Neil Hamilton (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Neil Hamilton
Hamilton in 1931
Born	James Neil Hamilton (1899-09-09)September 9, 1899 Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	September 24, 1984(1984-09-24) (aged 85) Escondido, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1918–1971
Spouse(s)	Elsa Whitmer ​ (m. 1922)​
Children	1

James Neil Hamilton (born September 9, 1899 – died September 24, 1984) was an American actor. He worked in plays, movies, and TV shows. Many people remember him best as Commissioner Gordon from the Batman TV series in the 1960s. Neil Hamilton acted in over 260 movies during his long career.

Neil Hamilton's Acting Journey

Neil Hamilton was born in Lynn, Massachusetts. He was an only child. His career in entertainment started when he became a model for shirt ads in magazines.

Early Acting Roles

After modeling, Neil Hamilton became very interested in acting. He joined several theater groups. Here, he learned and practiced acting in professional stage plays. This experience helped him get his first movie role. It was in a film called The Beloved Impostor (1918).

He got a big chance in D. W. Griffith's movie The White Rose (1923). He even traveled to Germany with Griffith. There, they made a film called Isn't Life Wonderful (1924). This movie showed the very tough conditions in Germany after World War I.

Hamilton in Stars of the Photoplay, 1924

While filming America (1924), a soldier lost his arm in an accident. Neil Hamilton and another actor, Charles Emmett Mack, helped the soldier. They went to nearby towns and raised money for him. Neil collected coins, and Charles sang and danced.

Becoming a Movie Star

In the mid-1920s, Paramount Pictures signed Neil Hamilton. He became one of their main actors. He often acted alongside Bebe Daniels. He played one of Ronald Colman's brothers in the silent movie Beau Geste (1926). He also played Nick Carraway in the first movie version of The Great Gatsby (1926). Sadly, that film is now lost.

He starred with Victor McLaglen in John Ford's Mother Machree (1928). Interestingly, the title of this movie later became a famous saying for Chief O'Hara in the Batman TV show. This happened almost 40 years later.

In 1930, Hamilton appeared in The Dawn Patrol. He played the squadron commander. He was even listed before the new actor Clark Gable in Laughing Sinners (1931). In that movie, he played a character who left Joan Crawford's heartbroken character.

He was the first actor to play Harry Holt, Jane's fiancé, in Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). He was the top-billed actor in that film. Hamilton played Harry Holt again in the sequel, Tarzan and His Mate (1934). He also made five movies in England between 1936 and 1937.

Later Film and TV Work

By the 1940s, Neil Hamilton started getting fewer big movie roles. He began working in movie serials, "B" films, and other lower-budget projects. He played the villain in King of the Texas Rangers (1941). This was one of Republic Pictures' most popular movie serials.

In the movie Since You Went Away (1944), Hamilton's character is only seen in photos. The movie is about his family's life at home during World War II while he is away. He also appeared in the film When Strangers Marry (1944) with Robert Mitchum.

Neil Hamilton said in a 1970s interview that he was not allowed to work on big "A" level movies for a while. This was because he had upset a studio boss. He said his Catholic faith helped him through a tough time. This was from late 1942 to early 1944 when he couldn't find film work and had money problems.

When television became popular, Hamilton hosted Hollywood Screen Test (1948-1953). He also co-starred in a short TV show called That Wonderful Guy (1949–50) with Jack Lemmon. He appeared as a guest on many TV series in the 1950s and 1960s. These included seven episodes of Perry Mason. He also appeared on 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, Mister Ed, and The Outer Limits.

In the 1960s, Hamilton appeared in three Jerry Lewis films. These were The Patsy (1964), The Family Jewels (1965), and Which Way to the Front? (1970).

Becoming Commissioner Gordon

Neil Hamilton played Police Commissioner James Gordon in all 120 episodes of the Batman television series (1966–68). He also played the role in the 1966 Batman movie. Yvonne Craig, who played Commissioner Gordon's daughter Barbara, said that Hamilton was a true professional. She said he always knew his lines perfectly and never made a mistake.

Neil Hamilton's Family Life

Neil Hamilton was married to Elsa Whitmer starting in 1922. They stayed married until his death in September 1984. They had one child together.

Hamilton was a Roman Catholic. He was a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California.

Neil Hamilton passed away on September 24, 1984, at the age of 85. He died after a serious asthma attack. After he was cremated, his ashes were spread into the Pacific Ocean.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Neil Hamilton para niños