Biography for
Al Adamson More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

25 July 1929, Hollywood, California, USA

Date of Death

2 August 1995, Indio, California, USA (homicide)

Birth Name

Albert Victor Adamson Jr.

Height

6' 2" (1.88 m)

Mini Biography

Although it's very unlikely that his admittedly cheap'n'cheesy films will ever be acknowledged as true works of cinematic art, director/producer/screenwriter Al Adamson did nonetheless make a slew of entertainingly trashy low-budget exploitation features for the drive-in market throughout the 60s and 70s. Al was born on July 25, 1929 in Hollywood, California. He was the son of actress Dolores Booth and actor/director Victor Adamson, who appropriately enough specialized in shoddy poverty row 30s Western programmers. Adamson's first foray into filmmaking was helping his father as director and producer on the movie "Halfway to Hell." In the mid 60s Al founded the prolific grind-house outfit Independent-International Pictures with producer/distributor Sam Sherman. Adamson cranked out a bunch of flicks in every conceivable genre: scuzzy biker items ("Satan's Sadists," "Hell's Bloody Devils," "Angels' Wild Women"), gritty Westerns ("Five Bloody Graves," "Jessi's Girls"), silly soft-core comedies ("The Naughty Stewardesses," "Blazing Stewardesses"), funky blaxploitation ("Mean Mother," "Black Heat"), ridiculous science fiction dross (the gloriously ghastly "Horror of the Blood Monsters"), two Jim Kelly martial arts action outings ("Black Samurai," "Death Dimension"), lurid horror fare ("Dracula Vs. Frankenstein," "Brain of Blood," "Nurse Sherri"), and even a tongue-in-cheek soft-core science fiction musical ("Cinderella 2000"). Moreover, Adamson served as a producer for both the exciting Fred Williamson blaxploitation vehicle "Hammer" and the acclaimed made-for-TV drama "Cry Rape." The casts of Adamson's movies were made up of oddball, but enthusiastic amateurs and faded name thespians who include Kent Taylor, Russ Tamblyn, Lon Chaney, Jr. and the ubiquitous John Carradine. Al frequently gave his wife Regina Carrol sizable parts in his films. Moreover, Adamson was a mentor for future schlock feature directors Greydon Clark and John "Bud" Cardos. Al was also instrumental in launching the career of ace cinematographer Gary Graver. In addition, Adamson kept fellow top cinematographers Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond employed in their early salad days. Al Adamson's life came to a brutal and abrupt untimely end at age 66 when he was murdered by live-in contractor Fred Fulford on August 2, 1995.

IMDb Mini Biography By: woodyanders

Spouse

Stevee Ashlock	(1 March 1993 - ?) (his death)
Regina Carrol	(1972 - 4 November 1992) (her death)

Trivia

Son of actor-director Victor Adamson and actress Dolores Booth

Normally cast his wife Regina Carrol.

Was good friends with actor-director John 'Bud' Cardos.

His body was found buried under his freshly laid cement and tile bathroom. His murderer posed as him using his clothes and credit cards at a hotel in Florida while on the run.

Murdered by a man by the name of Fred Fulford, who was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life.

Interviewed in "Wild Beyond Belief: Interviews with Exploitation Filmmakers of the 1960s and 1970s" by Brian Albright (McFarland & Co.).

Personal Quotes

I think I'm a better action director than anything.

[on making horror films] I like doing them. To me, it's fun. I don't take it seriously.