Maud Adams

Maud Adams
Adams in 2019
Born
Maud Solveig Christina Wikström

(1945-02-12) 12 February 1945 (age 79)
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1970–2010
Spouses
  • Roy Adams
    (m. 1966; div. 1975)
  • Charles Rubin
    (m. 1999)

Maud Adams (born Maud Solveig Christina Wikström; 12 February 1945) is a Swedish actress and model, known for her roles as two different Bond girls, first in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and then as the title character in Octopussy (1983), as well as making many other appearances in both films and television including The Christian Licorice Store (1971), Rollerball (1975), Killer Force (1976), Merciless Man (1976), Hell Hunters (1986) and The Kill Reflex (1989).

Early life[edit]

Adams was born as Maud Solveig Christina Wikström in Luleå, Sweden, the daughter of Thyra, a government tax inspector, and Gustav Wikström, a comptroller.[1] She is fluent in five languages, and at one time wanted to work as an interpreter.[2] She was discovered in 1963 in a shop by a photographer who asked to take her picture, which he then submitted to the Miss Sweden contest arranged by the magazine Allers; from there her modeling career took off.

Career[edit]

Adams moved to Paris and later to New York City to work for Eileen Ford. Her acting career started when she was asked to appear in the 1970 movie The Boys in the Band, in which she played a photo-shoot model in the opening credits. During the 1970s she guest-starred in such American TV series as Hawaii Five-O and Kojak.

Adams was catapulted to international fame as the doomed mistress of the villain (Christopher Lee) in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).[3] In short order she appeared in Norman Jewison's futuristic Rollerball (1975) and several European films, and she starred in the obsession thriller Tattoo (1981) with Bruce Dern. She was so well regarded by James Bond film series producer Albert Broccoli that she was asked to return in Octopussy in 1983, this time as a lead, the title character—an exotic and mysterious smuggler, again opposite Roger Moore. Adams had Swedish co-stars in her three Bond films: Britt Ekland as Mary Goodnight in The Man with the Golden Gun; in Octopussy both Kristina Wayborn as Magda, and Mary Stävin as an Octopussy girl; and in A View to a Kill (1985), in which she was an extra, Mary Stävin played agent Kimberley Jones, and Dolph Lundgren played Venz.[4] While portraying a Bond girl has not always indicated continued success as an actress, Adams comments, "Looking back on it, how can you not really enjoy the fact that you were a Bond Girl? It's pop culture and to be part of that is very nice."[5]

Adams appeared in the U. S. television series Emerald Point NAS in 1983 and 1984, but was unable to sustain her high profile, falling back on second-rate material such as Jane and the Lost City in 1987. In September of that year she also appeared in Playboy in an issue on the Bond girls.[citation needed]

She hosted the Swedish TV show Kafé Luleå in 1994, and played a guest role in the Swedish soap opera Vita lögner in 1998.[citation needed]

She guest-starred in That '70s Show in 2000, appearing as a bridesmaid to Tanya Roberts, along with Kristina Wayborn (her Octopussy co-star) and Barbara Carrera; all four share the title of 'Bond girl'.[citation needed]

She also was the president of a cosmetics company called Scandinavian Biocosmetics.[6]

Personal life[edit]

Adams married photographer Roy Adams in 1966 and then divorced him in 1975. She married her current husband, private mediator and retired judge Charles Rubin,[7] in 1999. Adams has no children from either marriage.

Filmography[edit]

Films[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1970 The Boys in the Band Photo Model Uncredited
1971 The Christian Licorice Store Cynthia
1972 Mahoney's Last Stand Miriam
1973 U-Turn Paula/Tracy
1974 The Man with the Golden Gun Andrea Anders
1975 Rollerball Ella
1976 Killer Force Clare Chambers
1976 Merciless Man Marta Mayer
1979 Laura Sarah
1980 The Hostage Tower Sabrina Carver
1980 Playing for Time Mala
1981 Tattoo Maddy
1982 Hit Man Carmen
1983 Octopussy Octopussy
1984 Nairobi Affair Anne Malone
1985 A View to a Kill Woman in Wharf Crowd Cameo
1987 The Women's Club Angie
1987 Jane and the Lost City Lola Pagola
1987 Hell Hunters Amanda
1988 Angel III: The Final Chapter Nadine
1988 Deadly Intent Elise Marlowe
1989 A Man of Passion Susana
1989 The Favorite Sineperver
1989 The Kill Reflex Crystal Tarver
1990 Initiation: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 Fima
1996 Ringer Leslie Polokoff
2008 The Seekers Ella Swanson

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Love, American Style Melba Wilde Episode: "Love and the Anniversary Crisis"
1977 Kojak Elenor Martinson 2 episodes
1977 Hawaii Five-O Maria Noble Episode: "Deep Cover"
1978 Switch Ava Episode: "Stolen Island"
1978 Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus Vikki Lee Sanchez TV film
1978 Starsky and Hutch Kate Larrabee Episode: "Cover Girl"
1982 Chicago Story Dr. Judith Bergstrom All 13 episodes
1983–1984 Emerald Point N.A.S. Maggie Farrell All 22 episodes
1986 Blacke's Magic Andrea Starr Episode: "Breathing Room"
1986 Hotel Kay Radcliff Episode: "Recriminations"
1988 The Mysterious Death of Nina Chéreau Ariel Dubois TV film
1989 Mission: Impossible Catherine Balzac Episode: "The Plague"
1993 A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives Shelly Talbot Morrison TV film
1995–1997 Radio Shadow Sister Katarina 6 episodes
1996 Walker, Texas Ranger Simone Deschamps Episode: "The Deadliest Man Alive"
1998 White Lies Ellinor Malm 20 episodes
2000 That '70s Show Holly Episode: "The First Time"
2010 The Rooneys Unknown TV film

As director[edit]

  • Kafé Luleå (1994) (TV series)

As herself[edit]

  • Food, Wine & Friends (1979)
  • Miss USA Pageant (1979) (judge)
  • Women Who Rate a 10 (1981)
  • Battle of the Network Stars XI (1981)
  • Så ska det låta (1997) (TV episode)
  • The James Bond Story (1999)
  • The Men Behind the Mayhem: The Special Effects of James Bond (2000)
  • Inside 'The Man with the Golden Gun' (2000)
  • Inside 'Octopussy' (2000)
  • Inside 'A View to a Kill' (2000)
  • Bond Girls are Forever (2002) (TV)
  • Premiere Bond: Die Another Day (2002)
  • James Bond: A BAFTA Tribute (2002)
  • Stjärnorna på slottet (2006) (5 TV episodes)
  • Ann-Margret: Från Valsjöbyn till Hollywood (2014)
  • From Rollerball to Rome (2020)
  • For Our Eyes Only: John Glenn (2021)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Maud Adams Biography (1945–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  2. ^ Sheff, David. "Ma Barker and Pal Turn Out to Be Actress Maud Adams and Live-Out Boyfriend Reid Smith", People, Vol. 13, No. 19, 12 May 1980.
  3. ^ "The Man With The Golden Gun Almost Ended James Bond Movies". Screen Rant. 22 March 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  4. ^ "James Bond Mystery SOLVED: Maud Adams Found in A View To A Kill ·". Commanderbond.net. 9 June 2004. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Talking to Bond Girls". Stumpedmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Maud Adams". Infinite Artists. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Hon. Charles G. "Skip" Rubin". Arc4adr.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2010.

External links[edit]