Adam Scott Rote, an extraordinary artist talented beyond measure
Story by Terry Check
As a writer, I am always looking for a good unspoken story, then a couple of years ago by accident, I met and became to know Adam as we talked about Hollywood icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett. He mentioned, “There are so many stories, from Esther Williams by her pool, Burt Reynolds, Jerry Lewis and Angie Dickinson retelling their first meetings with Marilyn Monroe, but I think the one that sticks out the most was Debbie Reynolds. I had finished the drive-in painting of Debbie Reynolds for “Singing In The Rain”. My agent was taking me to meet her at Carrie Fisher’s house, we pulled up and as we entered the compound, I felt a very strong sense of deja vu.”
The award-winning artist’s painting style works with watercolor pencil, gouache, airbrush, acrylic and eraser in unison, creating soulful illusions by enhancing the reality of his subjects. Adam paints what others do not see. His paintings and collectors are the “Who’s Who” of Hollywood.
Audrey Hepburn – Film and Fashion Icon
Looking for love throughout her career
As an actress, fashion icon and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn was certainly one of the greatest legends of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Memorable performances such as Roman Holiday ascended Ms. Hepburn into Hollywood stardom followed by so many films like Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Charade. Winning the Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards, the girlish celebrity, neither provocative nor cutting edge, was mesmerizing the public. Unknown by the public, the “aristocratic girl-next-door” was lost for love, and often sad.
“My dad said about my grandmother that the best-kept secret about Audrey is that she was sad,” says Emma Ferrer (Audrey’s grandchild). “It really makes me sad to think about…You know, for the woman who is most loved in the world to have such a lack of love is so sad.”
The greatest joy in her life was not the stardom she achieved, but the love of her two children, Sean, and Luca. Unfortunately, Ms. Hepburn’s two marriages, the first with Mel Ferrer and the last with Andrea Dotti, ended in divorce.
Elizabeth Taylor – Striking Beauty and Undeniable Talent
Actress, businesswomen, activist and seven husbands … she had it all
Playing legendary roles in Butterfield 8 as Gloria Wandrous, Cleopatra as Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf as Martha, Ms. Taylor’s career spanned six decades with numerous awards. Her personal life was a collage of affairs and marriages. While dating Howard Hughes, the seventeen-year-old married the hotel heir, Conrad Hilton, followed by seven more marriages, twice to actor, Richard Burton. Later in life and after her friend, Rock Hudson, died battling HIV/AIDS, Ms. Taylor dedicated herself to find a cure for the disease.
Marilyn Monroe – Hourglass Figure and Breathy Voice
As a child, Marilyn Monroe had a tough start, unsuccessfully smothered by her mother, lived in a foster home, raped when she was 11 years old, dropped out of school at age 15, and married her boyfriend at the age of 16. While her husband was in military service aboard, the teenager began modeling, and soon signed a movie contact, changing her name to Marilyn Monroe and dying her hair blonde. With her hourglass figure and breathy voice, the undeniably gorgeous woman had impressive performances in block-buster films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Misfits and Something’s Got to Give. After three marriages and several affairs, the starlet sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy then commenting, “I can now retire from politics after having had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.” Marilyn often shared her opinion, “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
Priscilla Presley – More Than Elvis’ Wife
When Elvis, a sergeant in the U.S. Army, first met the 14-year-old Priscilla at a party in West Germany, he became smitten with her and dated her under the watchful eye of her parents, disapproving of the relationship. Elvis returned to the states a few months later promising to someday marry Priscilla. After several affairs with leading ladies in his films, and the RCA “morals clause” in his contract, Elvis decided marring Priscilla.
Fast forward, Lisa Marie was born. Priscilla and Elvis were married for six years before the divorce. Four years later Elvis died in 1977. With the celebrity status of the wife of Elvis, the King of Rock & Roll, Priscilla started her career. To cover the expenses of Graceland, she turned Elvis’ estate into a major tourist attraction, and then became president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, managing the music publishing assets. After producing a couple of film, she was elected as director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer followed an acting career in more than 15 movies, most notably The Naked Gun series.
Elvis Presley – King of Rock & Roll
Early attempts in recording at Sun Records and auditioning as a vocalist with local bands failed. He was advised to keep his day job, driving a delivery truck. Continuing to record without success, late one night, Elvis, acting foolish, started playing his guitar and singing “That’s All Right” while dancing around the studio. Playing the bass, Bill Black joined the music free-for-all, together with Scotty Moore. The song was recorded and become an instant success,
Starting in the mid-1950s, Elvis changed the course of music and culture with his music, dance moves and eccentric costumes. His music influenced by gospel, country and blues was characterized as, “”It wasn’t black, wasn’t white, wasn’t pop or wasn’t country—it was different.” Teenagers would flock to attend Elvis’ concerts and purchase his merchandise.
As the best-selling solo music artist of all time, more than 500 million records worldwide, the genres included rock and roll, rhythm and blues, pop, gospel and country. Presley was honored by receiving three Grammy Awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, induction into several Hall of Fame (Rock and Roll, Country Music, Rockability, Gospel and Honky Tonk), and ranked as Billboard 200 – Most Albums Charted.
Farrah Fawcett – Hollywood Success Story
After winning a campus beauty contest, her friends encouraged her to move to Los Angeles to pursue roles in television commercials for shampoo and toothpaste. On a blind date she met Lee Majors falling in love-at-first-site. Majors promoted her acting career which resulted in major roles in Logan’s Run and then Charlie’s Angels. Her hairstyle become a phenomenon with millions of women getting “The Farrah”, and the famous poster of her wearing a red swimsuit decorated millions of bedroom walls.
After a divorce from Majors and several disappointing film roles, she pursued more dramatic roles such as the battered wife in Burning Red, and a victim taking revenge on a home intruder in Extremities. Ryan O’Neal became her partner in life, working together, parenting their son and then breaking up several years later. Film making continued until her diagnosis of cancer when she decided to videotape her journey fighting cancer until her death.
Madonna – Like a Virgin to Madame X
The living icon continues to highlight social injustice through music
Continuing to top the Billboard charts for the past 35 years, the Queen of Pop, Madonna, was unhampered by critics or stereotypes, breaking from tradition or expectations with creativity beyond measure. As one of the “25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century” Time Magazine recognized her as the most influential figure in contemporary music, constantly reinventing both her music and image with disregard to critics. For the re-release of the groundbreaking 1992 book, “SEX”, Madonna rocked the Art Basel “Sex” party wearing lingerie as outwear, black fishnets, diamond studded necklace and tuxedo jacket to match. The Queen of Pop made her entrance into the glitzy Saint Laurent bash at the “Sex by Madonna” exhibition literally on the beach in Miami.
