Mary Kay Adams

{{Infobox person

| name = Mary Kay Adams

| image = MaryKayAdamsJun07 cropped.jpg

| caption = Adams in June 2007

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|09|12}}

| birth_place = Middletown, New Jersey, U.S.

| death_date =

| othername =

| yearsactive = 1984–present

| occupation = Actress

| spouse =

| website =

}}

Mary Kay Adams (born September 12, 1962){{cite web |title=Mary Kay Adams |publisher=Guiding Light Fan Club |access-date=August 29, 2010 |url=http://www.marykayadams.com/press/GLFCNewsletter.html |first=Debbie |last=Walsh |date=March–April 1987 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714043206/http://www.marykayadams.com/press/GLFCNewsletter.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |df=dmy-all}}{{Cite journal |last=Davey |first=Lynn |date=December 31, 1985 |title=John Bolger Is Not Just Another Pretty Face! |url= |journal=Soap Opera Digest |quote=Bolger has been playing Phillip for almost a year now opposite Mary Kay Adams (India). "She is an unusually confident lady at the ripe old age of 23," reflects John about his co-star.}} is an American actress. She is best knowing for playing the roles of India von Halkein on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light (1984 to 1987, return appearances from 1990 to 2005) and Na'Toth on the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1994 to 1995). She also had a recurring role as Grilka on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994 and 1996).

Early life

Adams was born and raised in Middletown Township, New Jersey. She did so well academically that she was allowed to skip a grade. She was the president of many clubs during her high school years and involved in theater. Adams graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1979.{{cite web |last=Oliwa |first=Lori Anne |date=July 3, 2014 |title=Mater Dei Prep Celebrates 50 Years of Musicals |url=http://www.trentonmonitor.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=46&ArticleID=7862 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210090558/https://www.trentonmonitor.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=46&ArticleID=7862 |archive-date=February 10, 2015 |access-date=February 3, 2020 |work=The Monitor |quote=The performing arts program at Mater Dei has produced a tremendous amount of talent,' Meenan added, noting the names Mary Kay Adams from television series The Guiding Light...}} She attended Emerson College, where she was a sister of Sigma Pi Theta and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.{{cite web |author=Eric Fredrickson |date=February 1998 |title=Courting Quark |url=http://www.marykayadams.com/press/StarTrekMonthly.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714043547/http://www.marykayadams.com/press/StarTrekMonthly.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |publisher=Star Trek magazine |df=dmy-all}}

Career

After graduating from college, Adams moved to New York and joined a Shakespearean repertory company. Within a year, she was cast as India Von Halkein, a jet-setting baroness, on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light. She began airing in the role in August 1984 and left the show when her contract ended in April 1987.{{Cite web |title=Who's Who in Springfield: India von Halkein |url=https://www.soapcentral.com/guiding-light/whoswho/india.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611231619/https://www.soapcentral.com/guiding-light/whoswho/india.php |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=Soap Central}}

Adams played Dr. Bennett in the 1989 comedy film See No Evil, Hear No Evil.{{Cite web |title=See No Evil, Hear No Evil - Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil/cast/2000198713/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808155436/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil/cast/2000198713/ |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=TV Guide}} In August 1989, she starred on stage in the play In Her Own Words (A Portrait of Jane) at the Courtyard Playhouse in New York.{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |date=August 17, 1989 |title=Review/Theater; Comedy of Self-Acceptance And a Portrait of Its Writer |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/17/theater/review-theater-comedy-of-self-acceptance-and-a-portrait-of-its-writer.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219173138/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/17/theater/review-theater-comedy-of-self-acceptance-and-a-portrait-of-its-writer.html |archive-date=December 19, 2017 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=The New York Times}} She returned to Guiding Light as India for several months in 1990.{{Cite web |date=September 25, 1990 |title=Adams Reprises Role on 'Guiding Light' |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/09/25/adams-reprises-role-on-guiding-light/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703201317/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/09/25/adams-reprises-role-on-guiding-light/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=Orlando Sentinel}} She guest starred on The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage in 1991 and Jake and the Fatman in 1992.{{cite web |author=Haines |first=Caelie M. |date=April 27, 1993 |title=Adam's Apple |url=http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/01/flashback-mary-kay-adams-1993.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127074056/https://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/01/flashback-mary-kay-adams-1993.html |archive-date=November 27, 2023 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |website=We Love Soaps |publisher=Soap Opera Weekly}}

Adams appeared on stage in a seven-month run of the play Tamara. She starred as Elizabeth in the play Program for Murder at New York's off-Broadway Variety Arts Theater.{{Cite web |date=December 4, 1992 |title=Murder Mystery Let's Computer Talk and Stalk |url=https://www.deseret.com/1992/12/4/19019674/murder-mystery-lets-computer-talk-and-stalk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703203555/https://www.deseret.com/1992/12/4/19019674/murder-mystery-lets-computer-talk-and-stalk/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=Deseret News}}

Adams joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Neal Keller Alcott, first airing on December 7, 1992.{{Cite journal |date=November 24, 1992 |title=Comings & Goings |journal=Soap Opera Digest |volume=17 |issue=24 |pages=44}} She appeared on the show until 1993. The character was killed off when her brother's alternate personality shoved her into a fireplace mantle and she hit her head.{{Cite web |title=Who's Who in Oakdale: Neal Keller Alcott |url=https://www.soapcentral.com/as-the-world-turns/whoswho/neal.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926031433/https://www.soapcentral.com/as-the-world-turns/whoswho/neal.php |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=Soap Central}} From October to November 1993, she appeared on stage in the play How the Other Half Loves at New York's Theater at St. Peter's Church.{{Cite web |last=Van Gelder |first=Lawrence |date=November 4, 1993 |title=Theater in Review |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/04/theater/theater-in-review-365193.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422212253/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/04/theater/theater-in-review-365193.html |archive-date=April 22, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}

From 1994 to 1995, Adams played Na'Toth in the second season of the science fiction series Babylon 5. She also had a recurring role as Grilka on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, appearing in episodes "The House of Quark" and "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places".{{Cite web |title=Credits: Mary Kay Adams |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-kay-adams/credits/3000282082/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703194148/https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-kay-adams/credits/3000282082/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=TV Guide}}

She played Barbara McDaniels in Fast Company, a television film starring Ann Jillian, in 1995.{{Cite web |title=Fast Company: Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/fast-company/cast/2000125083/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703195213/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/fast-company/cast/2000125083/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=TV Guide}} She guest starred on The John Larroquette Show in 1995.{{Cite web |title=The John Larroquette Show Season 4 Episodes |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-john-larroquette-show/episodes-season-4/1000294179/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106131457/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-john-larroquette-show/episodes-season-4/1000294179/ |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=TV Guide}} Adams also made guest appearances on Everybody Loves Raymond, Roseanne, and Diagnosis: Murder in 1997. She returned to Guiding Light, playing the role of India from November 1998 to August 1999.

Adams guest starred on Third Watch in 1999 and Law & Order in 2000. She returned to Guiding Light for a few episodes in October 2002. She had a recurring role as Diane Lacey on the ABC soap opera All My Children in 2003.{{Cite web |date=July 5, 2003 |title=Ritchie reprises role |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/07/05/ritchie-reprises-role/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703200401/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/07/05/ritchie-reprises-role/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=Chicago Tribune}} Adams played Fran in the horror film Satan's Little Helper in 2004.{{Cite web |title=Satan's Little Helper - Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/satans-little-helper/cast/2030122972/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703202505/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/satans-little-helper/cast/2030122972/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=TV Guide}} She made a brief return to Guiding Light in September 2005, making her last appearance on the show.