Mason Adams
Encyclopedia
Mason Adams was an American
character actor
and voice-over
artist.
degree
from the University of Michigan
in Theatre
Arts and Speech and also attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, studying theater arts. He made his stage debut in 1940, appearing in summer stock at Baltimore
's Hilltop Theater.
. A notable recurring role was that of Pepper Young in Pepper Young's Family, which aired from 1947 to 1959. He also portrayed the deadly Nazi
Atom Man in a classic 1945 serial
on the radio
version of The Adventures of Superman.
He was also in the original 1976 Broadway cast for Checking Out
.
Adams is perhaps most famous for his role as Managing Editor Charlie Hume in the television series, Lou Grant, which aired from 1977 to 1982. During his run on Lou Grant, Adams performed perhaps his most oft-seen role as United States President in Omen III: The Final Conflict
(1981).
During the 1960s he was ubiquitous as a voiceover
actor in television commercials for food and other household products, most notably for Chiffon margarine and Crest toothpaste ("Helps stop cavities before they start"). He also did the vocal part of the television commercials for Smucker's preserves ("With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good!"), a role he had resumed in his last years. Beginning in the 1980s, Adams provided the voiceover for Cadbury Creme eggs
, which were advertised on television with Adams' catchy slogan, "Nobunny knows Easter better than him [the Cadbury Bunny]." Also in the 1980s, Adams did voice-over TV commercials for Sherwin-Williams Paints. Adams also did radio commercials for the Salvation Army
. In addition, Adams was the narrator for Kix
commercials in the 1990s as well as a few Dentyne
commercials and a few Swanson
commercials. He was also the announcer for a 1992 WCBS-TV
news promo, as well as a 1986 Lysol
commercial.
In one of the early episodes of Sesame Street
, he voiced a cartoon featuring a "jazzy" triangle, and a "square" square. He voiced those two, as well as being the narrator, with jazz music in the background. This cartoon would be repeated on the show for many years well into the 1980s.
In the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon he played Senator
Clinton P. Anderson. During the 1970s, he was a co-star of the NBC soap opera Another World
. In 1993, he starred as Walter Warner Sr. in the Movie Son In Law
starring Pauly Shore.
programs, amongst them:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
and voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
artist.
Early life
Adams was born in Brooklyn, New York. He earned an MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
Arts and Speech and also attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, studying theater arts. He made his stage debut in 1940, appearing in summer stock at Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
's Hilltop Theater.
Career
Adams was heard on many radio programs during Radio's Golden AgeOld-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
. A notable recurring role was that of Pepper Young in Pepper Young's Family, which aired from 1947 to 1959. He also portrayed the deadly Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Atom Man in a classic 1945 serial
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
on the radio
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
version of The Adventures of Superman.
He was also in the original 1976 Broadway cast for Checking Out
Checking Out (play)
Checking Out is a 1976 Broadway play written by Allen Swift. It opened on September 14, 1976 at the Longacre Theatre and closed on September 25, 1976 after 16 performances.-Original Production:...
.
Adams is perhaps most famous for his role as Managing Editor Charlie Hume in the television series, Lou Grant, which aired from 1977 to 1982. During his run on Lou Grant, Adams performed perhaps his most oft-seen role as United States President in Omen III: The Final Conflict
Omen III: The Final Conflict
Omen III: The Final Conflict is a 1981 British/American horror film directed by Graham Baker and the third installment in The Omen series...
(1981).
During the 1960s he was ubiquitous as a voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
actor in television commercials for food and other household products, most notably for Chiffon margarine and Crest toothpaste ("Helps stop cavities before they start"). He also did the vocal part of the television commercials for Smucker's preserves ("With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good!"), a role he had resumed in his last years. Beginning in the 1980s, Adams provided the voiceover for Cadbury Creme eggs
Cadbury's Creme Egg
A Cadbury Creme Egg is a brand of chocolate manufactured in the shape of an egg. The product consists of a thick milk chocolate shell, housing a white and yellow fondant filling which mimics the white and yolk of a real egg...
, which were advertised on television with Adams' catchy slogan, "Nobunny knows Easter better than him [the Cadbury Bunny]." Also in the 1980s, Adams did voice-over TV commercials for Sherwin-Williams Paints. Adams also did radio commercials for the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. In addition, Adams was the narrator for Kix
Kix (cereal)
Kix is a cereal introduced in 1937 by the General Mills cereal company of Golden Valley, Minnesota.Kix is an extruded expanded puffed grain product made with whole grain corn. The grain is processed and expanded...
commercials in the 1990s as well as a few Dentyne
Dentyne
Dentyne is a series of brands of chewing gum available in several countries globally. It is owned by Cadbury Adams, a division of Cadbury.In 1899, a New York City druggist named Franklin V. Canning formulated a chewing gum which he promoted as an aid to oral hygiene. "To prevent decay, To sweeten...
commercials and a few Swanson
Swanson
Swanson is a brand of TV dinners, broths, and canned poultry made for the North American market. The TV dinner business is currently owned by Pinnacle Foods, while the broth business is currently owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
commercials. He was also the announcer for a 1992 WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
news promo, as well as a 1986 Lysol
Lysol
Lysol is a trade name for common household cleanersLysol may also refer to:* Lysol , a 1992 album by The Melvins* Lysol , Actor muMs da Schemer played Lysol in The Mad Real World skit on Chappelle's Show....
commercial.
In one of the early episodes of Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, he voiced a cartoon featuring a "jazzy" triangle, and a "square" square. He voiced those two, as well as being the narrator, with jazz music in the background. This cartoon would be repeated on the show for many years well into the 1980s.
In the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon he played Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Clinton P. Anderson. During the 1970s, he was a co-star of the NBC soap opera Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
. In 1993, he starred as Walter Warner Sr. in the Movie Son In Law
Son in Law
Son in Law is a 1993 comedy film starring Pauly Shore, Carla Gugino, Lane Smith, Cindy Pickett, Tiffani Thiessen, Patrick Renna, Dan Gauthier and Dennis Burkley.-Plot:...
starring Pauly Shore.
Radio career
Mason Adams played many characters in Old-Time RadioOld-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
programs, amongst them:
- CBS Radio Mystery TheaterCBS Radio Mystery TheaterCBS Radio Mystery Theater was a radio drama series created by Himan Brown that was broadcast on CBS affiliates from 1974 to 1982....
- The Adventures of SupermanThe Adventures of Superman (radio)The Adventures of Superman was a long running radio serial that originally aired from 1940 to 1951, adapted from the DC Comics character. ....
- X Minus OneX Minus OneX Minus One was a half-hour science fiction radio drama series broadcast from April 24, 1955 to January 9, 1958 in various timeslots on NBC.-Overview:...
- Proudly We Hail
- This Is My Story
- Exploring Tomorrow
- Yours Truly, Johnny DollarYours Truly, Johnny DollarYours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama of "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account — America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." The show aired on CBS Radio from January 14, 1949 to September 30, 1962...
- The NBC Radio Theatre
- SuspenseSuspense (radio program)-Production background:One of the premier drama programs of the Golden Age of Radio, was subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" and focused on suspense thriller-type scripts, usually featuring leading Hollywood actors of the era...
- The Crime ClubThe Crime ClubThe Crime Club was an imprint of the Doubleday publishing company, which later spawned a 1946-47 anthology radio series.Many classic and popular works of detective and mystery fiction had their first U.S. editions published via the Crime Club, including all 50 books of The Saint by Leslie Charteris...
- The Adventures of Ellery QueenThe Adventures of Ellery QueenThe Adventures of Ellery Queen is the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen.-Radio:...
- Gasoline AlleyGasoline AlleyGasoline Alley is a comic strip created by Frank King and currently distributed by Tribune Media Services. First published November 24, 1918, it is the second longest running comic strip in the US and has received critical accolades for its influential innovations...
- Big TownBig TownBig Town is a popular long-running radio drama series which was later adapted to both film and television and a comic book published by DC Comics.-Radio:...
- Inner SanctumInner Sanctum MysteriesInner Sanctum Mysteries, a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941 to October 5, 1952, was created by producer Himan Brown. A total of 526 episodes were broadcast.-Horror hosts:...
Personal life
Adams married Margot Fineberg in 1958. The couple had a daughter, Betsy, and a son, Bill. He died on April 26, 2005, from natural causes, according to his daughter.External links
- Obituary in the Star Gazette