answer, we'd better all just go home."

About This Interview

Edie Adams (1927-2008) was interviewed for four-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA.  Ms. Adams chronicled her long and varied career as a singer and actress. She talked about her appearances as a featured singer with the late Ernie Kovacs, on Ernie in Kovacsland which led to her collaboration with him on his groundbreaking NBC shows (produced out of Philadelphia’s NBC affiliate WPTZ): 3 to Get Ready and Kovacs in the Corner as well as (New York shows) Kovacs Unlimited and the various incarnations of The Ernie Kovacs Show.  She talked about her Broadway roles in such shows as “Wonderful Town” and “L’il Abner” (for which she won a Tony Award) as well as her appearance as the fairy godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical for television, Cinderella.  She also discussed her work in such feature films as Billy Wilder’s The Apartment and Stanley Kramer’s It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World.  She recalled her many other television appearances such as those on Jack Paar’s morning show as well as commercials for Muriel cigars.  She spoke about Ernie Kovacs’ tragic death and her continued work in television and films, including her Emmy-nominated television show Here’s Edie.  She also described her work in preserving Kovacs’s legend -- archiving kinescopes and tapes of his programs for future generations. The interview was conducted by Henry Colman on March 11, 1999.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Topics

Shows

  • 3 to Get Ready
  • Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
  • Ernie Kovacs Show, The
  • Ernie Kovacs Specials
  • Ernie in Kovacsland
  • Jack Paar Show, The (1953-56, CBS; daytime series)
  • Kovacs on the Corner

Topics

  • Pop Culture
  • Technological Innovation

Featured Content

Video: Edie Adams guest stars on The Hollywood Palace (airdate: 2/6/65), from the Internet Archive [see her sing a few songs at 4:10 to 9:10; and at 31:38 see her introduce a basketball game between the Harlem Globetrotters and the "Palace Dribblers": Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Tim Conway, David Janssen, ad Vic Damone]

Archive Bob Hope Comedy Collection

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  • Highlights
  • Chapters
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics

Highlights

  • Edie Adams on being a regular on Ernie Kovacs' shows (17m 39s)Edie Adams on being a regular on Ernie Kovacs' shows (17m 39s)
  • Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)
  • Edie Adams on being a regular on Jack Paar's morning show (12m 07s)Edie Adams on being a regular on Jack Paar's morning show (12m 07s)
  • Edie Adams on her first television appearances; on appearing on <i>Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts</i> (47m 37s)Edie Adams on her first television appearances; on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (47m 37s)

Chapters

  • Chapter 1
  • Introduction
  • On her early years, education and influences; on her early performances (and becoming Miss U.S. TV); on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
  • Chapter 2
  • On Joe Behar calling and inviting her to appear on television in Philadelphia; on her appearances as a featured singer with Ernie Kovacs, on Ernie in Kovacsland which led to her collaboration with him on his groundbreaking NBC shows (produced out of Philadelphia’s NBC affiliate WPTZ) and the various incarnations of The Ernie Kovacs Show. 
  • Chapter 3
  • On working with Ernie Kovacs in Philadelphia and New York; on being a regular performer on The Jack Paar Show
  • Chapter 4
  • On joining Ernie Kovacs' late night show on DuMont; on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows; on transitioning to The Ernie Kovacs Show;  on the introduction of the lenticular color process
  • Chapter 5
  • On appearing on Ernie Kovacs' daytime series; on her starring role on Broadway in L'il Abner; on her appearance as the fairy godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical for television, Cinderella
  • Chapter 6
  • On her work on Broadway; on working on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show; on working with Ernie Kovacs; on advertising Dutch Masters and Muriel Cigars; on working on the feature film The Apartment

Shows

  • 3 to Get Ready
    • Edie Adams on performing on Ernie Kovacs' early shows (29m 36s)
  • Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
    • Edie Adams on her first television appearances; on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (07m 37s)
  • Ernie Kovacs Show, The
    • Edie Adams on performing on Ernie Kovacs' early shows (29m 36s)
    • Edie Adams on The Ernie Kovacs Show being filmed in lenticular color (03m 27s)
    • Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)
  • Ernie Kovacs Specials
    • Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)
  • Ernie in Kovacsland
    • Edie Adams on performing on Ernie Kovacs' early shows (29m 36s)
  • Jack Paar Show, The (1953-56, CBS; daytime series)
    • Edie Adams on being a regular on Jack Paar's morning show (12m 07s)
  • Kovacs on the Corner
    • Edie Adams on performing on Ernie Kovacs' early shows (29m 36s)
    • Edie Adams on being a regular on Ernie Kovacs' shows
      (17m 39s)

People

  • Arthur Godfrey
    • Edie Adams on her first television appearances; on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (47m 37s)
  • Ernie Kovacs
    • Edie Adams on performing on Ernie Kovacs' early shows (29m 36s)
    • Edie Adams on being a regular on Ernie Kovacs' shows (17m 39s)
    • Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)
  • Jack Paar
    • Edie Adams on being a regular on Jack Paar's morning show (12m 07s)

Topics

  • Pop Culture > Characters & Catchphrases
    • Edie Adams on the origin of the famous "Nairobi Trio" sketches on Ernie Kovacs' shows (02m 43s)
  • Technological Innovation
    • Edie Adams on The Ernie Kovacs Show being filmed in lenticular color (03m 27s)
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Submitted by hoegaarden27 on Mon, 2011-03-14 17:09.

I saw It's A Mad Mad Mad World when I was a little kid and I remember being struck by how beautiful Edie Adams was. I'd never realized before what an intelligent and hard-working woman she was, nor what a tough life she had. We were lucky to have had her amongst us for so many years. There's a movie to be made from her life!

Submitted by BARRIEMOREBARLOW on Sat, 2011-01-29 08:43.

....and we like tutti fruity best

Submitted by hairyscotman on Sat, 2010-10-09 20:17.

Growing up in the 50's...she was one of the loveliest ladies on TV. Beautiful voice and sexy....back when sexy was sealed with a 'wink'....

Submitted by weightfeather1 on Sun, 2010-08-15 22:23.

@michaeljohndudley Ernie had been awake for many-many hours, had attended a party and had one or ten drinks under his belt. Edie left the party first in Ernie's big Rolls Royce. Ernie took Edie's Corvair wagon. He was inebriated and going too fast around a slick-wet corner. It seems that he was trying to strike a match on the heel of his shoe to light his cigar. No matter what's been said about Corvairs, even Edie has acknowledged that the make of car had nothing to do with Ernie's accident.

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