George Hamilton (actor)

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George Hamilton

George Hamilton (born George Stevens Hamilton IV on August 12, 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American film and television actor and occasional film director who lives in Malibu, California.

[edit] Life and career

Hamilton began his movie career in 1952. As an actor, he is often compared to (and sometimes confused with) Warren Beatty. He is noted for his perpetual suntan and his colorful private life. He is also known for his close personal friendship with ex-first lady of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos.

Hamilton was married to actress Alana Stewart from 1970 to 1975. Their son, Ashley Hamilton, was born in 1974. He has a younger son, George Thomas Hamilton, with Kimberley Backford.

In the mid 1980's he starred in the 6th season of the ABC Aaron Spelling-produced nighttime television serial and Dallas imitator, Dynasty.

Hamilton was a semi-regular panelist on the 1998 revival of Match Game.

In 2003, George hosted The Family, a reality television series on ABC spanning one season in 2003. It starred ten members from a traditional Italian-American family, who were each fighting for a $1,000,000 prize.

In 2006, the debonair actor competed in the second season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars and was voted off in round 6. At age 66 and recovering from knee injuries, Hamilton, unable to match the limber dance moves of his younger competitors, charmed the audience and judges with endearingly silly dances utilizing props including a Zorro mask and sword from his 1981 film Zorro, The Gay Blade.

Hamilton is also recently noted for his appearances in Ritz and Wheat Thins Toasted Chips commercials and ads with Stacy Keibler, who in Dancing with the Stars, was his off-screen "sweetheart", with the tag line "I know toasted".