J. Leland Adams

Infobox actor
name = J. Leland Adams

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caption = Adams in the short film Weeping Shriner
birthname = Jason Leland Adams
location = Washington, D.C., USA
website = http://www.bootlegtheater.com/
spouse = Alicia Hoge Adams (1997 - present - 2 children)

J. Leland Adams (born Jason Leland Adams 18 August 19?? - alternate name: James Leland Adams) is an American actor and Producing Director at the Bootleg Theater. He is perhaps best known for his role as Preston A. Lodge III, on the popular television series "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman".

Biography

Early life

Adams was born August 18 (rumored 1963) in Washington, D.C. Before becoming involved with acting and theater, he was a scriptwriter for National Public Radio, a copywriter for the Smithsonian Press, and a cabinetmaker.

Career

Adams has performed in, designed, and/or produced more than 60 plays in regional theaters around the country, including REDCAT, the Mark Taper Forum, Arena Stage, the Seattle Rep, the San Jose Rep, Actors' Gang, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Naked Angels, Source Theater, the Washington Shakespeare Company and the Evidence Room. He is a former Artistic Director of the Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Company. During his tenure with the company, he produced six shows that garnered two Helen Hayes Awards and six nominations. He was also the 1991 recipient of the Source Award for his performance in the title role of Don Juan of Seville. [ [http://www.drquinnmd.com/library/actors.html Biography of J. Leland Adams] - drquinnmd. Retrieved on April 26 2008]

In 1994, J. Leland Adams founded together with Bart DeLorenzo, Alicia Hoge and Ames Ingham, the theater - Evidence Room. [ [http://evidenceroomtheater.com/history.html History of Evidence Room] - evidenceroomtheater. Retrieved on April 26 2008] For the theater, Adams worked with direction, set design and acting.His daughter Isabelle seemed to enjoy her parent’s establishment, as she helped out at the theater’s costume department, having joined the costume team at the age of 7, in December 2005. [ [http://orpheancircus.com/archive/200512OS/laweekly_behindthegarb.htm Little Isabelle] - laweekly_behindthegarb. Retrieved on May 15 2008] In 2006 Adams expanded the theater, so that it would house a new theater - Bootleg. The former Evidence Room was moved to another location in LA, without the association with Adams.

Adams is a member of United Scenic Artists/IATSE Local 829. A labor union and professional association of Designers, Artists and Craftspeople, organized to protect craft standards, working conditions and wages for the entertainment and decorative arts industries.

Adams also runs Alumina Design LLC, a fabrication/design solution firm for architects and environmental designers. [ [http://www.bootlegtheater.com/ Biography on Bootleg] - bootlegtheater. Retrieved on August 10 2008]

"Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman"

In early 1994, Adams landed a role as General Custer on the hit television series "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman", where he starred alongside Emmy & Golden Globe award-winning actress Jane Seymour. In 1995 he became a regular cast member, portraying the character of Preston A. Lodge III, which he portrayed until the series cancellation in 1998.

The role of Preston A. Lodge III was originally intended for the Australian "X-Men" actor Hugh Jackman, however several circumstances caused a change of plans. [ [http://www.thedqtimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=471&start=0 Early plans for Preston] - thedqtimes. Retrieved on May 15 2008]

Before the cancellation in 1998, a seventh season of the show was planned, where Adams stated that after his character went bankrupt, he was meant to have a storyline involving his Bostonian father sending him a mail-order bride. [ [http://www.thedqtimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Intended storyline for season 7 of DQMW] - thedqtimes. Retrieved on May 15 2008]

The second lead actor on "Dr. Quinn", Joe Lando, stated through a DVD audio commentary that he and Adams and his family are and remain very good friends as of 2003.

In other media

After the 1998 cancellation of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", Adams guest-starred in the science fiction television series "" during season 7, in the episode entitled "", where he portrayed the character of Benyan. He co-starred together with the then 25 year old actress Maureen Flannigan, who portrayed Benyan’s wife Mika.

The characters of Benyan and Mika also appeared in the DS9 novel: Mission - Gamma: "Cathedral", published October 2002.

In 1999 Adams played the part as the bartender in the short film "Weeping Shriner", written & directed by William Preston Robertson. Adams starred alongside fellow "Dr. Quinn" star Geoffrey Lower, who played the lead role in the film, which can be described as a comedy about depression.It was Geoffrey Lower’s wife Karen Severin, who produced the short film. [ [http://members.aol.com/boohoofez/weepingshriner.htm Weeping Shriner - A short film] - boohoofez/weepingshriner. Retrieved on April 27 2008]

Confusion on the net

J. Leland Adams has and continues to be confused with the actor/filmmaker Ash Adams. They once went by the same name and have approximately same age, but it is clear based on facts, that they are not the same person.J. Leland Adams’s first television appearance was in 1994, on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman". Ash Adams, on the other hand, starred in television series back in the 80s and is most famous for his portrayal as the adult John Reid Ryan on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope".On several internet sites it is stated that J. Leland Adams had the role on the famous soap opera, however footage from the show provides assurance that this is false, as well as on Ash Adams’s own credits on IMDb, stating his participation on "Ryan's Hope". [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2037073/ J. Leland Adams’s profile on IMDB] - imdb. Retrieved on April 26 2008] [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0011042/ Ash Adams’s profile on IMDB] - imdb. Retrieved on April 27 2008]

An anonymous, by the name VaultMasterDBT on YouTube, claims to have been contacted by Ash Adams and has informed the below message: [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN4TNVIlhoM Message on YouTube, concerning the two Adams] - YouTube. Retrieved on August 10 2008]

" No, Jason Leland Adams was never on RH, and it was this very confusion that was cleared up when Ash Adams himself contacted me a few months ago. In fact, the reason why the latter had to change his professional name from Jason to Ash in 1996 was because of increasing confusion between him and the Dr. Quinn star..despite the fact that Ash's credits in show business go back much longer than Jason Leland Adams'."

Personal life

Adams married Alicia Hodge in 1997, with whom he has two children, born 1999 (Isabelle) and November 2001 (unknown name). [ [http://thedqtimes.com/pages/castpages/other/jasonevidenceroomarticle.htm Evidence Room article] - thedqtimes. Retrieved on April 27 2008]

Filmography

Film

* "These Few Weapons Against Death" (2002)
* "Weeping Shriner" (1999)

Television

References

External links

* [http://csrpg1.proboards99.com/index.cgi?board=mc&action=display&thread=113 Biography for Preston A. Lodge III]