Nicholas Hammond

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Nicholas Hammond
Nicholas Hammond 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg
Hammond in 2019
Born (1950-05-15) 15 May 1950 (age 74)
NationalityAmerican, Australian
Education Landon School
Alma mater Princeton University
Years active1961–present
Known for
Spouse
Laura Soli
(m. 1980;div. 1984)
Partner Robyn Nevin (1987–present)

Nicholas Hammond (born 15 May 1950) is an American and Australian actor and writer who is best known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in the film The Sound of Music and as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1970s television series The Amazing Spider-Man. He also appeared in the film Spider-Man (1977) and its two sequels.

Contents

Early life

Hammond was born on May 15, 1950, in Washington, D.C., [1] the son of Colonel Thomas West Hammond, Jr. [2] by his wife Eileen Hammond (née Bennett). Hammond's father was American of English descent and an officer in the U.S. Army, and his mother was English and had played a role in Much Too Shy in 1942. Hammond has one elder brother, David (b. 1946). Hammond's parents had met and married in London during World War II when his father had been posted in the United Kingdom. After the war, the couple moved to the U.S. permanently, and because the Colonel had an army job, the family moved numerous times to various army stations across the country during Hammond's childhood. Nicholas Hammond graduated from the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, before attending and graduating from Princeton University. [3] Col. Hammond died in 1970.

Career

Hammond was 11 years old when he made his acting debut as Robin Rhodes in the Broadway play The Complaisant Lover in 1961, [4] playing alongside Michael Redgrave and Googie Withers.

At the same time, he began to shoot for the 1963 film Lord of the Flies, which marked his film debut. After this, Hammond played what was to be his most notable screen role: Friedrich von Trapp (the elder of the two boys) in the 1965 hit The Sound of Music .

Hammond's next acting role came in 1970, when he appeared in Conduct Unbecoming, his first role as an adult. In 1972 Hammond appeared as Peter Linder in Skyjacked . In 1973 he made a guest appearance on The Brady Bunch in season 4, episode #090, "The Subject Was Noses", as the high school hunk, Doug Simpson, who loses interest in Marcia after her tragic football accident. That year Hammond also appeared in The Waltons episode "The Townie", as Theodore Claypool Jr.

After making the transition from juvenile to young leading man, Hammond spent several seasons in daytime soaps, such as General Hospital . He also appeared on many television shows of the 1970s including Hawaii Five-O .

In the late 1970s Hammond re-joined fellow The Sound of Music alumnus Heather Menzies (who played Louisa von Trapp) for one episode of the TV adaptation of Logan's Run . He also contributed to The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook. [5]

Spider-Man

Hammond as Spider-Man Nicholas Hammond Amazing Spider-Man 1977.JPG
Hammond as Spider-Man

From 1977 to 1979, Hammond played the role for which he is perhaps best known, as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the television series The Amazing Spider-Man , being the first actor to play a live-action Peter Parker and the second live-action Spider-Man. [6] Hammond described his approach to the character: "I liked the idea of taking a fantasy hero and making him believable as a person. I made it clear going into it that I wasn't interested in doing something that was just a camp joke." [7]

The series aired sporadically on CBS, with 13 episodes airing over two seasons. A pilot movie appeared in the fall of 1977, with the series returning as a mid-season replacement for five episodes in the spring of 1978. While the show did well in the ratings, CBS was unwilling to commit to a regular timeslot due to its relatively weak showing in the lucrative adult demographic. [7] The second season aired six episodes, each an hour long, in the fall of 1978 and winter of 1979, with a final two-hour episode in the summer of that year. Although Hammond played Peter Parker in the television series, in all of the scenes in which Spider-Man is seen performing stunts or without dialogue, a stunt double was filmed by a second camera unit. [7]

Later career

Hammond as Peter Parker in 1977 Nicholas Hammond 1977.JPG
Hammond as Peter Parker in 1977

After the Spider-Man series ended, Hammond guest-starred on a number TV shows of the early 1980s, including The Love Boat , Magnum, P.I. , Murder, She Wrote , and he played recurring roles on Falcon Crest and Dallas .

After being cast as yachtsman Dennis Conner in the 1986 Australian TV miniseries The Challenge , about the 1983 America's Cup challenge, Hammond liked the country so much that he decided to stay. He later became an Australian citizen and has since then appeared in several television miniseries filmed in Australia.

Among these was an important role as an American WWII officer based in Far North Queensland, in the major miniseries Fields of Fire , series I and II, set in the cane fields of tropical Australia. His character represented the gentler side of the culture clash between Australians and Americans. He had a starring role as Sir Ivor Creevy-Thorne in Mirror, Mirror , an Australia/New Zealand extended miniseries (a complete story of 20 serialised episodes, with cliffhangers between each of the episodes). Hammond also guest-starred in various Australian television series, including satirical television programs such as BackBerner and CNNNN , the science fiction program Farscape , and dramatic series such as The Flying Doctors , MDA and the Australian/USA co-production Mission: Impossible (which was filmed in Australia).

In 2005, Hammond portrayed television producer Aaron Spelling in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure , a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of Dynasty . [8] [9]

Hammond is a writer for Australian television, having written both the miniseries A Difficult Woman and the television film Secret Men's Business. In 2009, he made his directing debut with Lying Cheating Bastard, a play he co-wrote with magician James Galea. [10]

In 2019, he portrayed director Sam Wanamaker in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood . [11]

Personal life

Hammond married Laura Soli in 1980, and the couple divorced in 1984.[ citation needed ] He moved to Australia in the mid-1980s and now lives in Sydney, with the Australian actress Robyn Nevin. [12]

He has remained close friends with his Sound of Music siblings, several of whom joined a multitude of other actors and co-stars for the 'Save the Rose Theatre' campaign's street event, amid talent from many international productions.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963 Lord of the Flies RobertFeature film
1965 The Sound of Music Friedrich von TrappFeature film
1967Soldier in LoveYoung JohnTelevision film
1971 Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me AgneauFeature film
Mr and Mrs Bo Jo Jones Evan ClarkTelevision film
1972 Skyjacked Peter LindnerFeature film (aka Sky Terror in the U.S.)
Cherry BlossomsLuke
1973 Superdad Roger RhinehurstFeature film
Outrage Ron WernerTelevision film
Catch-22NatelyTelevision film
1974Double SolitairePeterTelevision film
Sorority KillBenjamin HallerTelevision film
1976Law of the LandBrad JensenTelevision film
1977 Spider-Man Peter Parker / Spider-
Man
Feature film
1978 Spider-Man Strikes Back Feature film
1981 Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge Feature film
1982Richard IIHotspur
1983The TempestFerdinand
1988 Emerald City Ian WallFeature film
1989 Trouble in Paradise ArthurTelevision film
1990 Beyond My Reach Steven SchafferFeature film
Black Cobra 2 Lieutenant Kevin McCallFeature film
1993 Frauds Detective SimmsFeature film
Irresistible Force Lieutenant NashFeature film
The Feds: Terror Milton MorehouseTelevision film
1997 Paradise Road Marty MerrittFeature film
199813 Gantry RowRussellTelevision film
2001Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story Adolphe Menjou Television film
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles CuratorFeature film
2003 The Rage in Placid Lake Bill TaylorFeature film
Future TenseTelevision film
2005The SaviourPastorShort film
Stealth Executive OfficerFeature film
Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure Aaron Spelling Television film
2009 Mao's Last Dancer TV reporterFeature film
2014 Turkey Shoot General Charles Thatcher IIFeature film (aka Elimination Game)
2018 The BBQ CarverFeature film
Ladies in Black Mr RyderFeature film
2019 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Sam Wanamaker Feature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1962 The Defenders Bobby BradenEpisode: "The Last Six Months"
1973 The Brady Bunch Doug SimpsonEpisode: "The Subject Was Noses"
The Waltons Theodore Albert Claypool Jr.Episode: "The Townie"
1974 Dirty Sally JohnEpisode: "I Don't, I Don't"
Lucas Tanner AndyEpisode: "Thirty Going on Twenty"
1973-74 Gunsmoke Britt / Doak3 episodes
1976 Rich Man, Poor Man WaltersEpisode: "Part I"
Petrocelli WhiteyEpisode: "Blood Money"
Family John CrosswellEpisode: "The Cradle Will Fall"
1974-77 Hawaii Five-O Roger / Calvin2 episodes
1977 The Fantastic Journey TyeEpisode: "The Innocent Prey"
The Oregon Trail BradleyEpisode: "The Army Deserter"
Eight Is Enough HaroldEpisode: "Yes, Nicholas, There is a Santa Claus"
Logan’s Run Hal 14Episode: "The Judas Goat"
1978 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Lieutenant Douglas BurkeEpisode: "The Lady on Thursday at Ten"
1979 Supertrain David1 episode of TV series:
  • Where Have You Been Billy Boy?
1977–1979 The Amazing Spider-Man Peter
Parker / Spider-
Man
13 episodes
1980 The Martian Chronicles Commander Arthur Black3 episodes
The Love Boat Paul StockwoodEpisode: "Seoul Mates"
1981The Manions of AmericaPadric O'Manion / Sean O'Manion2 episodes
1982 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Reverend TullEpisode: "The Adventures of Pollyanna"
Falcon Crest D.A. Martin Deering / Michael Deering2 episodes
Magnum, P.I. Clarke TroubshawEpisode: "Foiled Again"
Dallas Bill Johnson3 episodes
1985 Crazy Like a Fox [Extra]Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part"
Murder, She Wrote Todd WorthyEpisode: "Murder in the Afternoon"
General Hospital Algernon Durban1 episode of TV series
1986 The Challenge Dennis ConnerMiniseries
Cyclone Tracy HarryMiniseries
1987 Fields of Fire BurgessMiniseries
1988 Fields of Fire II
Fields of Fire III
1989 The Flying Doctors Richard HullEpisode: "No Tears"
Mission:Impossible WoodwardEpisode: "The Greek"
1992 Frankie’s House Major FreyTV series
1990-92 Embassy Ed Benson2 episodes
1994 The Damnation of Harvey McHugh CorkyEpisode: "Hey St. Jude"
1995 Mirror Mirror Sir Ivor Creevey-Thorne20 episodes
1996 Mercury Jack Koper1 episode of miniseries
Flipper F.C.C. Agent Smiley / Quarantine Doctor2 episodes
1997 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea SaxonMiniseries
2000 Tales of the South Seas LukeEpisode: "The Rabblercrouser"
On the Beach United States PresidentMiniseries
The Lost World Phil DillonEpisode: "Tourist Season"
2000-02 BackBerner Various characters including Jack Bloom6 episodes
2003 Farscape Doctor Adrian Walker2 episodes
Always Greener Nigel Milne2 episodes
CNNNN: Chaser Non-Stop News Network Commander Oscar F. Hepple2 episodes
2004 Salem’s Lot Doctor (uncredited)Miniseries
2005 MDA Doctor Nick StandishEpisode: "Second Chance"
2009-11 The Jesters Agent Smith2 episodes
2012Climb Every Mountain with Nicholas HammondHimself / NarratorDocumentary about The Sound of Music and the original Von Trapp family
2015 Gallipoli Henry Nevinson Several episodes playing famed war correspondent for The Telegraph
2019 Total Control Mitch RumboldtEpisode 1.2 of TV series
2022The Crew’s ShipCharles Gwerztraminer

Theatre

YearTitleRoleLocation
1961 The Complaisant Lover Robin Rhodes Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1970 Conduct Unbecoming 2nd Lt. John Truly Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1987 Woman in Mind Sydney Theatre Company

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References

  1. Monush, Barry (2015). The Sound of Music FAQ. Applause. ISBN   9781495025945.
  2. Eileen Bennett profile, georgeformby.co.uk; accessed June 25, 2015.
  3. "Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas J. Hammond". The Washington Post .
  4. "The Complaisant Lover – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB".
  5. The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  6. Edlitz, Mark. "'Spider-Man' flashback: Nicholas Hammond, reeling in the years". LA Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Mangels, Andy (October 2010). "Spinning the Story of the Amazing Spider-Man". Back Issue! (44). TwoMorrows Publishing: 44–48.
  8. Heffernan, Virginia (January 1, 2005). "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure: If You've Got It, Flaunt It: ABC Trumpets an 80's Hit". The New York Times . Retrieved February 26, 2009.
  9. "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure: Credits". Der-denver-clan.de. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
  10. "James Galea: Breaking Magic". www.discovery.com. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  11. Coates, Tyler (March 21, 2019). "The Real-Life People Portrayed in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Esquire. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  12. Bond, Nick. "Australia's Own Von Trapp Child". Star Observer. Retrieved 19 November 2015.