Murray Hamilton
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| Murray Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1923 Washington, North Carolina |
| Died | September 1, 1986 (aged 63) Washington, North Carolina |
Murray Hamilton (March 24, 1923 – September 1, 1986) was an American stage, screen, and television actor.
Born in Washington, North Carolina, Hamilton displayed an early interest in performing during his days at Washington High School just before the outbreak of World War II. Bad hearing kept him from enlisting, so he moved to New York as a 19-year-old to find a career on the stage.
[edit] Notable roles
In an early role, he performed on stage with Henry Fonda in Mister Roberts. In 1960, he was seen onstage again with Fonda in Critic's Choice. Once more, in 1968, he appeared with Fonda in The Boston Strangler.
Hamilton appeared frequently in guest roles in television series, but he is perhaps most remembered for his role as the obdurate Amity Island mayor in the Steven Spielberg shark-thriller Jaws and its sequel Jaws 2.
His other memorable film appearances include the critically acclaimed 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder with Jimmy Stewart, in which he played the dim-witted bartender Alphonse in Thunder Bay, Michigan. He gave testimony in the murder of Barney Quill. He appeared with Stewart in The FBI Story (1959) and The Spirit of St. Louis (1957).
That same year, Hamilton made a memorable appearance on Rod Serling's television series The Twilight Zone, starring in the episode, "One for the Angels", playing Death.
Hamilton appeared in a Perry Mason TV series episode "The Case of the Deadly Double" (air date March 1, 1958) as the shadowy boyfriend of a woman with a split personality whose brother was Mason's client on trial.
Hamilton appeared in The Hustler (1961), playing Findley, a wealthy billiards player fevered by gambling, and in The Graduate (1967) as Mr. Robinson, husband of Anne Bancroft's Mrs. Robinson. In 1975, Hamilton starred again with Paul Newman in The Drowning Pool. For many years both before and during his film career, Hamilton was a prominent dramatic actor, earning a Tony Award nomination for his role in the 1965 production of Absence of a Cello.
[edit] External links
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