Edie Adams Tribute Set for 2/4 at The Cinefamily

Entertainer Edie Adams will be honored with a career retrospectives of her work in television and film next month in Los Angeles at The Cinefamily on Tuesday February 4. Eclectic entertainer Ann Magnuson will host the event.

Noted Director and Cinefamily Advisory Board member Allison Anders curated the evening that will focus on both Edie Adams work in Television as well as film. The program will entail a selection of clips from her 1962-'64 television show Here's Edie / The Edie Adams Show, a screening of her debut film, Billy Wilder's The Apartment (which was named to AFI's Top 100 films of all-time) and a discussion hosted by Ann Magnuson on her career and personal life with Comedian Ernie Kovacs (www.erniekovacs.com). Adams' son Joshua Mills will be on hand to discuss her life and career. The program is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.

The event coincides with the release of the definitive Television collection of Edie Adams shows as a four DVD box set, entitled, Here's Edie: The Edie Adams Television Collection(http://edieandernie.spinshop.com) from MVD Entertainment.

"Edie Adams mixed the sly with the sophisticated like no one else," said Ann Magnuson. "She was one of my role models back in the late '70s and early '80s when I was running Club 57, a neo-Dada cabaret where arty punk-rock baby boomers shamelessly-and shamanically-exorcized the spirits of Television's Past. Some of the most potent of those TV memories were Edie Adams' Muriel cigar ads. Not only was her sultry brand of sex loaded with a knowing intelligence, but she could sashay the hell out of a chiffon cocktail dress. When I was a kid I couldn't wait to grow up and be like her. Thankfully, when I did, all the thrift stores in Manhattan were loaded with chiffon cocktail dresses."

Unlike any variety show before or since, Here's Edie: The Edie Adams Television Collectionrepresents a tour-de-force for a female entertainer in the early-1960's. After the sudden passing of Kovacs in January 1962, Adams (1927-2008) forged ahead with her own headlining show, showcasing her many talents. Adams hosts, sings, dances, acts, does comedy, takes an uncredited role of costumer Enke and also produces her own show. She clearly left behind a extraordinary body of her work that survives due only to her indefatigable preservation efforts.

The 12-hour, four DVD set, compiled by Ben Model, features the entire run of all 21 episodes (with her famed Muriel Cigar commercials intact) plus extensive bonus footage. This bonus material includes rarely seen Adams musical numbers from numerous Ernie Kovacs shows of the 1950's with introductions from Kovacs himself. The 'wow' factor of this box set resides in the eclectic guest stars including rare performance footage of giants, such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Getz, Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Darin, Johnny Mathis, Buddy Hackett, Dick Shawn, Terry-Thomas, Andrew Previn, Lauritz Melchoir, Laurindo Almeida. Allan Sherman, Spike Jones, Peter Falk, Sir Michael Redgrave, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and more than a few surprise cameos.

For more information and tickets on The Cinefamily "A Tribute to Edie Adams" event: http://www.cinefamily.org/films/special-events-february-2014/