Ken Adam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Ken Adam OBE RDI
Adam in 2012
Born	Klaus Hugo George Fritz Adam (1921-02-05)5 February 1921 Berlin, Germany
Died	10 March 2016(2016-03-10) (aged 95) Knightsbridge, London, England
Nationality	German-British
Education	St Paul's School, London
Alma mater	University College London
Years active	1940–2003
Known for	Royal Air Force pilot, production designer
Spouse(s)	Maria-Letizia Moauro ​ (m. 1952)​
Awards	BAFTA for Dr. Strangelove (1964) BAFTA for The IPCRESS File (1965) Academy Award for Barry Lyndon (1975) Academy Award for The Madness of King George (1994)
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1941–1947
Rank	Flight lieutenant
Service number	187137
Unit	No. 609 Squadron
Battles/wars	World War II

Sir Ken Adam (born Klaus Hugo George Fritz Adam; 5 February 1921 – 10 March 2016) was a famous German-British production designer. He was best known for creating the amazing sets for many James Bond films in the 1960s and 1970s. He also designed the unique sets for the movie Dr. Strangelove.

Ken Adam won two Academy Awards for his fantastic production design. He was born in Berlin, Germany. When he was 13, his Jewish family moved to England because the Nazis had come to power. During World War II, he and his younger brother, Denis Adam, were two of only three German-born pilots who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Early Life and Moving to England

Ken Adam was born in Berlin in 1921. His family was well-off and Jewish. His father, Fritz Adam, was a former cavalry officer who had fought in World War I. The family owned a popular clothing store in Berlin. Ken had two older siblings and a younger brother named Dieter.

Their happy family life changed when the Nazi Party took control in Germany. The Nazis began to treat Jewish people unfairly. Because of this, Ken and his younger brother Dieter were sent to a boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland. When they arrived, Klaus changed his name to Kenneth (and later Ken), and Dieter changed his to Denis.

At first, Ken's parents thought the Nazi rule would not last long. But things got worse for Jewish people. Their family business was boycotted, meaning people were told not to shop there. Ken's father was even arrested for a short time, though he was later found innocent.

Realizing that Jewish people had no future in Germany, Ken's parents and other family members moved to England in 1934. They arrived as refugees, meaning they had to leave their home and possessions behind. They settled in London. Ken's mother started a boarding house to make money. His father struggled to start over and sadly passed away in 1936.

Ken left the boarding school in Edinburgh to join his family in London. He continued his education at St. Paul's School. Living in his mother's boarding house, he met many artists who were also refugees. This sparked his interest in movies. A Hungarian art director named Vincent Korda encouraged Ken to study architecture if he wanted to design movie sets. So, Ken became an apprentice at a firm that designed bomb shelters and took evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London.

Serving in World War II

When World War II started, Ken Adam was designing air-raid shelters. Because his family was German, they could have been held as "enemy aliens." However, in 1940, Ken was allowed to join the Royal Pioneer Corps. This was a support unit of the British Army that allowed citizens from Axis countries (like Germany) to join if they were not seen as a security risk. Ken helped design bomb shelters for the army.

After eight months, Ken was accepted to train as a pilot in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He trained in Scotland, Canada, and the United States. In 1943, he joined No. 609 Squadron. His friends called him "Heinie the tank-buster" because he was so brave. His squadron flew Hawker Typhoon planes, supporting bombing missions and ground troops, especially during the Normandy landings.

Ken and his brother Denis were two of only three German-born pilots in the RAF during the war. This was very risky because if they were captured by the Germans, they could have been executed as traitors instead of being treated as prisoners of war.

After the war, Ken helped rebuild a German air base. He became a British citizen in 1946 and left the RAF in 1947.

A Career in Film Design

Ken Adam started his film career as a draughtsman (someone who draws plans) in 1948. His first big job as a production designer was for the thriller Soho Incident (1956). In 1952, while working on The Crimson Pirate, he designed a hot-air balloon, a flame-throwing tank, and a rowing boat that could turn into a submarine!

He also worked on huge movies like Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and Ben-Hur (1959). His talent became widely known when he won an award for his sets in The Trials of Oscar Wilde in 1960.

Ken Adam designed the famous War Room set for Dr. Strangelove (1964).

Ken Adam was hired for the very first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962). He didn't work on the second Bond film because he was busy designing the sets for Stanley Kubrick's movie Dr. Strangelove (1964). His work on Dr. Strangelove was described as "gleaming and sinister." Even famous director Steven Spielberg called it "the best set that's ever been designed."

After Dr. Strangelove, Ken Adam became famous for his unique, futuristic sets in more James Bond films. These included Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), and Diamonds Are Forever (1971). For The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), he built a giant oil tanker set inside the world's largest soundstage at the time. His last Bond film was Moonraker (1979). Many people say his Bond sets are as famous as the movies themselves.

Besides Bond, Ken Adam also designed the amazing car for the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). He also worked with Stanley Kubrick again on Barry Lyndon (1975), which earned him his first Oscar. The sets for this film were praised for their beautiful 18th-century look.

Later Life and Legacy

Ken Adam passed away on 10 March 2016, at his home in London. He was 95 years old.

He met his wife, Maria-Letizia Moauro, while filming The Crimson Pirate in Italy. They got married in 1952.

In 2012, Ken Adam gave all his work to the Deutsche Kinemathek, a German film archive. This collection includes about 4,000 sketches for films, photo albums, storyboards, military medals, and all his movie awards, including his two Academy Awards.

A large building at Pinewood Studios in England is named the Ken Adam Building. It has many theaters and businesses, showing how important he was to the film industry.

Awards and Honours

Ken Adam received many awards and honours for his work. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1996. In 2003, he was made a Knight Bachelor, which means he could be called "Sir Ken Adam." He also became a Royal Designer for Industry in 2009.

Filmography

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Ken Adam para niños