A Tribute to Julie Adams

We have lost Julie Adams on Sunday morning at the age of 92.  She started in films with Red, Hot and Blue (1949).  Then, had a lead role as Polly Medford in the western The Dalton Gang (1949).  She starred opposite James Stewart in another Western, Bend of the River (1952) directed by Anthony Mann.  Rock Hudson portrayed John Wesley Hardin with Adams in the 1953 Western, The Lawless Breed.  It was in 1954 that Julie Adams appeared in an iconic role as Kay Lawrence, in The Creature from the Black Lagoon.  She also co-starred with Donald O’Connor in the comedy Francis Joins the WACS (1954).  Next, she was in the comedy, The Private War of Major Benson (1955) with Charlton Heston. In 1962, Adams appeared as Dr. Monica Powers in the sci fi film, The Underwater City.  She played several parts in Perry Mason (1963-1965).  Adams starred with Elvis Presley in Tickle Me (1965).  

Julie Adams, at The Hollywood Collector's Show, 2003, photo by the author.

She was in a 1967 episode of the spin-off spy series, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.  She played Martha Howard the wife of the professor in The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971-1972).  In 1972, Adams was in “The Miracle at Camafeo” episode of the Night Gallery.  Adams starred with John Wayne in the crime drama McQ (1974).  She also appeared as Dr. Laura Scott in the horror thriller Psychic Killer (1975).  Adams was in the “Life and Death” (1978) episode of The Incredible Hulk.  She had the recurring part as Eve Simpson in Murder, She Wrote (1987-1993).  Adams had a cameo part in a 1999 episode of the sci fi time travel show Sliders.  She played Amelia in “A Tale of Two Cities” episode of Lost.  Julie Adams wrote about her film career in her book, Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From the Black Lagoon (2011).  She meet her many fans at conventions and also many other events.  Creature from the Black Lagoon inspired Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water (2017) where he had the creature romancing the girl.  I can still Kay Lawrence swimming in the Black Lagoon while the Gill Man looks on.   

#JulieAdams, #CreaturefromtheBlackLagoon, #BendintheRiver, #LuckySouthernStar