The Craft Behind the Camera
Jack W. McAdam significantly shaped the visual landscape of 1960s to 1990s television and film by bridging the gap between traditional theatrical staging and highly technical, large-scale cinematic set designs. As one of Canada's most prominent production designers, he pioneered complex structural builds and surrealist aesthetics that defined the era's transition into color and high-concept genre programming.
His influence during this period is highlighted by several key advancements in the industry:
Pioneering Technical and Industrial Realism
McAdam pushed the boundaries of what could physically be constructed for Canadian and international cinema. For the 1973 science-fiction film The Neptune Factor, he designed a massive, highly complex large-scale submarine replica that functioned as the primary filming location. At the time, media outlets noted him as the brain behind some of the most technically complex movie sets ever built in Canada, setting a new benchmark for structural realism and scale in industrial art direction.
Defining 1960s Television Surrealism
Early in his career within the Design Department of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), McAdam challenged the conventional limitations of television sets. He was the production designer for Jim Henson’s critically acclaimed 1967 psychological TV drama The Cube. His minimalist, stark, and geometrically claustrophobic design was crucial to the show's narrative, proving that television environments could be used as active psychological drivers rather than static background scenery.
Versatility Across Diverse Genres
After establishing his independent firm, Design Service Associates, and consulting for the CTV Network, McAdam demonstrated how a production designer could fluidly move between drastically different visual tones:
Sci-Fi and Adventure: He established the futuristic, gritty look for cult classic series like The Starlost and the rugged environments for The Swiss Family Robinson.
Horror and Genre Blending: He crafted the visual atmosphere for the unique sci-fi/western horror film Welcome to Blood City (1977) and Alice Cooper’s landmark musical-horror TV special The Nightmare (1975).
Variety and Comedy: He designed the bright, high-energy stages for The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show, Bizarre, and the Emmy-nominated Van Dyke and Company starring Dick Van Dyke.
Standardizing International Co-Productions
McAdam's work helped transition production design into a globalized effort. Operating from both Toronto and later Los Angeles, he designed sets across Norway, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, and South Africa. His ability to scale projects for international television movies—such as the Henry Winkler-led An American Christmas Carol (1979)—helped establish standardized, high-end production aesthetics that allowed Canadian talent and crews to compete seamlessly on the global Hollywood stage.
Jack W. McAdam (1934–2023) was born in February 1934 to a working-class family in Orillia, Ontario. He grew up as the second eldest son in a household shaped by both deep history and profound loss. Before his birth, two sisters had tragically passed away, leaving his two surviving siblings, Roy and Helen, to grow up more than fifteen years his senior.
Jack’s father was a resilient WWI veteran who had lied about his age to enlist in the Canadian military at just 17. Later in life, dedicated to his family, he worked as a nursing assistant at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Rosedale to remain close to his disabled daughter before her untimely death. Jack's mother, Claire, who was of British and German descent, managed the home and ultimately raised four of her six children to adulthood.
Jack was artistic from an early age, and in high school was the president of his graduating class and the leader of his high school debate team. He attended Northern Vocational College to study design and was hired at the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) upon graduation. He spent the first 20+ years making a name for himself in Canadian film and television, then moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s to pursue his dream of Hollywood success.
After nearly 20 years in California (with a few intermittent moves abroad to Toronto and Malta during that time), he permanently returned to Canada in 2004 where he continued to create designs for theme park, film studio, and theater clients.
Art Director, Production Designer, Author, Screenplay Writer, Film Teacher, Graphic Artist
Career Highlights
General Manager of the MEDITERRANEAN FILM STUDIOS in Malta (1996-1998). Responsible for developing new business in the UK and Europe. Supervised the budget and the rebuilding of all studio elements, special equipment and sea tanks along with the expansion of services among a studio crew of 35 employees consisting of technicians, engineers and stage craftsmen. He was instrumental in securing contracts with Dino Delaurentiis for "U-571" filmed at the studio, and he coordinated locations with Ridley Scott for his epic "Gladiator," among several other feature films, television productions, commercials and international music videos during his management of the studio.
RINELLA MOVIE THEME PARK. The Architect and Designer for the construction for this 20-acre theme park adjacent to the Mediterranean Film Studios with existing buildings to demonstrate film techniques in a variety of production designs, properties, special effects, costumes and post production facilities. creation of a themed restaurant constructed as an American Western Saloon, with an outdoor cactus garden, a pirate alley with souvenir shops, a Titanic Theatre, a children's park, merry-go-round, an outdoor children's theatre, and a reproduction of the Santa Maria for a concert stage. A land-train tour accommodated 75 visitors to the studio facilities that featured two of the largest sea tanks in the world.
Produced and designed FAMILY PASSIONS, an international drama series (130 one-hours) produced in Toronto at Cinespace Studios that was a co-production between Neue Deutsche Filmgesellschaft (NDF) and Germany and Baton Broadcasting. This production was the largest international daytime drama produced in North America and the first daytime drama series produced in Canada. Jack produced film locations in Hamburg, Heidelberg and Northern Ontario.
Production Designer and Architect of the 64,000 square foot complex at CINESPACE STUDIOS in Toronto. Jack designed and supervised all the installations for support systems such as: audio, video, costume, makeup, properties, scenic, dressing rooms and production offices. Jack was also responsible for the design of over 220 settings for this daily drama series.
Produced and designed NO GREATER LOVE, an NBC Movie-of-the-Week based on a novel by Danielle Steele, with period scenes shot on the Queen Mary. Designed and supervised a 125-foot, full scale mock-up of a section of the top deck of the Titanic, to sync with special effects in the Belmont Olympic Pool, Long Beach. He supervised stunts on decks and in lifeboat scenes, as well as underwater explosions and special effects.
Produced and designed over 260 half-hour programs of GENERATIONS for NBC which was their first interracial soap series, created by Brandon Tartikoff. Also produced special episodes on location in Chicago and in Long Beach, California, for action/adventure and special effects segments. Produced effects in locations with matching studio interiors. Attended weekly meetings with writers for long-term story development.
Produced and designed, with Shorty Yeaworth, GATEWAY TO AQABA, a 35mm anamorphic presentation shot on location in Jordan, on the Red Sea, Petra, the desert of Wadi Rum, and various archeological sites. Produced special aerial scenes with special helicopter mounts, including speedboat and delta wing parasail effects. Film presented on Imax screen for an audience with a flying carpet motion-control experience on a wrap-around scrim. Design included cave effects, gift shop and a gallery.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE STUNT SHOW for Paramount Theme Parks at Canada's Wonderland Park in Ontario. The set consisted of a 250-ft wide chemical factory complex of laboratory buildings, large storage tanks and ramps for motorcycle chases, spectacular stunts, and controlled earth-shaking explosions. This 3-story set with an 80' tall crane was engineered as a traveling show, incorporating a unique scaffold system in shipping containers. The 2,500-seat bleachers were part of the show, with racing bikes speeding under the audience with shootouts. It was the largest outdoor stunt show produced in Canada and was compared to Waterworld at Universal Studios in LS. This design was also at Paramount's Theme Park in Beijing, China in 2008.
PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DIRECTION
Shows listed below with an asterisk were nominated for an Emmy (The John Davidson Show and shows in the 90’s when he worked with Shari Lewis.) He won an Emmy as a writer on Shari Lewis’ Pizza Parlor.
FEATURE FILMS
1961 THE SAND CASTLE - Richard Harris/Sandy Howard Prods.
1969 MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - Paramount - Robert Radnitz
1970 HOMER - Terry Dean for Metromedia
1971 FACE OFF - John Bassett for Agincourt Productions
1973 THE NEPTUNE FACTOR - Sandy Howard produced for 20th Century Fox
1977 BLOOD CITY - J. Arthur Rank Productions
1986 BULLIES - Peter Simpson for Simcom Productions
1987 INSIDE OUT - John Bassett for Agincourt Productions
1988 DOIN' TIME - George Mendoluk for The Ladd Company
2001 THE JORDAN EXPERIENCE - Comstrat Productions for the country of Jordan
MOVIES OF THE WEEK
1972 WHEN MICHAEL CALLS - Terry Dean for Metromedia
1972 FOLLOW THE NORTH STAR - John Bassett for CBC/CBS
1979 AN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS CAROL - Smith/Hemion Productions
1984 LOUISIANA - Movie of the Week - Gaumont/Cinemax
1996 NO GREATER LOVE - NBC Productions
FILM SERIES
1965 THE SEAWAY SERIES - 39 episodes for CBC/ITV
1970 RAINBOW COUNTRY - 26 episode for CBC/ITV
1971 STORY THEATER - 13 episodes for CBS
1974 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON - ITV London
TELEVISION DRAMA
1960 PLAYHOUSE 90 - for CBS Television
1967 THE CUBE - produced and directed by Jim Henson for NBC
1972 FAMOUS JURY TRIALS - for CTV Television
1973 THE STARLOST - for 20th Century Fox
1973 OPERATION WATCHDOG - for The Arthur Company
1974 FACING LIFE - for The Reg Grundy Organization
1982 ROMANCE THEATER - Comworld
1985 STINGRAY - Stephen Cannell Productions
1990 Generations – NBC
TALK AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
1974 MAN ON THE MOON Documentary with Walter Cronkite - CTV/CBS
1982 *THE JOHN DAVIDSON SHOW - Westinghouse
1983 THICKE OF THE NIGHT - with Alan Thicke - Fox Television
1986 THE LATE SHOW with JOAN RIVERS - Fox Television
1987 HOW TO RAISE A STREET SMART KID - Showtime
1989 THIS IS YOUR LIFE Special - with William Shatner - Thames TV
CHILDREN'S SPECIALS AND SERIES
1992 *LAMBCHOP'S PLAY-ALONG - 39 Shows - PBS
1994 *LAMBCHOP'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL - PBS
1998 *SHARI LEWIS'S PIZZA PARLOR - PBS
TELEVISION VARIETY
1970 BOBBY DARRIN SPECIAL - CBS
1970 THE BARBARA McNAIR SHOWS - CBS
1971 THE SONNY AND CHER SPECIAL - BLY/BEARDE - CBS
1971 ROLLIN' ON THE RIVER-KENNY ROGERS - CTV/NBC
1975 THE BOBBY VINTON SHOWS - CBS
1975 ALICE COOPER SPECIAL: Welcome to My Nightmare - ABC
1976 *VAN DYKE AND COMPANY - BLYE/EINSTEIN - NBC
1976 SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SUPER BOWL - Cossette
1976 THE DAVID STEINBERG SHOWS - CTV/ABC
1977 *THE SHANANA SERIES - Cossette
1977 THE LAS VEGAS ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS - NBC
1977 REDD FOXX COMEDY HOUR - Blye/Einstein
1980 BIZARRE - Blye/Einstein - CTV
1981 ANNE MURRAY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - Smith/Hemion
1983 THE HOWIE MANDEL CONCERTS - CBS
1985 ANDY WILLIAMS XMAS SPECIAL IN FINLAND - As Co-Producer for Cossette
1987 ANDY WILLIAMS EASTER SPECIAL IN ROME - Cossette
1987 THE SUPER DAVE OSBORNE SHOW - 97 episodes - Blye/Einstein
THEATER
ORILLIA OPERA HOUSE, Canada - 2 musicals for the '08 season
RICHARD ROGERS THEATER - "SHARI (LEWIS) ON BROADWAY"
BAXTER CONCERT HALL, South Africa - "MARILYN . . . IN HER OWN WORDS"
PANTAGES THEATER, Los Angeles - "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - National tour
WESTWOOD PLAYHOUSE, Los Angeles - "Whatever Happened to Georgie Tapps?"
THE GREEK THEATER, Los Angeles - "The Shanana National Tour"
VINELAND THEATER, Niagara - 2 seasons - Drama/Ballet - 16 shows
MELODY FAIR, New York - 4 seasons of musicals - 26 shows
PINEBROOK MUSICAL THEATER, New York
ROYAL ALEXANDRA THEATER, Toronto - Summer season
O'KEEFE CENTER, Toronto - A variety night with Bob Hope
RAINBOW STAGE, Winnipeg - Summer Season of Musicals (6)
MUNICIPAL THEATER - "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"
MUSIC FAIR, Toronto - Summer Season of Drama/Variety (8)
WADSWORTH THEATER, Los Angeles - "The Smothers Brothers"
CREST THEATER, Toronto - "Orpheus Descending"
EXPOSITIONS AND THEME PARKS
"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE" - Canada's Wonderland for Paramount
THE AQABA ENTERTAINMENT CENTER - Jordan
THE FREEDOM TRAIN - American Tours
"STAR TREK" - at MGM LAS VEGAS for Landmark Entertainment
SHILLA KOBUN THEATER - for Johno Lim Designs in S. KOREA
THE SEDONA SPIRIT THEATER - development
THE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA - Theme Center
CANADIAN PAPER PAVILION at Montreal Expo
PAUL BUNYAN MEMORIAL - Lands and Forest Dept. - Canada
GATEWAY TO THE HOLY LAND - Amman, Jordan - Theater film presentation
LECTURES
Jack lectured on screenwriting and producing at the University of California, Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University, the Hollywood Screen Actors Guild, the University of Malta, and the Cinema People's Academy in Bombay, India. He also lectured during summer writing seminars at the International Film, Television & Music Academy in Gauting, Germany.
PUBLICATION
THE ART OF STORYTELLING for Dramatic Screenplays
Ef Edition Filmwerkstatt 2008
(in English, German and Polish)
MEMBERSHIPS
DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA
SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE TELEVISION ENGINEERS
HOLLYWOOD ACADEMY OF TV ARTS & SCIENCES
SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE & TV ART DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS GUILD OF CANADA
WRITER GUILD OF CANADA
