Woman (In Horror) Crush Wednesday: Adrienne King

July 5, 2017

Written by Capt McNeely

Georgia Division ZADF Twitter: @ZADF_ORG

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Here we are again, my Little Monsters. It’s Wednesday, and I am almost three days removed from the festivities at Days of the Dead, here in Indianapolis. In fact, it was at this years convention that I met this week’s wonderful Woman of Horror, Adrienne King.
Born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, Adrienne got into the business quite early, having made an appearance in an Ivory Soap commercial at the age of six months old. Yes, you read that right – six months old. When she was nine years old, Adrienne portrayed the character of Melinda in the 1965 Hallmark Hall of Fame television film production of Inherit the Wind.
After graduation from Oyster Bay High School, Adrienne was accepted to attend New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology where she majored in Fine Art. She would also take jazz dance classes, under the tutelage of Phil Black, that would hone her skills as a performer. After graduating from college, Adrienne studied acting for two years under the instruction of Bill Esper.
Over a decade would pass before she would make an appearance in another feature film. Adrienne had two uncredited appearances in 1977, in the films Between the Lines and Saturday Night Fever. Two years later she made another uncredited appearance in 1979’s  film adaptation of the musical war drama, Hair.
In the summer of 1979, Adrienne landed the role that would earn her a well deserved spot as an icon among the wonderful Women of Horror. Cast for the role of Alice in Sean Cunningham’s slasher/horror classic, Friday the 13th (1980), Adrienne became the first “final girl” of the franchise and also had a part in (NOT arguably) the all time scariest Jason Vorhees moment ever…EVER.

The success of Friday the 13th meant a sequel was imminent, and with it Adrienne would also return…albeit very briefly. It has been said that the reason Alice is killed off within the opening few minutes of Friday the 13th: Part 2 was because her asking price was exorbitant. But anyone who knows the truth also knows that explanation is absolute bollocks (that’s nonsense to you and me, Rusty). The REAL reason as to why Adrienne made her tragic early exit from the sequel is far more unfortunate than a salary dispute. It turns out after the release of Friday the 13th, an obsessed fan began to stalk and even threaten her. And if this wasn’t bad enough, it turns out that the act itself was not considered illegal, thus the authorities weren’t likely to do anything unless Adrienne would have been physically attacked. This horrific experience shook her badly enough that she took a hiatus from acting, during which she focused on another artistic expression she loved (and still loves) – painting.
Despite the break from acting on screen, Adrienne would still go on to study her craft further, and was accepted to attend London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. She would also find a way to  lend her talents to the film-making process without even having to appear on screen, by becoming an ADR looper (that’s automated dialogue replacement to you and me, Rusty). She has provided voice work for films that include: Almost Famous, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, While You Were Sleeping, Man Without a Face, Mousehunt, Jerry Maguire and Philadelphia.
In 2010, Adrienne made her return to the screen and the horror genre in the film, Psychic Experiment. A year later she also returned to Crystal Lake as the voice of Alice, in the short films Back to the Lake and Back to the Lake 2. Originally, the producers of thew 2008 re-boot of Friday the 13th wanted her to be involved in the production, but then decided to steer clear of bringing any of the original cast into the fold. And frankly, I’m fine with that since I wasn’t really a fan of the 2008 version. Over the last seven years, of Adrienne’s eight feature film roles. six have been in the horror genre (Psychic Experiment, The Butterfly Room, Silent Night, Bloody Night: Homecoming, Tales of Poe, Admonition and William Froste). And while I’d like to say it’s wonderful to have her back in the genre, truthfully it’s just nice to see her back again…PERIOD.
Now, if I didn’t already have enough reason to adore this particular wonderful Woman of Horror, I have found one that clinches it. Adrienne already had me with her involvement in the horror genre and her love of painting, but then I found out she is a wine enthusiast (swoons and flutters his eyelashes). She is such a wine lover that she has teamed up with Valley View Winery in Rogue Valley, Oregon to bring us a line of Crystal Lake Wines. And these wines are FINE WINES. These aren’t just some cheap, cough medicine swill bottled in a themed label just for the novelty. Each of these wines were specifically chosen by Adrienne because they live up to her personal standards and taste in wine. Personally, the only thing holding me back from buying a box of four bottles right now, is the fact that the 2010 Cabin A Sauvignon is currently sold out…BUT, I may just order another variety in it’s stead.
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Meeting Adrienne this past weekend was an absolute pleasure. She is a kind, sweet, intelligent and absolutely lovely woman, and I was fortunate enough to get to speak with her at length about all manner of things. Her enthusiasm, smile and laugh are contagious, and I think that’s why I kept rabbiting on even while she had folks waiting for signatures and photos with her. That’s one reason why at this moment I want to again sincerely apologize for taking up both Adrienne’s time and that of any waiting fans. It was just so easy to get engrossed in conversation with Adrienne, she’s just so damned personable. So if you have a chance to meet her at a convention…DO IT.
Okay my Little Monsters, that’s all I’m giving you today. Because as you already know, I like to encourage you to find out what I may not have imparted about every Wednesday’s wonderful Woman of Horror for yourselves. And believe me you are spoiled for choice for options by which you all can do just that. You all can visit her official IMDb page, or you can follow her on Twitter, or maybe follow her on Facebook and then of course there’s the official Adrienne King website, where incidentally one could purchase some of that aforementioned wine that is said to be absolutely killer…yes, that pun was ABSOLUTELY intended. So in closing, those of you who are old enough to partake, run , scurry, fleeeeee and get some of that incredible wine. And to those who have one or more bottles of it on hand have a Happy Wine Wednesday, and with that a toast…bottoms up, cheers or as we Irish are fond of, sláinte!

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