Beverly Adams

A Canadian-American actress and author, Beverly Adams was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and grew up in Burbank, California, where she entered and won beauty contests as a teenager. She began modeling while studying at Valley State College, and after a televised dress shop fashion show led to a commercial, Ozzie Nelson gave her a bit part on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. During the 1960s she took guest roles in television series and had a recurring part on Dr. Kildare. Columbia Pictures chose her for its New Talent Program, and under contract she worked on Screen Gems series and films, including Lovey Kravezit, the character she played in the Matt Helm movies headlined by Dean Martin. She was uncredited in two Elvis Presley films, Roustabout and Girl Happy, and played Cassandra, a redhead, in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. In retirement, she published books, was a spokeswoman for Vidal Sassoon, Inc., and launched her pet care products line.