Retired Hollywood photographer to display images

A retired Hollywood photographer will show his work during a meeting of the Carson City Historical Society on Saturday.

Charles Adams, who lives off of Kings Canyon Road, worked as a set director and a still photographer in Southern California for many years. Members of the society asked him to speak after seeing his collection of antiques and photos.

"My house is not an old, historic Carson City house," he said. "But what I have here is a lot of art objects that are old, and I've got memorabilia from Hollywood of people I've photographed."

Peering from the walls of his home are Dean Martin, Evander Holyfield, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Sonny and Cher, Madonna, Bette Midler, Marvin Gaye, Sharon Stone, Marlon Brando, Lou Gosset Jr. and more celebrities.

Adams' antiques include an 18th-century French commode with a marble top, paintings, clocks and a 19th-century writing desk.

"All of that makes the house interesting," Adams said.

The meeting will be the Carson City Historical Society's second general meeting and membership drive of the year. The meeting is open to the public, but a reservation is required. The group is looking for new members. Eleven signed up at the last meeting held in February at the home of Mary and Angelo DeFelice.

"I have three or four different projects so I'm going to ask people for their ideas and ask them if they're interested in being on any of the committees," said Susan Ballew, president of the society.

The group's garden tour is June 20. It has an ice cream social planned for September, a musical in the fall and the popular Christmas tour in December.

"And our Roberts House Museum is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. so we need people to staff that," Ballew said.

The house, which features revolving exhibitions, is currently showing a collection of Easter baskets.

All members of the Carson City Historical Society are volunteers.

Their biggest project is the construction of a "carriage house" to be built alongside the Roberts House on North Carson Street. Photos of the house in Washoe Valley, where it was originally built, show a carriage house next door. The group wants to recreate that house and use it as a library and gift shop.

n To RSVP for the Saturday meeting, please call the Roberts House at 887-2174 and leave your name, phone number and how many will be attending. Or leave a message with Ballew at 220-6278. Reservations should be made by Thursday.

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.