Phil Adams (born 14 April 1935; age 89) is a former stuntman, stunt actor, and stunt coordinator who appeared in three episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, two times as a stunt double and once as a stunt actor. He received no credit for his appearances. Adams' sister Donna was married to actor Ernest Borgnine and the couple has one child, Cris Borgnine, who later worked as an actor, producer, cinematographer, and visual effects artist such as rigging supervisor on Star Trek Into Darkness.
Adams started his career in the 1950s with background and stunt appearances in Kill the Umpire (1950), the crime drama Hot Rod Rumble (1957), episodes of West Point (1957), Darby's Rangers (1958, with Dick Crockett and Bob Herron), the war drama Lafayette Escadrille (1958, with Paul Fix, Bob Hoy, and Ron Burke), The Last Hurrah (1958, with Jeffrey Hunter, Gail Bonney, and Chuck Hicks), and episodes of the comedy series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1956-1960, with Parley Baer).
In the 1960s, Adams performed stunts in The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960, with John Anderson, Lloyd Kino, and Ron Veto), Sergeant Rutledge (1960, with Jeffrey Hunter and Constance Towers), First to Fight (1967, with Budd Albright, Chuck Courtney, Eddie Hice, Bob Hoy, and Jerry Summers), Tobruk (1967, with Frank Babich, Paul Baxley, Bob Herron, Hal Needham, Gil Perkins, and Paul Stader), In the Heat of the Night (1967, with Clegg Hoyt, Alan Oppenheimer, William Schallert, and John Moio), The Green Berets (1968, with George Takei, Irene Tsu, Eddy Donno, Dick Warlock, Bobby Bass, and George Sawaya), Ice Station Zebra (1968, with Lou Elias, Gary Downey, John Moio, and Glenn R. Wilder), Che! (1969, with Kenny Endoso, Alan Oliney, Dave Cadiente, Victor Paul, and Charles Picerni), The Great Bank Robbery (1969, with Paul Baxley, Carol Daniels Dement, Loren Janes, and Jack Perkins), and the musical Hello, Dolly! (1969, with Dick Dial, Loren Janes, George Sawaya, and Victor Paul). He also appeared in episodes of Startime (1960, with Michael J. Pollard and Joseph Campanella), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961), The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1965, with Rudy Solari), McHale's Navy (1966), 12 O'Clock High (1966, with Frank Overton and Joseph Campanella), and The Outcast (1968, with Willard Sage).
In the 1970s, he performed stunts in The Phynx (1970, with Bill Catching and Jerry Summers), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970, with Lightning Bear, Vince Deadrick, Nick Dimitri, and Victor Paul), the Western Buck and the Preacher (1972, with Tony Brubaker), The Poseidon Adventure (1972, coordinated by Paul Stader), The Trial of Billy Jack (1974, with Regina Parton, Gary Combs, Lou Elias, Chuck Hicks, and Glenn R. Wilder), Freebie and the Bean (1974, with Eddy Donno, Tom Huff, Gene LeBell, Frank Orsatti, and Tom Steele), The Godfather: Part II (1974), Black Samson (1974, with Nick Dimitri, Bob Herron, Erik Cord, Gene LeBell, Frank Orsatti, Tony Brubaker, Bob Minor, and Marvin Walters), The Towering Inferno (1974), Logan's Run (1976, with Bill Couch, Sr., Glenn R. Wilder, Paula Crist, Donna Garrett, and Mike Washlake), Thank God It's Friday (1978, with Benjie Bancroft, Dick Ziker, Bud Davis, and Jesse Wayne), Texas Detour(1978, with Bud Davis, Ken Lesco, Denver Mattson, Hubie Kerns, Jr., and Don Pulford), the comedy A Pleasure Doing Business (1979, with Alan Oppenheimer and John Cothran, Jr.), and C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979).
Adams also worked as stunt coordinator on The Day of the Locust (1975, with James M. Halty, Tommy J. Huff, and Gene LeBell), Thank God It's Friday (1978), episodes of The White Shadow (1978, with Joan Pringle and Bobby Bass), C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), the drama Rivals (1981), The Master (1984, with Greg Barnett, Brian J. Williams, Spice Williams, Bruce Barbour, and Ed Anders), Choke Canyon (1986, with Julius LeFlore, Frank Lloyd, and Beth Nufer), Crazy People (1990, with Jane Austin and John Stoneham, Jr.), and episodes of the series Tour of Duty (1987-1989).
Further stunt work in the 1980s include The Island (1980, with Mike Cassidy, Vince Deadrick, Jr., Chris Doyle, Bob Herron, Dennis Madalone, and Paul Stader), Underground Aces (1981, with Donna Garrett, Ralph Garrett, Peter Horak, Carey Loftin, Paula Moody, Alan Oliney, Rex Pierson, and Mic Rodgers), Zorro, The Gay Blade (1981, with Erik Cord, Pete Kellett, and John Moio), To Be or Not to Be (1983, with Buddy Joe Hooker), Firestarter (1984, with Julius LeFlore and George P. Wilbur), Silver Bullet (1985, with Christine Anne Baur), Commando (1985, with Simone Boisseree, Tom Morga, Spiro Razatos, and Joel Kramer), Miracles (1986, with Steve Blalock, Greg Gault, and Pete Turner), Ruthless People (1986, with Greg Barnett, Faith Minton, Ben Scott, and Mike Watson), Maximum Overdrive (1986, with Christine Anne Baur and Bernie Pock), Raw Deal (1986), Blind Date (1987, with Yannick Derrien, Gene LeBell, Jan Shultz, and Brian J. Williams), Who's That Girl (1987, with Monty Cox, Branscombe Richmond, Ken Bates, and Greg Gault), and Earth Girls Are Easy (1988, with John Cade, Jeff O'Haco, J. Suzanne Rampe, and Jerry Spicer). He also appeared in episodes of Hill Street Blues (1986-1987, with James B. Sikking, John Putch, Megan Gallagher, Marc Alaimo, Richard Herd, Barbara Babcock, Lawrence Tierney, Conrad Hurtt, and John Escobar), Matlock (1987, with Vincent Schiavelli and Kevin McDermott), and Tour of Duty (1988).
In the 1990s, Adams worked on Wedlock (1991, with Perry Barndt, Tony Cecere, Maria Kelly, Dwayne McGee, Lynn Salvatori, and Patricia Tallman), Scent of a Woman (1992, with Al Goto, Gary Wayton, and Jane Austin), Clean Slate (1994, with Richard E. Butler, Tim Gilbert, Tom Morga, and Jim Wilkey), 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up (1995, with John Alden, Brian Avery, Rick Avery, Sandy Berumen-Justus, Mickey Cassidy, Phil Culotta, Maria Doest, Clint Lilley, Buck McDancer, Joyce McNeal, Denney Pierce, Lynn Salvatori, and Tierre Turner), The Evening Star (1996, with Debby Lynn Ross), Gone Fishin' (1997), Enemy of the State (1998), and episodes of Tales from the Crypt (1990, with John Kassir and Steve Susskind) and Xena: Warrior Princess (1998, with Hudson Leick).
His credits as stunt coordinator in the 1990s include Nothing but Trouble (1991, with Kane Hodder, Maria Kelly, Debby Lynn Ross, and Lynn Salvatori), The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Sleepwalkers (1992, with Michael Haynes, Noon Orsatti, Spice Williams, Jane Austin, and Jim Wilkey), Only You (1992), I'll Do Anything (1994, with Gary Wayton and Bobby Burns), Body Shot (1994, with Tony Cecere, Cheryl Wheeler Duncan, Sonia McDancer, Mark Ginther, and Merritt Yohnka), and George of the Jungle (1997, with Steve Blalock, Pat McGroarty, Johnny C. Meier, Tim Rigby, Nancy Thurston, and Pat Romano).
In the more recent years, Adams worked as stunt coordinator on Enemy at the Gates (2001), Dirty Love (2005, along with Laurence Rosenthal), Forget About It (2006), City of Ember (2008), and How Do You Know (2010, working with B.J. Davis). He also performed stunts in I Dreamed of Africa (2000), the Being Eve episode "Being Just Mates" (2001), and Doom (2005, with Karl Urban, Dwayne Johnson, Doug Jones, and Tanoai Reed).
Star Trek appearances[]
"The Trouble with Tribbles", "Trials and Tribble-ations" (archive footage)
(uncredited)
