In Memoriam: Berle Adams, 92
- Berle Adams in 2002
By Sara Reeve on September 15, 2009 1:56 PM
Berle Adams, a longtime supporter of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, died on Aug. 25 after a long illness. He was 92.
A past president of Cancer Research Associates, an early support organization for the Cancer Center, Adams was a advocate of cancer research at USC for more than 25 years.
“Berle Adams was a wonderful man whose support was critical to the early development of the Norris Cancer Center,” said Brian Henderson, distinguished professor of preventive medicine and former dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Through his work with Cancer Research Associates, he helped raise money to build new programs and buildings and advance research.”
Adams, along with the Lucy and Berle Adams Foundation, funded the Lucy and Berle Adams Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at the Keck School in 2002. Lucy Adams, a patient at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, died of melanoma in 1990.
“Berle Adams was an extraordinary man who was involved in supporting the Cancer Center from its early days,” said Peter Jones, director of the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. “He established the Lucy and Berle Adams Endowed Family Chair to support melanoma research and took a keen interest in our progress. We shall miss such a staunch supporter very much.”
During a career that spanned more than 60 years, Adams was a force in the music and television industries.
In the 1940s, he co-founded Mercury Records, helping to launch the careers of singers Frankie Laine and Vic Damone. He moved on to MCA, where he represented stars including Jack Benny, Rosemary Clooney and Alfred Hitchcock.
In later years, Adams specialized in the distribution of television programming, and was the sole international distributor of the Emmy Awards for more than 20 years.
When the Lucy and Berle Adams Endowed Chair was announced in 2002, Adams said that he hoped his gift would help changes people’s lives.
“I’m glad to make the gift in memory of my wife and I hope it is able to help people,” he said at the time. “We want to stop cancer.”
TAGS: health
Latest Obituaries stories
- In Memoriam: Mitzi M. Tsujimoto, 84 February 8, 2012 9:40 AM
- In Memoriam: Nancy E. Wood February 7, 2012 2:41 PM
- In Memoriam: Thomas C. Cox, 72 January 26, 2012 2:23 PM
-
For Journalists »
-
USC in the News
for 2/8/2012 »-
The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
-
-
Campus News
- Capital Connections
- USC faculty, staff and alumni in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento
- In Print
- New and recent books written or edited by USC faculty and staff
- Family Matters
- Achievements and awards
- Obituaries