Adam Jeffries
{{short description|American actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Adam Jeffries
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Circa|1976}}
| birth_place = Tuskegee, Alabama
| death_date =
| death_place =
| othername =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1989–2003
}}
Adam Jeffries (born {{Circa|1976}}) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freeman on the Fox series True Colors (1990−92) and Jarvis Turrell Jr. on ABC's Thea (1993−94), both of which are sitcoms.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U1Pe45NhU08C&pg=PA221|page=221|title=The A to Z of African-American Television|last=Fearn-Banks|first=Kathleen|date=July 16, 2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810863484}} Jeffries won two Young Artist Awards during his career.
Early life
Jeffries was born in Tuskegee, Alabama{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Stacy Jenel|date=February 11, 1994|title=Actress Seymour is older than her 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman' character|page=3-1|newspaper=Bangor Daily News}} around 1976.{{cite news|last=Otoupal|first=Lisa|date=September 6, 1991|title=Adam Jeffries knows art of 'True Colors'|page=13|newspaper=Palo Verde Valley Times}} He was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child, Jeffries performed in community theater and school productions. In the mid-1980s, he and his mother moved to Los Angeles, California, embarking on an acting career.
Career
Jeffries first began acting in 1989 in the role of Eddie in the educational short film A Nightmare on Drug Street, which was released on VHS as a teaching tool for schools. After appearing in several television series and television movies, Jeffries landed the role of Lester Freeman in the Fox sitcom True Colors, a series about an interracial couple and their children from previous marriages.{{cite news|last=Bianco|first=Robert|date=August 30, 1990|title=Weekend TV: Fox's 'True Colors' pale imitation of topical humor|page=B1|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press}} The creator of the show, Michael J. Weithorn, stated Dulé Hill auditioned for the part, but Jeffries was chosen based on his sense of humor.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C3JuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA255|page=255|title=Single Season Sitcoms of the 1990s: A Complete Guide|last=Leszczak|first=Bob|date=August 31, 2018|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9781476670775}} John J. O'Connor, a reviewer for The New York Times, viewed Jeffries as charming in the role of Lester.{{cite news|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=October 8, 1990|title=Both 'Prince,' 'Colors' are missing marks|page=12|newspaper=The Vindicator|author-link=John J. O'Connor (journalist)}} He received two consecutive Young Artist Awards for his work in the series.{{cite web|url=http://youngartistawards.org/pastnoms12.htm|title=Twelfth Annual Youth in Film Awards|website=Young Artist Awards|access-date=November 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716012652/http://youngartistawards.org/pastnoms12.htm|archive-date=July 16, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms13.htm|title=Thirteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards|website=Young Artist Awards|access-date=November 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403132740/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms13.htm|archive-date=April 3, 2011}} The series was canceled in 1992.
The next year, he portrayed Thea Vidale's oldest son, box boy Jarvis Turrell, Jr.,{{cite news|date=November 24, 1993|title=Highlights|page=4B|newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&pg=PA1377|page=1377|title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present|date=June 24, 2009|last1=Brooks|first1=Tim|last2=Marsh|first2=Earle F.|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=9780307483201|author-link=Tim Brooks (historian)}} in the short-lived ABC series Thea. Jeffries received his third Young Artist Award nomination, in the category of best ensemble alongside his television siblings.{{cite web|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms15.htm|title=Fifteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards|website=Young Artist Awards|access-date=November 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403132553/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms15.htm|archive-date=April 3, 2011}} In 1995, he appeared in an episode of The Client, another short-lived series that was based on the 1994 hit film. In it, Jeffries portrayed an expelled student who burned the American flag.{{cite news|date=March 5, 1996|title=Tonight's Best TV|page=7|newspaper=Daily Union}} Jeffries made guest appearances on Family Matters and The Wonder Years, and had a small role in Ghost Dad (1990), his only role in a feature film.{{cite book|page=449|title=Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Supplement 2, through 1993|volume=4|last=Lentz|first=Harris M.|date=1994|publisher=McFarland & Company}}
After his appearance on The Client, Jeffries took a five-year hiatus from acting. In 2000, he had a role in the soap opera Days of Our Lives, and guest starred on sitcom Just Shoot Me!. His last acting role was in the 2003 television movie Newton.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tnZyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA172|page=172|title=Encyclopedia of Unaired Television Pilots, 1945-2018|last=Terrace|first=Vincent|date=October 9, 2018|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9781476633497}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
| colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |
|---|
| Year
! Film ! Role ! Other notes |
| 1990
| Buddy #2 |
| colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| rowspan=3|1989
| Eddie | Short film |
| The Wonder Years
| Simeonee | 1 episode |
| Family Matters
| Mark | 1 episode |
| 1990
| | Television movie |
| 1990–1992
| Lester Freeman | 46 episodes |
| rowspan=2|1991
| Seeds of Tragedy | Six Pack | Television movie |
| Miss Jones
| 2nd Boy | Television movie |
| 1993–1994
| Thea | Jarvis Turrell, Jr. | 19 episodes |
| 1995
| Jamal James Garrett | 1 episode |
| 2000–2001
| Days of our Lives | Larry Morris | 1 episode |
| 2002
| Danny | 1 episode |
| 2003
| Newton | Tom the Mailman | Television movie |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |
| Year
! Award ! Result ! Category ! Series |
|---|
| style="background-color: #EAEAEA;"
|1991 |rowspan=2|Won |rowspan=3|Young Artist Awards |Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series |
| style="background-color: #EAEAEA;"
|1992 |Outstanding Young Comedian in a Television Series |
| 1994
|Nominated |Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series |Thea (Shared with Brenden Jefferson, Brandy Norwood, and Jason Weaver) |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0420347|name=Adam Jeffries}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeffries, Adam}}
Category:20th-century African-American male actors
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century African-American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:African-American male child actors
Category:American male child actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors