15 Messages
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294 Points
STAFF and contributors: Les Adams, longtime contributor, update
Les Adams, a longtime IMDb super contributor, has moved to assisted living (at 89) and retired from submissions. 2023 was the first time ever he was not among the top contributors (he's currently ranked 49th overall in IMDb's contribution history). Anyone wishing to contact Les can post something here and I'll forward it to him or send your comment to me, jhailey at hotmail dot com, and I'll send it on to him or provide you with an address. You can find his IMDb list of accomplishments, as horn-5, here: https://www.imdb.com/user/ur0312403/ He was also a frequent contributor to the old community-help listserve, back in the oughts. He's the editor of "Shoot-Em-Ups," a catalogue of every Western of the sound era (Arlington House, 1978). If you look at "Shoot-Em-Ups," you'll find the same attention to details and accuracy that he brought to IMDb. I hope Col Needham sees this note and will testify to the enormous contribution Les made to the database over the years. Les donated his papers and vast collection of books, lobby cards, stills, and more to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas. ~Jack Hailey
Col_Needham
Employee
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8.2K Messages
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190.3K Points
2 years ago
@jack_hailey Thank you for the update. I can indeed testify to the enormous impact Les has made to IMDb over decades of contributing. We will miss him. I have fond memories of many interactions with Les on the old Contributors Help message board. I hope he is being well cared for and that he can still enjoy watching the movies he loves.
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Gwynne41
Employee
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5 Messages
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448 Points
2 years ago
Les, what amazing accomplishments and what a deep impact you have had on the accuracy, authority and comprehensiveness of IMDb. Thank you for your contributions. Your legacy will live on for years to come. We will miss you.
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jeorj_euler
10.7K Messages
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226.1K Points
2 years ago
Thanks for the update, Jack Hailey. Well, I hope assisted living proves to be a reasonably-comfortable experience for Les Adams. Dealing with establishing a last will and an advance directive can be an exhausting experience too,
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Michelle
Employee
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18.2K Messages
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321.2K Points
2 years ago
Hi @jack_hailey -
Thank you for the update. Les' vast knowledge of Westerns was astounding and will leave a legacy here at IMDb with all his contributions over the years. Like Col, I also have fond memories of Les, in both handling many of his contributions directly and communicating with him through the old Message Boards and CS channels. He will indeed be missed and I wish him the best in his transition!
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ljdoncel
Champion
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1.3K Messages
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53.7K Points
2 years ago
Truly an inspiration to many of us... I will never forget his endearing lovely-grumpy personality in the old message boards. A wise man and a tireless contributor.
Jack, please thank him for sharing all that knowledge with us and the world. I wish him all the best!
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thomas
181 Messages
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4.8K Points
2 years ago
Thanks for sharing this, Jack. When I joined IMDb as a Data Manager 12.5 years ago, I spent a lot of time working with Les through the Contributors' Help board. We fixed a bunch of data/policy/contribution issues together, and IMDb is all the better for it. Here's to you, Les. Tom
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Marco
3.2K Messages
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91K Points
2 years ago
Thanks for this update @jack_hailey. I fondly remember Les' posts on the ol' Contributors Help board. I learned quite a bit about Westerns this way. Thanks to him, I was introduced to and learned about the term 'Poverty Row', for example.
The amount of knowledge and a strong desire for accuracy combined with his lovely-grumpy personality was and remains inspiring.
IMDb surely is a better and more complete place thanks to him. I wish him all the best!
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david_bassler_ioglbun8cogge
61 Messages
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1.5K Points
2 years ago
I first met Les when he took me to task for "correcting" a bunch of B-western credits because I didn't realize Gail Pictures had tampered with them when they reissued the films. Oops. We got along better after that. I loved reading his posts on the Contributors Help board and hope he finds contentment in his new home.
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catherineyronwode
1 Message
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60 Points
2 years ago
I greatly admire the dedication that kept Les Adams at his self-appointed task as a top contributor. I have the highest regard for his services to the database. I have edited a few of his plot summaries for concision or to correct a mistake and i just submitted another correction tonight -- which brought me here to have a conversation with him about that specific summary. Imagine my sadness when i heard he is gone.
God bless Les Adams for his years of selfless work.
Thanks.
(edited)
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Malagaaunike
234 Messages
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6.4K Points
1 year ago
Let all remember how Les Adams was praised in FEB 21, 2023 in this wired.com article.
https://www.wired.com/story/superusers-behind-imdb-the-internets-favorite-movie-site/
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jack_hailey
15 Messages
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294 Points
10 days ago
Les Adams, RIP. Today I received word from Les Adams' son, Brad, that Les died at the end of October. Here is a link to the obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/leslie-adams-obituary?id=60008377 Before there was an IMDb, Les and Buck Rainey assembled a massive reference book Shoot 'Em Ups: The Complete Reference Guide to Westerns of the Sound Era, 1978: Arlington House, Ne Rochelle, NY. Les took that vast knowledge of Westerns, and he contributed titles, lists of casts and crew, plot summaries, and corrections to IMDb. His contributions landed him on the annual top contributors' list for 22 years. As of last year, his 832,000 contributions put him at #53 on the all-time list (as horn-5) -- he was pleased to be in the company of Col Needham, J. Spurlin, and Jack Tillmany, whom he considered friends. His 6,919 plot summaries have him at number ten on that all-time list -- all are summaries of movies and shorts, not TV episodes. When Jon Reeves ran a contributors' board, Les was an active participant. To see all his stinkin' badges, go to https://www.imdb.com/user/ur0312403/ Rest in peace, Les. You gave a great deal to the Database. Film lovers will benefit for years. ~JH
[I hope this isn't a duplicate post -- I wrote one and then I think I erased it correcting a typo.]
(edited)
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