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Jane Adams

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
27

Gender
Female

Birthday
August 7, 1918 (107 years old)

Place of Birth
San Antonio, Texas, USA

Jane Adams

Biography

Betty Jane Bierce, better known by her stage name Jane "Poni" Adams was an American actress in radio, film, and television in the 1940s and 1950s. Adams was born in San Antonio, Texas, but her family moved to California when she was two. During her high school years, she studied violin and drama, and she was selected to be a concert mistress of the all-city high school orchestra of Los Angeles. She received a full scholarship to Juilliard, which she turned down to spend years studying at the Pasadena Playhouse.

After the Playhouse, she got her start on Lux Radio Theatre, and then with the Harry Conover Modeling Agency, where she was given her nickname "Poni". This was supposedly due to her love of horses, but in reality it was to provide her with a more memorable stage name.(In the book Westerns Women: Interviews with 50 Leading Ladies of Movie and Television Westerns from the 1930s to the 1960s, Adams said: "I was given that name at the Harry Conover Modeling Agency. Why, I don't know!" She returned to using her real name in 1945.

Military personnel played a role in her change of names from Poni Adams to Jane Adams. A photograph printed in newspapers in 1946 carried the caption: "GI JANE — Jane Adams — formerly Poni Adams — holds some of 32,851 letters her press agent said came from GIs after she appealed for aid in choosing a new name."

Adams' first screen appearance was in So You Want to Give Up Smoking, a short film in 1942. She may be best known for her role as Nina in House of Dracula, but she also has the distinction of acting in early adaptations of both major DC Comics franchises: Batman, where she played Vicki Vale in the second Batman serial, Batman and Robin, and also a character in the first Superman television series.

On May 21, 2014, Adams died in Bellingham, Washington, at the age of 95. She was buried (as Betty J. Turnage) beside her husband in Arlington National Cemetery.

Known For

Acting

2020The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universalas Self
2014Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Filmas Self (archive footage)
1989Batmania: From Comics to Screenas Self / Vicki Vale (archive footage)
1953Secret of Outlaw Flatsas Peggy
1952Adventures of Supermanas Babette DuLoque
1951Street Banditsas Jane Phillips, Secretary
1950Outlaw Goldas Kathy Martin
1950Law of the Panhandleas Margie Kendal
1950The Cisco Kidas Miss Harley
1950The Girl from San Lorenzoas Nora Malloy
1949Master Mindsas Nancy Marlowe
1949Western Renegadesas Judy Gordon
1949Batman and Robinas Vicki Vale
1949Gun Law Justiceas Jane Darnton
1949He Walked by Nightas Nurse Scanion (uncredited)
1946The Brute Manas Helen Paige
1946Lawless Breedas Marjorie 'Maggie' Bradley
1946Gunman's Codeas Laura Burton
1946Rustler's Round-upas Josephine Fremont
1946Night in Paradiseas Lotus
1946Lost City of the Jungleas Marjorie Elmore
1946Smooth as Silkas Susan Marlowe
1945House of Draculaas Nina
1945Lady on a Trainas Circus Club Photographer
1945Code of the Lawlessas Julie Randall (as Poni Adams)
1945Trail to Vengeanceas Dorothy Jackson (as Poni Adams)
1945Salome, Where She Dancedas Salome Girl

Production