Tony Adams (actor)

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Tony Adams

Born	December 11, 1940 Anglesey, Wales, UK
Notable roles	Adam Chance, Crossroads

Tony Adams (born 11 December 1940) is a Welsh actor, best known for his performances in two British television soap operas.

Adams was born in Anglesey, Wales, and he trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Stage School. After some stage appearances, including a starring role opposite Cheryl Kennedy in a West End revival of The Boy Friend, he made his name as Dr Neville Bywaters in the 1970s soap, General Hospital. He has also appeared in the 1973 Doctor Who story The Green Death.

In 1978 he moved on to a major role in Crossroads, as Adam Chance. It is for this role that he is primarily remembered.

Adams has always been a fierce defender of Crossroads; he has often said that it was very insulting for critics to knock the show - 17 million people a night couldn't be wrong! With his tongue firmly in his cheek, he once replied to the question, "What was the best thing about being in Crossroads?" "Fridays." "What was special about Fridays...?" the interviewer asked. "We got paid!" Tony grinned.

Tony decided, in September 1987, to leave the programme, shortly before the axe fell, and the announcement was made that the series would end in April 1988. Tony stayed to the bitter end, and was a welcome addition to the cast of the revived version of the show in 2001. However, the show was totally mis-managed, most notoriously - and disgracefully - when Tony's character, Adam Chance, killed his new bride Jill. Viewers turned off in their millions, disgusted that a much loved soap character had been killed by another. Long term fans of the show knew that Adam would never have murdered Jill, who was the love of his life. This bungled, melodramatic storyline goes some way to explaining why this half-hearted reveival failed.

In an equally ludicrous storyline, Adam was killed off in a fire after becoming obsessed with religion.

In late 2004, Adams appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium theatre.

Tony always talks warmly and fondly of his days in the programme; he may make (good natured) jokes about the series, but his genuine love for the programme is evident.