Catlin Adams, the actress best known for her role as Patty Bernstein in the 1979 film "The Jerk," has been seen in Los Angeles. Now 75, Adams has built a career that spans acting, directing, and teaching.
Adams gained recognition for her role in "The Jerk," where she shared the screen with Steve Martin. Her audition for the part reportedly involved improvisation where she tore Martin's shirt and bit his nipple. At the time, Adams was unaware of Martin's fame from "Saturday Night Live." The film, directed by Carl Reiner, featured Adams in a memorable scene with Martin's character.
Born Nira Barab in 1950, Adams began her acting career in the late 1960s, appearing in television shows such as "The Rat Patrol," "Adam-12," and "McMillan & Wife." She was also a founding member of the improvisational troupe The Groundlings in 1974. Her early television movie work in the mid-1970s included "Katherine" and "Panic in Echo Park."
In 1980, Adams starred opposite Neil Diamond in a remake of "The Jazz Singer," the first feature-length talking picture. The film also featured Laurence Olivier and Lucie Arnaz. Later, in 1986, she directed an Emmy-winning ABC Afterschool Special titled "Wanted: The Perfect Guy," which starred a 13-year-old Ben Affleck.
Her directing credits also include the 1988 crime caper "Sticky Fingers" and an episode of "Beverly Hills, 90210." In the film "Underworld: Awakening" (2012), she appeared alongside Kate Beckinsale, an actress she has also coached.
In recent decades, Adams has established herself as a prominent acting coach. Her website lists a diverse clientele that includes Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Amy Adams, Zoe Saldana, Naomi Watts, and Jane Fonda. Adams has also spoken about her coaching methods, noting that she finds working with singers who transition to acting particularly challenging.