Ted Hamilton

Last updated

Ted Hamilton

OAM
Born
Edward Leslie Hamilton

1937 (age 86–87)
Australia
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film producer
  • playwright
  • singer
  • composer
  • entrepreneur
Years active1955-2002

Edward Leslie "Ted" Hamilton (OAM) (born 1937), is an Australian former singer, composer, playwright, entrepreneur, and actor. [1]

Contents

He is known for playing the Pirate King in The Pirate Movie and police constable Kevin Dwyer in TV series Division 4 (1969–73). In 2002, he played Merlin in the TV series Guinevere Jones . He also played in Homicide , The Love Boat , [1] M*A*S*H , [1] The Six Million Dollar Man , Hawaii Five-O , Mission: Impossible , and Rafferty's Rules .

Biography

Hamilton began performing in nightclubs in 1955, and live on national radio. He guest starred on The Ford Show , Calling The Stars and The Gladys Moncrieff Show . He also had hit records with "Primrose Lane" and "The Things We Did Last Summer".

His most successful single was a 1959 duet with the late Ray Melton on HMV with a cover of US duo Travis and Bob's '59 hit "Tell Him No". Their cover reached #6 in Melbourne, and was a top 20 hit in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. [2]

Hamilton was also the featured singer with The Bob Gibson Band and the Australian All-Stars jazz quintet.

Hamilton guest starred on Australia's first variety show broadcast in 1956 on New Year's Eve on ABC TV. Also in the 1950s[ year needed ], Hamilton featured in variety shows on all networks, including The Hit Parade (ABC), Make Mine Music (ABC), Bandstand (Channel 9), Sydney Tonight (Channel 7), and in the 1960s the seminal variety show Revue 61/62 .

Song career

Hamilton made his debut as singer-songwriter and starred with many of the top musicians and groups of the day, including Don Burrows, Terry Wilkinson and Errol Buddle – Bob Gibson's swing band – The Australian Jazz Quintet and The Australian All Stars. He was voted best singer in jazz and pop by Bandstand and music magazine Downbeat .

In 1961–62, Hamilton was a regular on the television show Revue 61/62 , produced by MCA (America) for the 7 Network. In late 1965[ specify ], Hamilton compered In Melbourne Tonight on Monday nights on Channel 9. [3]

He provided the voice/image for some of Australia's most popular and successful commercials, such as:

He also starred in several variety specials, among them Ted Hamilton and Johnny Farnham – together again for the very first time (June 1973). [4]

Sports

Hamilton was in the World Champion Squash team. He competed for NSW and Australia and Victoria from 1962 to 1970.[ citation needed ]

Politics and film career

Hamilton starred in Division 4 as Senior Constable Kevin Dwyer, [5] winning best actor and best drama Logie awards. He also performed in a number of national theater productions[ example needed ]. Hamilton was founder and chair of the TV-Make it Australian Committee, a lobby group that pushed to have Australian culture represented by local productions on Australian TV stations. The group lobbied the government for delineation of categories for Australian TV in drama, variety, comedy, current affairs, and sport. The group was the most successful lobby group in the history of Australian show business.[ citation needed ] Hector Crawford, and Prime Minister John Gorton acknowledged Hamilton and the committee as "The man, and the committee that saved Australian drama from extinction".[ citation needed ]

From 1970 to 1972, Hamilton was the co-convener of the Australia Party. He headed the run for Parliament and his party was successful in having several senators elected. Upon Hamilton's departure for America, the party provided the nucleus of the Australian Democrats, led for many years by Don Chipp. Hamilton was also involved in the "It's Time" campaign, along with Mick Young and Clive Holding.

Hamilton also devised and appeared in a TV commercial for the Philip Morris cigarette brand "Kingford". The commercial won the Logie award for Best TV Commercial in 1974, but resulted in Hamilton's dismissal from "Division 4", as his appearance violated a contract clause specifying that series regulars wouldn't appear in television commercials. [6] He went on to host his own national variety shows on the ABC: Ted Hamilton's New Wave and Ted Hamilton's Musical World. In 1975, because of his chairmanship of the TV-Make It Australian Committee, the doors to Australian commercial television slammed. Hamilton was banned from Channel 9 by Clyde Packer, and informed that he would not be employed by the networks again (he has not been employed by 7 or 9 since). Facing this restriction in a television dominated profession; Hamilton moved his family to the United States and established an acting and corporate career.

In 1980, when Rupert Murdoch attempted to establish a television presence in Australia, he acquired the Ten Channel in Melbourne. He invited Hamilton to return to Australia, to host The Ted Hamilton Show. However, the Broadcasting Control Board opposed his ownership and Murdoch quickly surrendered the idea, and sold his interest.[ citation needed ] In 1981 Hamilton starred in The Pirate Movie with Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol. Hamilton and his partner David Joseph produced The Pirate Movie, the first Australian movie to receive a general release in the United States (2,500 screens 20th Century Fox). [7] Hamilton provided development finance for The Wild Duck (Liv Ullmann and Jeremy Irons) for J. C. Williamson productions, and The Flight of the Navigator for Disney Studios.

Involvement in United States and return to Australia

In 1981 Hamilton returned to the United States. He was appointed chairman of two US companies involved in the placement of private capital for films and corporations. He also served as a senior consultant to several national companies in the US.[ citation needed ] In 2001 Hamilton returned to Australia, performing in music and acting. In 2002 he performed in the international television series Guinevere Jones , playing the role of Merlin. In 2011 Hamilton was appointed Australia Day Ambassador. [8]

Social involvement and honors

In the 2013 Australia Day Honours List Hamilton was awarded an OAM for service to the performing arts and to the community. [9]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
AUS
[10]
Three Sides of Ted Hamilton
  • Released: 1973
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Fable (FBSA 028)
28
Ted Hamilton's New Wave
  • Released: 1974
  • Format: LP
  • Label: ATA (L 35038)
-

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
YearTitlePeak chart
positions		Album
AUS
[10]
1959"Primrose Lane"
(With The Errol Buddle Quintet)		-non album single
"The Things We Did Last Summer"
(With The Errol Buddle Quintet)		-non album single
1960"The Lovin' Touch"
(With Bob Gibson and His Orchestra)		-non album single
"Ding Dong Bell"
(With Bob Gibson and His Orchestra)		-non album single
1973"Get On With Your Livin'"81'Three Sides of Ted Hamilton
1974"Dandenong Grass"-Ted Hamilton's New Wave

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1976 The Love Boat Thomas Ford, The CaptainTV movie
1978The DeerslayerSieur de BeaujeurTV movie
1980 M Station: Hawaii Vasili LitvakTV movie
1981 The Pirate Movie The Pirate KingFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1950s The Ford Show GuestTV variety series
Calling the StarsGuestTV variety series
The Gladys Moncrieff Show GuestTV variety series
Hit Parade GuestTV variety series
1958 The Shirley Abicair Show GuestTV variety series
Bandstand GuestTV variety series
Sydney Tonight GuestTV variety series
1960 Have Gun - Will Travel CatcherTV series, 1 episode
1961–62 Revue 61/62 Regular guestTV variety series
1962 Make Mine Music GuestTV variety series
1965 In Melbourne Tonight CompereTV variety series
1968 Homicide Roger HendricksTV series, 1 episode
1969-75 Division 4 Senior Constable Kevin DwyerTV series, 227 episodes
1973Ted Hamilton and Johnny Farnham - together again for the very first timePerformerTV variety special
1973Ted Hamilton's New WaveHostTV variety series, 6 episodes
1973-75 The Graham Kennedy Show Guest performerTV variety series, 5 episodes
1974Ted Hamilton's Musical WorldHostTV variety series, 13 episodes
1975 M*A*S*H Lieutenan ChiversTV series, 1 episode
1977 The Six Million Dollar Man JaffeTV series, 1 episode
1979 Hawaii Five-O Larry WilkensTV series, 1 episode
1979 A Man Called Sloane BannisterTV series, 1 episode
1979 Flying High Captain Arnold RuddTV series, 1 episode
1984 Blue Thunder Harold LongstreetTV series, 1 episode
1988 Mission: Impossible ChambersTV series, 1 episode
1990 Rafferty's Rules Snowy WhiteTV series, 1 episode
2002 Guinevere Jones Merlin TV series, 1 episode

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ted Hamilton". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016.
  2. ↑ [Australian Pop Archives]
  3. ↑ "Surprise try-out as compere". The Age Green Guide. 26 August 1965. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald4 June 1973 TV Guide section p. 4
  5. ↑ Ross, Norrie (23 December 2009). "Applause for Division 4 cop Ted Hamilton after court drama". Herald Sun .
  6. ↑ "Ted drops out of Div. 4". TV Week: 5. 29 September 1973.
  7. ↑ Maslin, Janet (9 August 1982). "The Pirate Movie (1982) 'PIRATE MOVIE,' WITH KRISTY MCNICHOL". The New York Times .
  8. ↑ Australiaday.vic.gov.au Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Smh.com.au
  10. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 132. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
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