Adam Grammis (1948 - January 24, 1985)

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Adam A. Grammes, a well-known professional actor and dancer, both locally and on Broadway, died on January 24, 1985, in his apartment at 746 Ninth Ave., New York City, after a lengthy illness. Known professionally as Adam Grammis, formerly of 22 S. Schaffer St., Cetronia, he lived in Manhattan for 12 years, choreographing and performing in a variety of Broadway productions.

Grammes made his Broadway debut in "Wild and Wonderful," and later was the dancing partner of Shirley MacLaine in the Emmy award-winning CBS special "Gypsy in My Soul."

He also appeared in many hit shows including "A Chorus Line," "Kiss Me Kate," "Room Service," "Can Can," "The Fantasticks," "Hello Dolly," "Cabaret," "Fiddler on the Roof," "George M," "Show Boat" and "The Tempest."

He considered his role as assistant choreographer Larry in "Chorus Line," his greatest triumph because he had been rejected for that part several times before. Also, in past feature articles appearing in the Call, Grammis said that role had particular significance for him because the story line about the acting struggle mirrored his own acting struggles.

He appeared in many major stock companies on the East Coast and in many different musicals. For a short period he substituted in the role of the master of ceremonies in a production of "Cabaret" with British actress Judy Carne.

He performed with such stars as Jane Powell, Robert Alda, Van Johnson, Marilyn Maxwell, Denise Darcel and Dorothy Lamour.




AIDS Quilt


Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Barry Williams, I.M. Hogson, Louisa Flaningam and Adam Grammis promoting a 1975 theatrical production of Pippin.







He choreographed the 1983 Miss America Pageant, a group he had appeared with for many years. He also staged and choreographed a recent Oldsmobile new car presentation for TV.

He was well-known to Lehigh Valley theater-goers, for his performances with the Allentown Municipal Opera Company, Civic Little Theatre and Guthsville Playhouse.

Born in Allentown, he was a son of Edna (Litzenberger) Grammes of Cetronia and the late Arlan Grammes.

A graduate of Parkland High School, he received a bachelor's degree in education from Kutztown University and studied at the Academy of Drama and Dance in Philadelphia.

Grammes also studied and taught at the Ronn Forella Dance Studio in New York City.

Source: articles.mcall.com/1985-01-26/news/2461047_1_broadway-choreographer-chorus-line

Further Readings:

Beyond Shame: Reclaiming the Abandoned History of Radical Gay Sexuality by Patrick Moore
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Beacon Press (January 14, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 080707957X
ISBN-13: 978-0807079577
Amazon: Beyond Shame: Reclaiming the Abandoned History of Radical Gay Sexuality

The radical sexuality of gay American men in the 1970s is often seen as a shameful period of excess that led to the AIDS crisis. Beyond Shame claims that when the gay community divorced itself from this allegedly tainted legacy, the tragic result was an intergenerational disconnect because the original participants were unable to pass on a sense of pride and identity to younger generations. Indeed, one reason for the current rise in HIV, Moore argues, is precisely due to this destructive occurrence, which increased the willingness of younger gay men to engage in unsafe sex.

Lifting the'veil of AIDS,' Moore recasts the gay male sexual culture of the 1970s as both groundbreaking and creative-provocatively comparing extreme sex to art. He presents a powerful yet nuanced snapshot of a maligned, forgotten era. Moore rescues gay America's past, present, and future from a disturbing spiral of destruction and AIDS-related shame, illustrating why it's critical for the gay community to reclaim the decade.

More LGBT History at my website: www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Gay Classics