Sorry to hear that Julie Adams has passed away at the age of 92.
Born Betty Adams in Waterloo, Iowa, Julie’s film career started inauspiciously in 7 quickie westerns from Lippert Pictures, and using her own name.
A seven year contract with Universal came with a new name, Julia Adams.
In her first film for Universal, Julia costarred with Richard Conte in an interesting film , HOLLYWOOD STORY which was set in a Hollywood studio, with Julia as the daughter of a silent film star.
Interviewed by Alan Rode after a screening of the film in 2010, Julie said, “Richard Conte was such a charming man, a very fine actor.”
Julie became a favourite in 50s westerns . The Treasure of Lost Canyon gave her a chance to work with William Powell.
With Piper Laurie and Tyrone Power. THE MISSISSIPPI GAMBLER.
Julie and Rock Hudson were costarred several times including The Lawless Breed. Julie described Rock as a very dear friend.
With Rock Hudson. THE LAWLESS BREED.
With Robert Ryan.HORIZONS WEST.
ONE DESIRE
When Julie told Universal she preferred Julie to Julia, they agreed to the name change.
The film Julie was most asked about in her many appearances at film conventions was CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
She said, “It is amazing the life of this movie. It’s a classic beauty and the beast story, with stunning underwater photography. Some projects take on a life of their own. The creature still walks among us!”
With Richard Carlson.
As a Mexican revolutionary (!) in WINGS OF THE HAWK.
My favourite film of Julie’s , BEND OF THE RIVER.
Julie often talked about her delight about working again with James Stewart on TV’s “The Jimmy Stewart Show” In 1971/72. She played his wife in the show which ran for 24 episodes.
With Arthur Kennedy in BEND OF THE RIVER.
With Glenn Ford in THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO.
With Glenn Ford, Chill Wills, Hugh O’Brien.THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO.
With Hugh Marlowe, Jack Kelly and Stephen McNally. STAND AT APACHE RIVER.
With Joel McCrea In GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY (1959).
Julie occasionally was cast in non-westerns.
With Charlton Heston in THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR BENSON.
With George Nader in FOUR GIRLS IN TOWN.
When her Universal contract was over, Julie’s work was mainly on television. She appeared in so many TV shows of the 60s and 70s. Marcus Welby, The Big Valley, Rifleman, Maverick, just a few of the shows she appeared in.
With Raymond Burr In PERRY MASON.
With Ray Danton.
Julie was married to Ray Danton from 1955 to 1981. With one of her sons, Mitchell Danton, she brought out her autobiography in 2011, THE LUCKY SOUTHERN STAR, REFLECTIONS FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
With Mitchell Danton.
Several interviews with Julie can be found on You Tube. And Laura at http://laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com has written several times about meeting Julie.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood 
Thank you for this, Vienna! Good stuff, here. I never knew anything about Julie Adams except The Creature from the Black Lagoon. She worked with so many big stars!
I wonder if she was best served by Universal. They kept her mainly in westerns.Her film career seemed to fizzle,out after her 7 years at Universal but she had a long career in varied roles on tv. I’d like to read her autobiography but it’s not on Amazon. Published privately I think.
Such sad news, a wonderful presence in all those great 50s movies. Nice tribute.
And great too that because of ‘Black Lagoon’ Julie was interviewed often about her career.
Universal’s output in the fifties was strictly routine so as you say the opportunities just weren’t there. The same thing happened to Marta Toren, a fine actress who was stuck in mostly formula mysteries and spy thrillers.
I agree about Marta Toren. She only made about ten films in Hollywood before moving to Italy. Sad too that she died aged 30.
I think it would be impossible to find a negative comment about Julie,
a very much loved star. A stellar tribute.
She came over very warmly in all her recorded interviews.
Vienna, a wonderful photographic tribute to Julie Adams. She was a favorite of mine since I first remember seeing her in the delightful THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR BENSON(1955), where she portrayed Dr. Kay Lambert.
She grew up during the Great Depression in northeastern Arkansas, where she would travel with her father Ralph Adams, who was a cotton buyer. Julie is probably one of the few Hollywood actresses, if not the only one, that knew the difference between pulling and picking cotton. Her father died when she was 15 and they went to live with an aunt and uncle in Malvern, Arkansas. She attended high school in Little Rock and then went to Little Rock Junior College, which is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
After being crowned Miss Little Rock of 1946, Adams decided she might have the looks and talent to make it in the movies. “I had a kind aunt living in California,” Adams told the ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE in 2013. “Really, she was my father’s first wife, but she always loved him. She lived in Long Beach, and she owned a bathing suit shop.” Her “Aunt” Ruth thought that by Julie living with her, might offer a chance to try for the movies. Also, a swimsuit modeling job in the meantime. ” so I took her up on it,” Julie said. She quit a $20-a-week secretarial job at the Arkansas State Capitol to fly to California. The rest is movie History.
Julie Adams R.I.P.
Thanks for added info on Julie’s early life.
What a beautiful photo-filled tribute, Vienna!! Thank you so much for this wonderful remembrance, as well as the link. I am adding a link here to the comments in my own Adams tribute.
I really need to see THE TREASURE OF LOST CANYON, what a cast!!!
Best wishes,
Laura
You’re being on stage with Julie is an amazing story! ‘Lost Canyon ‘ is one to look out for. I’ve ordered “Stand at Apache River” which I’ve never seen – another strong cast.