Alfred (Adam) Aloysius Hill

On Wednesday, August 25, 2021, Adam Hill, loving brother, uncle, and friend, and life-long theatre professional and teacher, passed away at home in Las Vegas, NV. He was 82. 

Alfred Aloysius Hill (Adam) was born on January 3rd, 1939 to Alfred Joseph Hill, Sr., and Mae Grace Hill. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mariane Hill Lyons, and his brother Thomas J. Hill. He is survived by his brothers A. Joseph Hill, Jr. of St. Petersburg, FL, and John R. Hill, Sr. (and his wife Madeline), of Atlantic Highlands, NJ, as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. He is also survived by countless students and colleagues who have become his extended family. 

Adam always thought himself lucky because he knew exactly what he wanted in life from the age of 8 years old: to be in showbiz. As he grew up, he was sad to discover that real-world people didn’t break into song as they did in his beloved musicals--he actually thought that happened in the world of adults--yet his focus never wavered. 

He devoted himself to his craft, studying with theater luminaries including Stanislavsky protege Eugenie Leontovich, and Stella Adler. His very first audition landed him with the prestigious Broadway repertory company, APA; he’d later write it was “the single most important event in [his] life.” It was there he met Rosemary Harris, who he considered his mentor and most profound influence. From then throughout his acting career, Adam was never without work. He performed extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatre, and in touring companies.

Although the main emphasis of his career was theatre, Adam also acted in film and television and directed over 50 television and theatre productions from coast to coast. One fateful day, fellow actors asked him to teach them the craft of acting. He agreed and quickly realized that teaching was his new true love. Adam was, as Stanislavski once said, “someone who loves the art in himself.” Teaching, it turned out, revealed a potentially deeper sense of purpose in helping others reveal the art that lives in them. 

In 1986, he opened the Adam Hill Actor’s Studio in Los Angeles. In 1996, he accepted a position establishing a professional theatre program at Wilkes University (PA); two years later he also created a degree program in musical theatre. In 2006, Adam started a professional actor’s class in NYC, and in 2013 moved to Las Vegas to start Craft Acting Studio with his friend and former student, Brad Garrett. As he’d have wanted it, he was teaching right to the end. 

It was impossible for Adam to watch television for any length of time without seeing former students of his on the screen: Laura Dern, Brad Garrett, Heather Locklear, and Doug Savant among many others. He was equally as proud and supportive of those who worked inside and outside of the industry, always encouraging the fullest expression of their potential in every arena. His teaching philosophy was that it’s about the student, about growth-- never about the teacher.

As he taught others to bring the words on a page to life, he helped them come more alive in the process--always with passion, humor and a strong objective. “In your choice lies your talent!” he’d echo Stella Adler to his students, along with quotes of his own: 

“If it’s true in life, it’s true in acting. If it’s true in acting, it’s true in life.”

“Preparation, passion, education, and taking responsibility are the keys to your success as an actor.”

A private memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 29th, 2021. 

True to form, Adam requested that any service held in his honor not be a sad affair, but rather be joyous, with a broadway theme. Having figured out that people in the world of adults don’t just break out into song, both his life and his final wishes seem to ask the rest of us: Why not?!!

Please visit stagesuccess.com/adam-hill-legacy to see a collection of Adam’s teaching work,  including the documentary Stages, videos of class lectures, and links to articles and his two books: Beyond the Moon, an Acting Manual, and You Got the Job! a guide to getting work in the industry.