Peter Adams

Peter John Adams (18 May 1938 – 13 December 1999) was a New Zealand-born actor, who started his career in his native country, before emigrating to Australia, where he became best known for his performances in television soap operas and serials, although he also worked in theatre and radio.

Born in Taumarunui, King Country, North Island, New Zealand, Adams was the son of a Church of England clergyman.

Adams began his acting career in his native New Zealand, and first came to the attention of critics in 1948, for his singing voice. In 1954, he performed in a production of The Mikado at Kings College. In 1958, he began a two year run with the New Zealand Players Company, with performances including The Importance of Being Earnest, The Long, The Short and The Tall, What Every Woman Knows, The Corn Is Green and A Streetcar Named Desire.

He emigrated to Australia in 1960, and undertook club work and television roles, before joining the Shakespeare Company of John Alden, where he performed in Othello, Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice and Lock Up Your Daughters.

Two years later, he toured New Zealand in Woman in a Dressing Gown, after which he secured a role as an announcer for New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation for two years.

When he returned to Australia, he appeared in stage productions of Instant Marriage, Robin Hood and Sweet Charity.

Adams appeared in The Actor Who Laughed at Sydney's Community Theatre (now Marian Street Theatre). The evening of opening night, Sydney was hit by torrential rain, causing the city to grind to a halt. As the actors set out for the theatre in Killara, most were stranded, including Adams who was stuck in a train in the Wynyard tunnel. In desperation he jumped off and dangerously ran back along the tracks to the station. When all the cast eventually arrived, the audience were given a choice of either starting the performance at the late hour, or returning the next night – and chose the latter.

Adams appeared in the Australian soap opera Number 96 as Andy Marshall from 1974 to 1975 and had a five-week stint in medical soap opera The Young Doctors as comedian, Clarrie Baker in 1977.

His defining role came in 1977 when he was cast as Detective Jeff 'JJ' Johnson, a lead in the police procedural series Cop Shop. The character became a hit with audiences, winning Adams several Logie Awards. In 1980, he won Best Lead Actor in a Series and in 1981, the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor. He left the series for a role in musical theatre, but later returned, staying until the series was cancelled in December 1983.

Adams appeared in Prisoner as the tough Acting Governor Bob Moran, for three months in 1986. It was his first long-running television role since leaving Cop Shop. He also formed his own production company TBM Productions. In 1994, he appeared in the television movie Halifax f.p. – The Feeding with Rebecca Gibney.

While predominantly known for his television roles, Adams also continued to work in theatre. In 1985, he toured Victoria appearing in Warwick Moss' two-man play Down an Alley Filled with Cats. In 1995, he directed the 1995 Geelong Lyric Theatre Society production of Les Misérables. In 1987, he appeared in the Darwin Theatre Company production of Trumpets and Raspberries.

Adams had his own radio show on Melbourne's 3AW for 18 months.

Adams met his first wife, Mary in New Zealand, with whom he returned to Australia after a two year stint working for NZBC.

Adams was married to actress Kirsty Child. They met while starring in stage productions of Out of the Crocodile, Arms and the Man and Gaslight at the Community Theatre in Sydney. Both Adams and Child appeared in Prisoner and missed working with each other by a matter of days, as she finished up just as he started his 13-week stint.

Adams died from cancer, aged 61, on 13 December 1999.