Cecily Adams

• Name — Cecily Adams • Birth Name — Cecily April Adams • Born — 6 February 1958 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 3 March 2004 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Occupation — Actress • Children — 1 • Years Active — 1982–2004 • Father — Don Adams • Relatives — Dick Yarmy (uncle)

Adams was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, the daughter of comic actor Don Adams and singer Adelaide Efantis. Her siblings included her brother Sean, and her sisters Carolyn Steele, Christine Adams, Cathy Metchik, Paramount TV executive Stacey Adams and Beige Adams. She attended Beverly Hills High School, where she participated in acting, an activity she continued at the University of California, Irvine.

Adams studied improvisational comedy at the Groundlings and was a member of the Acme Comedy Theater in Los Angeles. She was also an acting coach. Adams portrayed the recurring character of Ishka (also known as "Moogie"), mother of the Ferengi brothers Rom and Quark, in four of her five appearances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, replacing Andrea Martin. Adams was, in fact, nine years younger than Armin Shimerman, who played Quark, despite playing his mother. She appeared in guest roles on a variety of television series, including Just Shoot Me!, Murphy Brown, and Party of Five, and with her father in his television series Check It Out! and television movie Get Smart Again. Adams played a lead role in the 1991 independent feature film Little Secrets. Adams was also a lyricist, and with her collaborator, David Burke wrote pop songs and commercial jingles and television theme songs. Adams worked in casting TV series such as 3rd Rock From the Sun and Eerie, Indiana, and features including American Heart (1992) and Home Room (2002). Until her death, she served as casting director for That '70s Show.

Adams married actor/writer Jim Beaver in 1989; their daughter was born in 2001. Adams, though a non-smoker, died of lung cancer on March 3, 2004, at the age of 46, in Los Angeles, California. Her husband's memoir, Life's That Way, details her last few months. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California, and at Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills, California.

Cecily Adams casting director credits • Year — Title — Notes • 1988 — Who Framed Roger Rabbit — Film (as casting assistant, uncredited) • 1991 — Little Secrets — Film • 1991–1992 — Eerie, Indiana — 19 episodes • 1992 — American Heart — Film • 1998–2000 — 3rd Rock from the Sun — 49 episodes • 1999–2004 — That 70s Show — 128 episodes • 2002 — That 80s Show — 13 episodes

Cecily Adams film and television credits • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1982 — Simon & Simon — Muffin Goldstein — 1 episode • 1982 — Quincy, M.E. — Roommate — 1 episode • 1987 — Check It Out! — Psychiatrist — 1 episode • 1988 — The Equalizer — Claudia — Episode: "Target of Choice" • 1989 — Get Smart, Again! — Customer — TV movie (bit part) • 1991 — Little Secrets — Roxanne — Film • 1993 — Melrose Place — Receptionist — 1 episode • 1995 — Home Improvement — Dana — 1 episode • 1996 — Murder One — Roberta Vogel — 1 episode • 1997 — Just Shoot Me! — Doris — 1 episode • 1997 — Party of Five — Diana — 1 episode • 1997 — Murphy Brown — Secretary #86 — 1 episode • 1997-1999 — Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Ishka / Patron in Vic's Lounge — Recurring role • 1999 — Total Recall 2070 — Records Clerk — 1 episode