ADAM'S BIO
IN THE BEGINNING
A native Chicagoan, Adam started acting at age 4 when his father, Richard (a full-time jewelry and sculpture artist and part-time commercial actor and model), brought him to a commercial shoot where he was introduced to his father's agent, Shirley Hamilton.
1976 - Adam (center) in a commercial for Tang, with Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell (right).
Upon seeing Adam's big blue eyes and Beatles' mop-top, Shirley immediately offered to represent him. His father took some headshots, and Adam began booking work in television commercials, earning his SAG and AFTRA cards in 1970 at the ripe old age of 5. The "acting bug" had bit him. Over the next few years, Adam continued to work steadily in commercials, appearing in several spots for iconic, award-winning director - and American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame Inductee - Joe Sedelmaier. See some of Adam’s vintage commercials here.
Piven Theater Workshop
L-R: Bernie Beck, John Cusack and Adam. Circa 1983
AN ACTOR PREPARES
At 9-years-old, Adam began taking acting classes at Evanston's Piven Theater Workshop under the tutelage of Byrne and Joyce Piven (who calls him one of their “shining lights”). He remained at the Workshop for 9 years. He was in the first graduating class of The Chicago Academy for the Arts (at that time known as The Academy - Art, Music, Dance, Theater) where he won the school's inaugural "Outstanding Senior" award for the Theatre Department. He enrolled at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he studied at the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting (including one semester with Stella herself), and The Practical Aesthetics Workshop, studying with David Mamet, William H. Macy, and alongside several classmates who would eventually form The Atlantic Theater Company. During his senior year, Adam spent 6 months in England, doing a directing internship at London's Royal Court Theater. He graduated from NYU with his BFA in 1987.
MY LIFE IN ART
Following graduation, Adam returned to Chicago where he worked on stage, appearing in the Next Lab’s Joseph Jefferson Award-winning juggernaut BOUNCERS (with Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner, Tracy Letts), in Big Game Theater’s THE SEAGULL and WOMEN AND WATER (both directed by Tony Award-winning director, David Cromer) as well as in productions on the Next Theater’s mainstage, at Lifeline, City Lit and the Organic Theater.
He also booked his first speaking role in a major motion picture, appearing in David Mamet’s THINGS CHANGE (sharing the screen with both Joe Mantegna and the legendary Don Ameche) which was filmed in Chicago.
In 1997, Adam moved to Los Angeles. He landed an agent and began booking roles in series such as EARLY EDITION (his first major booking which ironically brought him back to Chicago for filming), BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, SCRUBS, and PARTY DOWN among others. He had recurring roles on the second season of VERONICA MARS, and in the Showtime series LOOK, written and directed by long-time friend (and fellow Academy alum) Adam Rifkin. Other film credits include the film version of Rifkin's LOOK and Rifkin's DENIAL (aka SOMETHING ABOUT SEX); David Mamet's HOMICIDE; and the late Curtis Hanson's LUCKY YOU (starring Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, and Robert Duvall). Also a voice actor, Adam has been heard in video games, radio commercials, on animated series, and in feature films including HOUSE OF WAX (as the “voice” of the killer, ‘Vincent’), Sylvester Stallone’s D-TOX (aka EYE SEE YOU), and in Gus Van Sant’s Academy Award-winning GOOD WILL HUNTING.
Adam was a founding member of L.A.’s award-winning, critically acclaimed Sacred Fools Theatre Company (est. 1997) where he acted in, directed, and/or produced several hit shows. Now a Company Member Emeritus, Adam is a former member of their Board of Directors.
Following the sudden death of his father in 2012, Adam and his rescue dog, Mugsy, moved back to Chicago, where Adam continues to act on stage and screen, and Mugsy wonders what happened to all the nice weather. Since his return, he has booked roles on series including CHICAGO P.D. (his first “Top of Show” Guest Star credit), THE EXORCIST, CHICAGO FIRE and EMPIRE (his episode was directed by series creator Lee Daniels, but his scene with Taraji P. Henson was subsequently cut) among others. He appears on stages all over Chicago, frequently at Redtwist Theater where he is an ensemble member. In 2017, Adam earned a Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination for his performance as 'Mick' in Redtwist's production of THE SEEDBED, and won a Chicago Theatre Award for his performance as 'Charley' in Redtwist's DEATH OF A SALESMAN, which also won the award for "Best Production of a Play." Be sure to check out other pages of this website to find out what he's up to now or next!
Livin' the dream!
On the set of CHICAGO FIRE.
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Morris/NBC | 2014 NBCUniversal Media, LLC