Adam was an actor who was born in New York in 1922. Prior to beginning his acting career, he was a pilot for the US Navy. Adam played many bad guys during his career in popular shows such as Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

He was married to Marilee Phelps until her death in 2000. They had one child together; music supervisor Madeleine Smith.

Adam passed away in 2006 from Lymphoma.