Adam Maitland is one of the main protagonists of Beetlejuice. He is the husband of Barbara Maitland who died alongside her in a car crash. When a family moves into their former home, Adam and Barbara do everything they can to scare away the new residents as ghosts, even reluctantly requesting the aid of a dangerous poltergeist named Betelgeuse.
Adam is a nice, polite guy who wants to get along with everyone and be in peace. Being a quiet man, his hobby was creating realistic sculptures (especially for his model of his hometown) before he and his wife Barbara died in a car accident after a short trip into town to get supplies for the day's projects. When he finds himself a ghost and his house sold, he finds the new owners do not share his aesthetic. He is disgusted by the elaborate, abstract artwork of Delia Deetz, which ruins the simple, tranquil feeling of their now haunted Victorian home.
Although Jane took credit, he and his wife worked very hard on redecorating their house, and he decides that as ghosts, his and Barbara's opportunity to scare the Deetz family out of the house is their best chance to restore the house to its original beauty where he and Barbara may spend their afterlife together in peace.
Physical Appearance[]
Role in the film[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
Alec Baldwin has stated that this is one of his least favorite roles.
According to Tim Burton, there were reasons why Adam and Barbara did not return for the 2024 sequel which include wanting to focus on a new set of characters and the actors who portrayed the Maitlands have aged significantly since the first movie’s release which would make them difficult the same age the Maitlands had died at.[1]
TV Series:Alex • Armhold Musclehugger • Aunt May • Auntie Em • Baby Sandworm • Barf Biffman • Barry Me Not • Bea and Nat Juice • Bertha • Big Gooey • Bully the Crud • Captain Kidder • Cartoonhead • Chester Slime • Claire Brewster • Count Mein • Deader Alive • Deady Eddie • Donny Juice • Doomie • Dr. Zigmund Void • Ed • Fleagor • Flubbo • Fuzzo the Clown • I.M. Smallhead • Germs Pondscum • Ginger • Goody Two Shoes • Great Huge Baby • Great Huge Father • Grimdiana Bones • Humphrey and Hanna Scuzzymoto • Jacques LaLean • Jesse Germs • Judge Mental • Lipscum • Little Arnlow • Little Gooey • Little Miss Warden • Little Stinky • Mayor Maynot • Miss Shannon • Miss Sharpen • Mr. Big • Mr. Kane • Mr. Monitor • Mr. Silverfish • Mrs. Bugsly • Odeious • Percy • Pinky • Poopette • Poopsie • Porcupine Baby • Porcupine Mom • Prankenstein • Prince Vince • Prudence • Ramon Sequel:Astrid Deetz • Delores • Rory • Shrinkers • Wolf Jackson
Songs
Original:Day-O • Man Smart, Woman Smarter • Sweethart from Venezuela • Jump in the Line • Regnava Nel Silenzio
Sequel:MacArthur Park • Margaritaville • Tragedy • Somedays • Cry, Cry • Where's the Man • Right Here Waiting • Svefn-G-Englar • Soul Train Theme
Locations
Afterlife Call Center • Barber Shop • Betelgeuse's Grave • Connecticut • Dante's Inferno Room • Jane Butterfield's Real Estate and Travel Agency • Juno's Office • Miss Shannon's School For Girls • Maitland Hardware • Maitland Residence • Neitherworld • Neitherworld Waiting Room • The Bridge • Saturn • Winter River • Winter River Fire Dept.
Objects
Art in America • Handbook for the Recently Deceased • Model of Winter River • The Afterlife • The Birds of America • The Living and the Dead
