Cecily Adams
An actress and casting director who brought sharp wit to Star Trek's Ferengi and helped shape the comedic voices of 'That '70s Show'.
1958–2004 (age 46)·American actress·Birthday: February 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cecily Adams inhabited the vibrant, behind-the-scenes heart of Hollywood comedy. The daughter of comic giant Don Adams, she carved her own path, first as a character actress with a gift for sharp, memorable roles. To sci-fi fans, she is forever Ishka, the shrewd and revolutionary Ferengi mother on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,' who challenged her culture's misogyny with brilliant subversion. But her greater impact was felt off-screen. As a casting director, she had an impeccable ear for comedic talent, playing a pivotal role in assembling the iconic young ensemble of 'That '70s Show,' helping launch multiple careers. Her work extended to films like 'That Thing You Do!' and 'Get Shorty,' where her choices shaped the tone and authenticity of the humor. Adams's legacy is dual: a beloved on-screen presence and an influential curator of comic talent whose instincts helped define the look and sound of 1990s American sitcoms.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cecily was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cecily Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Cecily's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2004Died at 46
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Played Ishka, the groundbreaking Ferengi female, on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'.
- Served as the casting director for the hit television series 'That '70s Show' for its first six seasons.
- Cast the ensemble for Tom Hanks's directorial debut, 'That Thing You Do!'.
- Appeared in numerous TV shows including 'Murphy Brown' and 'Night Court'.
- Worked as a casting director on films such as 'Get Shorty' and 'The Truman Show'.
Did You Know?
She was the daughter of actor and comedian Don Adams, best known as Maxwell Smart in 'Get Smart'.
She was married to actor Jim Beaver ('Deadwood', 'Supernatural') from 1989 until her death.
She directed one episode of television: the 'That '70s Show' episode 'The First Time'.
She was a member of The Groundlings improvisational comedy troupe.
“The best characters are often the ones you build from the inside out.”
