James Neil Hamilton (September 9, 1899 – September 24, 1984) was an American stage, film and television actor, best remembered for his role as
Commissioner Gordon
James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character deb ...
on the ''
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' TV series of the 1960s. During his motion picture career, which spanned more than a half century, Hamilton performed in over 260 productions in the silent and sound eras.
Acting career
An only child, Hamilton was born in Lynn, Massachusetts. His show business career began when he secured a job as a shirt model in magazine advertisements.
After this, he became interested in acting and joined several
stock companies, where he gained experience and training as an actor in professional stage productions. This allowed him to get his first film role, in Vitagraph's ''The Beloved Impostor'' (1918). He got his big break in
D. W. Griffith's ''
The White Rose
The White Rose (german: Weiße Rose, ) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students (and one professor) at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmo ...
'' (1923). He traveled to Germany with Griffith and made a film about the incredibly harsh conditions in Germany after World War I, ''
Isn't Life Wonderful
''Isn't Life Wonderful'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith for his company D. W. Griffith Productions, and distributed by United Artists. It was based on the short story "Isn’t Life Wonderful?" in the ...
'' (1924).
While he was filming ''
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
'' (1924), a soldier's arm was blown off. Actor
Charles Emmett Mack
Charles Emmett Mack (November 25, 1900 – March 17, 1927), was an American film actor during the silent film era. He appeared in 17 films between 1916 and 1927.
Biography
Born Charles Emmett McNerney in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to an Irish f ...
recalled: "Neil Hamilton and I went to neighboring towns and raised a fund for him—I doing a song and dance and Neil collecting a coin."
Hamilton was signed by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
in the mid-1920s and became one of its leading men. He often appeared opposite
Bebe Daniels
Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer.
She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...
. He played one of
Ronald Colman
Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...
's brothers in Paramount's original silent version of ''
Beau Geste
''Beau Geste'' is an adventure novel by British writer P. C. Wren, which details the adventures of three English brothers who enlist separately in the French Foreign Legion following the theft of a valuable jewel from the country house of a rel ...
'' (1926) and
Nick Carraway
Nick Carraway is a fictional character and narrator in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel ''The Great Gatsby''.
Character biography
In his narration, Nick Carraway explains that he was born in the Middle West. The Carraway family owned a hardware ...
in the first film of
''The Great Gatsby'' (1926), now a lost film. He starred with
Victor McLaglen
Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made se ...
in John Ford's ''
Mother Machree
''Mother Machree'' is a 1928 American silent drama film, directed by John Ford, based on the 1924 work ''The Story of Mother Machree'' by Rida Johnson Young about a poor Irish immigrant in America. Rida Johnson Young had invented Mother Machr ...
'' (1928), whose title coincidentally became Chief O'Hara's catchphrase in the ''
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' television series almost four decades later.
![Neil Hamilton, Stars of the Photoplay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Neil_Hamilton%2C_Stars_of_the_Photoplay.jpg)
In 1930, Hamilton appeared in the original production of ''
The Dawn Patrol'' (retitled "Flight Commander" after its remake), playing the squadron commander, who was played by
Basil Rathbone
Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...
in the 1938 remake. Hamilton was billed above newcomer
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...
in ''
Laughing Sinners
''Laughing Sinners'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in a story about a cafe entertainer who experiences spiritual redemption. The dialogue by Martin Flavin was based upon the p ...
'' (1931), in which he played a cad who deserts
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
's brokenhearted character. He originated the role of milksop
Harry Holt, Jane's fiancé, in ''
Tarzan the Ape Man Tarzan, the Ape Man may refer to
* Tarzan, a fictional character
* ''Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932 film), with Johnny Weissmuller
* ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1959 film) with Denny Miller
* ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1981 film) with Richard Harris and ...
'' (1932), where he got top billing. Hamilton reprised the role in the
pre-Code
Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...
sequel ''
Tarzan and His Mate
''Tarzan and His Mate'' is a 1934 American pre-Code action adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Cedric Gibbons, it w ...
'' (1934) at
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
. He made five films in England in 1936 and 1937.
"A"-level work in Hollywood dried up for Hamilton by the 1940s, and he was reduced to working in serials, "B" films, and other low-budget projects. He starred as the villain in ''
King of the Texas Rangers
''King of the Texas Rangers'' (1941) is a Republic film serial. Set in the years prior to America entering World War II, the plot is slightly anachronistic in that the serial features a mix of period western and modern elements, which was not un ...
'' (1941), one of the Republic Pictures most successful movie serials.
In ''
Since You Went Away
''Since You Went Away'' is a 1944 American epic drama film directed by John Cromwell for Selznick International Pictures and distributed by United Artists. It is an epic about the American home front during World War II that was adapted and pr ...
'' (1944), about life on the home front in World War II, Hamilton is seen only in still photographs as a serviceman away at war. His family's travails during his absence are the center of the movie. Hamilton reportedly shot scenes for the movie before filmmakers decided to keep his character off-screen. He appeared in the film noir ''
When Strangers Marry
''When Strangers Marry'' (rerelease title ''Betrayed'') is a 1944 American suspense film directed by William Castle and starring Dean Jagger, Kim Hunter and Robert Mitchum.
Plot
Millie Baxter, a naïve woman, comes to New York City to meet her ...
'' (1944) with
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...
.
In a 1970s book interview for ''Whatever Happened to...'', Hamilton said he had been banned from A level work for insulting a studio executive. A Roman Catholic, Hamilton said that his faith got him through the difficult period of late 1942 to early 1944 when he could not obtain film employment and was down on his luck financially.
When television came along, Hamilton hosted ''
Hollywood Screen Test
''Hollywood Screen Test'' is an American talent show that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1948 to 1953. This program holds the distinction as the first regularly broadcast television series by the American Broadcasting Company.
...
'' (1948-1953), co-starred in the short-lived sitcom ''
That Wonderful Guy'' with
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered equally proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, Lemmon was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in dramedy pictures, leadin ...
(1949–50), at the same time as Hollywood Screen Test, and did guest shots on numerous series of the 1950s and 1960s such as seven episodes of ''
Perry Mason
Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' in 1958 he played as murder victim Bertrand Allred in "The Case of the Lazy Lover", 1964 he played as murderer Grove Dillingham in "The Case of the Drifting Dropout", five episodes of ''
77 Sunset Strip
''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...
'', as well as ''
Maverick
Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to:
History
* Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick
Aviation
* AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design
* General Aviation Design Burea ...
'', ''
The Real McCoys
''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, it ...
'', ''
Mister Ed
''Mister Ed'' is an American television sitcom produced by Filmways that aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966. The show's title character is a talking horse which orig ...
'', ''
Bachelor Father'', ''
The Outer Limits'', and ''
The Cara Williams Show
''The Cara Williams Show'' is an American situation comedy starring Cara Williams which centers on a married couple who try to conceal their marriage from their employer. Original episodes aired from September 23, 1964, until April 21, 1965 on CBS. ...
''. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Hamilton performed on Broadway in ''Many Happy Returns'' (1945), ''The Men We Marry'' (1948), ''To Be Continued'' (1952), and ''Late Love'' (1953–54).
In 1960, actor
Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell (4 October 162612 July 1712) was an English statesman who was the second and last Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland and son of the first Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell.
On his father's death ...
was seeking a comeback of sorts in
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
's planned production of ''
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come'' but Cromwell died of complications from liver cancer. Producer
Maury Dexter
Maury Dexter (born Morris Gene Poindexter; June 12, 1927 – May 28, 2017) was an American producer and director of film and TV. He worked several times for Robert Lippert and American International Pictures.
Life and career
Dexter was born in P ...
quickly signed Hamilton to replace Cromwell in the film, which co-starred
Jimmie Rodgers
James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmi ...
and
Chill Wills
Theodore Childress "Chill" Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American actor and a singer in the Avalon Boys quartet.
Early life
Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas, on July 18, 1902.
Career
He was a performer from early chi ...
. During the 1960s, Hamilton appeared in three
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...
films: ''
The Patsy'' (1964), ''
The Family Jewels'' (1965), and ''
Which Way to the Front?
''Which Way to the Front?'' is a 1970 American comedy film produced, directed by and starring Jerry Lewis, which was his first film for Warner Bros.
Plot
Brendan Byers III is a rich playboy who enlists to fight in the war against the Axis powe ...
'' (1970).
Hamilton is best remembered today as
Police Commissioner James Gordon in the
''Batman'' television series (1966–68), appearing in all 120 episodes of ''Batman''.
Yvonne Craig
Yvonne Joyce Craig (May 16, 1937 – August 17, 2015) was an American actress and ballerina, who was renowned for her role as Batgirl in the 1960s television series '' Batman''. Other notable roles in her career include Dorothy Johnson in the 196 ...
, who played Commissioner Gordon's daughter
Barbara, said Hamilton "came every day to the set letter perfect in dialogue and never missed a beat—a consummate professional."
Personal life
Hamilton was married to Elsa Whitmer from 1922 until his death in September 1984. They had one child.
Hamilton was a Roman Catholic, and a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California.
Church of the Good Shepherd: Our History
goodshepherdbh.org; accessed October 31, 2015.
Hamilton died at the age of 85 on September 24, 1984 after suffering a severe asthma attack. After his cremation, his ashes were later scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
Filmography
*''The Beloved Impostor'' (1918)
*''The Great Romance
''For the silent film see The Great Romance (film)''
''The Great Romance'' is a science fiction and Utopian novel, first published in New Zealand in 1881. It had a significant influence on Edward Bellamy's 1888 ''Looking Backward'', the most po ...
'' (1919)
*''The White Rose
The White Rose (german: Weiße Rose, ) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students (and one professor) at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmo ...
'' (1923) as John White
*''America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
'' (1924) as Nathan Holden
*''The Sixth Commandment
''The Sixth Commandment'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring William Faversham.
Plot
John Brant, a devoted minister, is in love with Marian Calhoun, but must keep it a secret because she is engaged to ...
'' (1924) as Robert Fields
*''The Side Show of Life
''The Side Show of Life'' is a 1924 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky, directed by Herbert Brenon and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is based on the 1920 novel ''The Mountebank'' by William J. Locke, whi ...
'' (1924) as Charles Verity-Stewart
*''Isn't Life Wonderful
''Isn't Life Wonderful'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith for his company D. W. Griffith Productions, and distributed by United Artists. It was based on the short story "Isn’t Life Wonderful?" in the ...
'' (1924) as Paul
*'' Men and Women'' (1925) as Ned Seabury
*''The Little French Girl
''The Little French Girl'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Herbert Brenon and written by John Russell and Anne Douglas Sedgwick from a 1924 novel by Sedgwick. The film stars Mary Brian, Maurice de Canonge, Paul Doucet, Maude Tu ...
'' (1925) as Giles Bradley
*'' The Street of Forgotten Men'' (1925) as Philip Peyton
*'' The Golden Princess'' (1925) as Tennessee Hunter
*''New Brooms
''New Brooms'' is a 1925 American silent romantic comedy film, directed by William C. deMille, and starring Bessie Love, Neil Hamilton, and Phyllis Haver. It was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is bas ...
'' (1925) as Thomas Bates Jr.
*''The Splendid Crime
''The Splendid Crime'' is a 1926 American crime drama film directed by William C. deMille and starring Bebe Daniels. Famous Players–Lasky produced and Paramount Pictures distributed.
Plot
As described in a film magazine review, Jenny, a young ...
'' (1925) as Bob Van Dyke
*''Desert Gold Desert Gold may refer to:
* ''Geraea canescens'', a wildflower also known as Desert Sunflower
* Desert Gold (horse), a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse
**Desert Gold (1919 film), ''Desert Gold'' (1919 film), an Australian film about the racehorse ...
'' (1926) as George Thorne
*''Beau Geste
''Beau Geste'' is an adventure novel by British writer P. C. Wren, which details the adventures of three English brothers who enlist separately in the French Foreign Legion following the theft of a valuable jewel from the country house of a rel ...
'' (1926) as Digby Geste
*''The Great Gatsby
''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts First-person narrative, first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious mil ...
'' (1926) as Nick Carraway
Nick Carraway is a fictional character and narrator in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel ''The Great Gatsby''.
Character biography
In his narration, Nick Carraway explains that he was born in the Middle West. The Carraway family owned a hardware ...
*''Diplomacy
Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...
'' (1926) as Julian Weymouth
*'' The Music Master'' (1927) as Beverly Cruger
*''Ten Modern Commandments
''Ten Modern Commandments'' is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy-drama film that starred Esther Ralston and was distributed through Paramount Pictures. It is based on an original screen story and was directed by Dorothy Arzner.
Cast
*Esthe ...
'' (1927) as Tod Gilbert
*''The Joy Girl
''The Joy Girl'' is a 1927 American two-strip Technicolor silent comedy film directed by Allan Dwan, released by Fox Film Corporation, starring Olive Borden, Neil Hamilton, and Marie Dressler, and based on the short story of the same name by ...
'' (1927) as John Jeffrey Fleet
*''The Spotlight
''The Spotlight'' was a weekly newspaper in the United States, published in Washington, D.C. from September 1975 to July 2001 by the now-defunct antisemitic Liberty Lobby. ''The Spotlight'' ran articles and editorials professing a "populist and ...
'' (1927) as Norman Brooke
*''Mother Machree
''Mother Machree'' is a 1928 American silent drama film, directed by John Ford, based on the 1924 work ''The Story of Mother Machree'' by Rida Johnson Young about a poor Irish immigrant in America. Rida Johnson Young had invented Mother Machr ...
'' (1928) as Brian
*''The Shield of Honor
The Shield of Honor is a 1927 American silent film, silent crime drama film directed by Emory Johnson based on the original story by Emilie Johnson. It starred Neil Hamilton (actor), Neil Hamilton, Dorothy Gulliver, and Ralph Lewis (actor), Ral ...
'' (1928) as Jack MacDowell
*'' The Showdown'' (1928) as Wilson Shelton
*'' Something Always Happens'' (1928) as Roderick Keswick
*''Don't Marry
''Don't Marry'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Tinling and starring Lois Moran, Neil Hamilton, and Henry Kolker.Solomon p.309
Plot
A flapper masquerades as her strait-laced cousin to try and impress a potential suitor. ...
'' (1928) as Henry Willoughby
*''The Grip of the Yukon
''The Grip of the Yukon'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Ernst Laemmle, the nephew of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle. The film starred Francis X. Bushman and Neil Hamilton, and is based on a story by William MacL ...
'' (1928) as Jack Elliott
*''Hot News
''Hot News'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, an amalgamation of Famous Players-Lasky and Paramount Pictures. Clarence Badger directed and Bebe Daniels starred.
Cast
* Bebe ...
'' (1928) as Scoop Morgan
*'' The Patriot'' (1928) as Crown Prince Alexander
*'' Take Me Home'' (1928) as David North
*''Three Weekends
''Three Week-Ends'' is a 1928 American comedy drama film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Clara Bow and Neil Hamilton. It is believed lost. "Three Week-Ends" is the title given in the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, with alternate tit ...
'' (1928) as James Gordon
*'' What a Night!'' (1928) as Joe Madison
*''Why Be Good?
''Why Be Good?'' is a 1929 American silent comedy film produced by First National Pictures starring Colleen Moore and Neil Hamilton. The film has no audible dialogue but is accompanied by a Vitaphone soundtrack with music, sound effects and ...
'' (1929) as Winthrop Peabody Jr.
*'' A Dangerous Woman'' (1929) as Bobby Gregory
*''The Studio Murder Mystery
''The Studio Murder Mystery'' is a 1929 American mystery film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by Ethel Doherty, A. Channing Edington, Carmen Ballen Edington, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Frank Tuttle. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Doris Hill, ...
'' (1929) as Tony White
*'' The Love Trap'' (1929) as Paul Harrington
*'' The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu'' (1929) as Dr. Jack Petrie
*'' Darkened Rooms'' (1929) as Emory Jago
*''The Kibitzer
''The Kibitzer'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Edward Sloman and written by Marion Dix, Sam Mintz and Viola Brothers Shore. It is based on the 1929 play ''The Kibitzer'' by Jo Swerling and Edward G. Robinson. The film star ...
'' (1930) as Eddie Brown
*'' The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu'' (1930) as Dr. Jack Petrie
*'' The Dawn Patrol'' (1930) as Major Brand
*''Anybody's War
''Anybody's War'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Richard Wallace and written by Lloyd Corrigan, Hector Turnbull and Walter Weems. The film stars George Moran, Charles Mack, Joan Peers, Neil Hamilton, Walter Weems and Bet ...
'' (1930) as Red Reinhardt
*''Ladies Must Play
Ladies Must Play is a 1930 pre-Code comedy film starring Dorothy Sebastian and Neil Hamilton directed by Raymond Cannon. Tony, a popular but bankrupt New York socialite, sends his stenographer to Newport to find and marry a millionaire, but sh ...
'' (1930) as Anthony Gregg
*'' The Cat Creeps'' (1930) as Charles Wilder
*''Ex-Flame
''Ex-Flame'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Neil Hamilton, Marian Nixon, and Norman Kerry. The film is an adaptation of the 1861 Victorian novel ''East Lynne'', but is set in contemporary England ...
'' (1930) as Sir Carlisle Austin
*''The Widow From Chicago
''The Widow from Chicago'' is a 1930 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring Alice White, Edward G. Robinson, Neil Hamilton, and Frank McHugh. It was released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of War ...
'' (1930) as 'Swifty' Dorgan
*'' Command Performance'' (1931) as Peter Fedor / Prince Alexis
*''Strangers May Kiss
''Strangers May Kiss'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and noncredit-directed by George Fitzmaurice. The movie stars Norma Shearer, Robert Montgomery and Neil Hamilton. The movie was an adap ...
'' (1931) as Alan
*'' The Spy'' (1931) as Ivan Turin
*''Laughing Sinners
''Laughing Sinners'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in a story about a cafe entertainer who experiences spiritual redemption. The dialogue by Martin Flavin was based upon the p ...
'' (1931) as Howard 'Howdy' Palmer
*'' The Great Lover'' (1931) as Carlo
*''This Modern Age
''This Modern Age'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Joan Crawford, Neil Hamilton (actor), Neil Hamilton, Pauline Frederick and Albert Ritter Conti v. Cedassama ...
'' (1931) as Robert 'Bob' Blake Jr.
*''The Sin of Madelon Claudet
''The Sin of Madelon Claudet'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Edgar Selwyn and starring Helen Hayes. The screenplay by Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht was adapted from the play ''The Lullaby'' by Edward Knoblock. It tell ...
'' (1931) as Larry
*''The Wet Parade
''The Wet Parade'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Robert Young, Myrna Loy, Walter Huston, Lewis Stone and Jimmy Durante. It is based on the 1931 novel by Upton Sinclair. The film shows how two ...
'' (1932) as Roger Chilcote, Jr.
*'' Are You Listening?'' (1932) as Jack Clayton
*''Tarzan the Ape Man Tarzan, the Ape Man may refer to
* Tarzan, a fictional character
* ''Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932 film), with Johnny Weissmuller
* ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1959 film) with Denny Miller
* ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1981 film) with Richard Harris and ...
'' (1932) as Harry Holt
*''The Woman in Room 13
''The Woman in Room 13'' is a lost 1920 American silent mystery drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Pauline Frederick. It was produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures and is based on a Broadway play of the same name, ''The Woman ...
'' (1932) as Paul Ramsey
*''What Price Hollywood?
''What Price Hollywood?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett with Lowell Sherman. The screenplay by Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown, Jane Murfin and Ben Markson is based on a story by A ...
'' (1932) as Lonny Borden
*'' Two Against the World'' (1932) as Mr. David 'Dave' Norton
*''The Animal Kingdom
''The Animal Kingdom'' (also known as ''The Woman in His House'' in the UK) is a 1932 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith based upon a comedy of manners play of the same name by Philip Barry. ...
'' (1932) as Owen Fiske
*''As the Devil Commands
''As the Devil Commands'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film written by Jo Swerling from a story by Keene Thompson. It is directed by Roy William Neill and stars Alan Dinehart, Mae Clarke and Neil Hamilton.
Plot
When John Duncan becomes ill, he ...
'' (1932) as Dr. David Graham
*''Terror Aboard
''Terror Aboard'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Paul Sloane, written by Robert Presnell Sr., Manuel Seff and Harvey F. Thew, and starring John Halliday, Charlie Ruggles, Shirley Grey, Neil Hamilton, Jack La Rue, Verree T ...
'' (1933) as James Cowles
*''The World Gone Mad
''The World Gone Mad'' (also released as ''The Public Be Hanged'') is a 1933 American pre-Code crime film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Pat O'Brien, Evelyn Brent and Neil Hamilton. It was made on a low-budget by the independent M ...
'' (1933) as Lionel Houston
*''The Silk Express
''The Silk Express'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Ray Enright and written by Houston Branch and Ben Markson. The film, starring Neil Hamilton, Sheila Terry, Arthur Byron, Guy Kibbee, Dudley Digges and Arthur Hohl, was r ...
'' (1933) as Donald Kilgore
*''As the Devil Commands'' (1933) as Dr. David Graham
*'' One Sunday Afternoon'' (1933) as Hugo Barnstead
*''Ladies Must Love
''Ladies Must Love'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by E. A. Dupont and written by John Francis Larkin. The film stars June Knight, Neil Hamilton, Sally O'Neil, Dorothy Burgess, Mary Carlisle and George E. Stone. The fil ...
'' (1933) as Bill Langhorne
*'' Mr. Stringfellow Says No'' (1934) as Jeremy Stringfellow
*''Tarzan and His Mate
''Tarzan and His Mate'' is a 1934 American pre-Code action adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Cedric Gibbons, it w ...
'' (1934) as Harry Holt
*''Here Comes the Groom
''Here Comes the Groom'' is a 1951 American musical romantic comedy film produced and directed by Frank Capra and starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman. Based on a story by Robert Riskin and Liam O'Brien, the film is about a foreign correspondent w ...
'' (1934) as Jim
*''Blind Date
A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance.
Structure
A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...
'' (1934) as Bob
*'' Once to Every Bachelor'' (1934) as Lyle Stuart
*''One Exciting Adventure
''One Exciting Adventure'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Ernst L. Frank and starring Binnie Barnes, Neil Hamilton and Paul Cavanagh.Goble p.229 It is a remake of the 1933 German film ''What Women Dream''.
Cast
* Binnie Barnes as R ...
'' (1934) as Walter Stone
*''Two Heads on a Pillow
''Two Heads on a Pillow'' is a 1934 American romance film directed by William Nigh and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Miriam Jordan, Henry Armetta, Hardie Albright, Dorothy Appleby and Mary Forbes. The film was released ...
'' (1934) as John C. Smith
*''By Your Leave
''By Your Leave'' is a 1934 American domestic comedy film directed by Lloyd Corrigan from a script by Allan Scott (American screenwriter), Allan Scott, Lewis Foster, and Sam Mintz. The screenplay was based on a play of the same name by Gladys Hur ...
'' (1934) as David McKenzie
*'' Fugitive Lady'' (1934) as Donald Brooks
*'' Mutiny Ahead'' (1935) as Kent Brewster
*''Honeymoon Limited
''Honeymoon Limited'' is a 1935 American film.
Plot
A publisher bets an author that he won't be able to write a romantic adventure novel while on a walking trip from New York to San Francisco.
Cast
* Neil Hamilton as Dick Spencer Gordon/Gullive ...
'' (1935) as Dick Spencer Gordon / Gulliver
*'' Keeper of the Bees'' (1935) as James 'Jamie' Lewis McFarland
*''The Daring Young Man
''The Daring Young Man'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and written by Sam Hellman, William Hurlbut and Glenn Tryon. The film stars James Dunn, Mae Clarke, Neil Hamilton, Sidney Toler, Warren Hymer and Stanley Fi ...
'' (1935) as Gerald Raeburn
*'' Parisian Life'' (1936) as Jaques
*''Southern Roses
''Southern Roses'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring George Robey, Gina Malo and Chili Bouchier. It was shot at Denham Studios.Wood p.92 The film's sets were designed by the art director Frederick ...
'' (1936) as Reggie
*''Everything in Life
''Everything in Life'' is a 1936 British musical film directed by J. Elder Wills and starring Gitta Alpar, Neil Hamilton and Lawrence Grossmith. It was made at Highbury Studios.Wood p.90 An opera singer pretends to be poor in order to romanti ...
'' (1936) as Geoffrey Loring
*''You Must Get Married
''You Must Get Married'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Leslie Pearce and starring Frances Day, Neil Hamilton and Robertson Hare. It was based on a novel of the same title by David Evans.
Premise
In order to be able to work in Br ...
'' (1936) as Michael Brown
*'' Secret Lives'' (1937) as Lt. Pierre de Montmalion
*''Mr Stringfellow Says No
''Mr Stringfellow Says No'' is a 1934 British thriller film directed by Randall Faye and starring Neil Hamilton, Claude Dampier and Muriel Aked. It was also released as ''Accidental Spy''.
Plot
An innocent bystander, who is given a vital secret ...
'' (1937) as Earle Condon
*''Lady Behave!
''Lady Behave!'' is a 1938 American film directed by Lloyd Corrigan. The sophisticated comedy was released by Republic Pictures.
Plot
Prior to leaving for Haiti, two sisters and their godfather/legal advisor are having a holiday in New Orl ...
'' (1937) as Stephen Cormack
*''Hollywood Stadium Mystery
''Hollywood Stadium Mystery'' is a 1938 American film directed by David Howard.
Plot
A rivalry develops between a district attorney named Devons, who finds murder mysteries amusing but amateurish, and Pauline Ward, a crime novelist. They play ...
'' (1938) as Bill Devons
*''Army Girl
''Army Girl'' (also released as ''The Last of the Cavalry'') is a 1938 American comedy film directed by George Nicholls Jr. and starring Madge Evans and Preston Foster. It was a high budget film by Republic Pictures.
Plot
Captain Dike Conger, ...
'' (1938) as Capt. Joe Schuyler
*''The Saint Strikes Back
''The Saint Strikes Back'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by John Farrow. It marks the second cinematic incarnation of the antihero crimefighting character Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". George Sanders replaced Louis Hayward, who h ...
'' (1939) as Allan Breck
*'' Queen of the Mob'' (unbilled; 1940) as First FBI Chief
*'' Federal Fugitives'' (1941) as Capt. James Madison / Robert Edmunds
*'' They Meet Again'' (1941) as Gov. John C. North
*''Father Takes a Wife
''Father Takes a Wife'' is a 1941 American comedy film starring Gloria Swanson and Adolphe Menjou. Silent screen queen Gloria Swanson returned to films after a seven-year absence. Eight years later, Swanson staged another comeback in the classi ...
'' (1941) as Vincent Stewart
*'' Dangerous Lady'' (1941) as Duke Martindel
*''King of the Texas Rangers
''King of the Texas Rangers'' (1941) is a Republic film serial. Set in the years prior to America entering World War II, the plot is slightly anachronistic in that the serial features a mix of period western and modern elements, which was not un ...
'' (1941) as John Barton
*''Look Who's Laughing
''Look Who's Laughing'' (aka ''Look Who's Talking'') is a 1941 film from RKO Radio Pictures. The film is built around a number of radio stars from the Golden Age of Radio and centers around radio personality Jim Jordan as Fibber McGee from the co ...
'' (1941) as Hilary Horton
*'' The Lady Is Willing'' (1942) as Charlie (uncredited)
*'' Too Many Women'' (1942) as Richard Sutton
*'' X Marks the Spot'' (1942) as John J. Underwood
*''Secrets of the Underground
''Secrets of the Underground'' is a 1942 American crime film directed by William Morgan and written by Robert Tasker and Daniel Mainwaring. The film stars John Hubbard, Virginia Grey, Lloyd Corrigan, Robin Raymond, Miles Mander and Olin Howlan ...
'' (1942) as Harry Kermit
*'' Bombardier'' (1943) as Colonel (uncredited)
*''All by Myself
"All by Myself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Eric Carmen released in 1975. The verse is based on the second movement (''Adagio sostenuto'') of Sergei Rachmaninoff's circa 1900–1901 '' Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor'', Opus 18. The ...
'' (1943) as Mark Turner
*'' The Sky's the Limit'' (1943) as Navy Officer on Train (uncredited)
*''When Strangers Marry
''When Strangers Marry'' (rerelease title ''Betrayed'') is a 1944 American suspense film directed by William Castle and starring Dean Jagger, Kim Hunter and Robert Mitchum.
Plot
Millie Baxter, a naïve woman, comes to New York City to meet her ...
'' (1944) as Lieutenant Blake
*'' Brewster's Millions'' (1945) as Mr. Grant
*''Murder in Villa Capri'' (1955) as Police Capt. Brady
*'' The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come'' (1961) as Gen. Dean
*''The Devil's Hand
''The Devil's Hand'' (a.k.a. ''Witchcraft'', ''The Naked Goddess'', ''Devil's Doll'' and ''Live to Love'') is a 1961 American Independent film, independent horror film. It was produced by Alvin K. Bublis and directed by William J. Hole Jr. The fi ...
'' (1962) as Francis Lamont
*''Good Neighbor Sam
''Good Neighbor Sam'' is a 1964 American Eastman Color screwball comedy film co-written and directed by David Swift, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Jack Finney. The film stars Jack Lemmon, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine, Michael C ...
'' (1964) as Larry Boling
*'' The Patsy'' (1964) as The Barber
*'' The Family Jewels'' (1965) as Attorney
*''Madame X
''Madame X'' (original title ''La Femme X'') is a 1908 play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson (1848–1912). It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage; it was also adapted for the screen twelve times over sixty-five ...
'' (1966) as Scott Lewis (uncredited)
*''Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' (1966) as Commissioner Gordon
James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character deb ...
*''Strategy of Terror
''Strategy of Terror'' is a 1969 American mystery film directed by Jack Smight, re-edited from a two-part 1965 ''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' episode, "In Darkness, Waiting".
Premise
A reporter (Barbara Rush) uncovers a plan to assassinate four United ...
'' (1969) as Mr. Harkin
*''Which Way to the Front?
''Which Way to the Front?'' is a 1970 American comedy film produced, directed by and starring Jerry Lewis, which was his first film for Warner Bros.
Plot
Brendan Byers III is a rich playboy who enlists to fight in the war against the Axis powe ...
'' (1970) as Chief of Staff
References
External links
*
*
*
1966 Batman TV Heroes – Neil Hamilton
1941 They Meet Again – Neil Hamilton as Governor John C. North – at Internet Archive
Photographs of Neil Hamilton
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Neil
1899 births
1984 deaths
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
American male television actors
Actors from Lynn, Massachusetts
Deaths from asthma
20th-century American male actors
Catholics from Massachusetts