Bernie Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 Bernie Hamilton in The Organization 1971 | |
| Born | Bernard Hamilton June 12, 1928 East Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 30, 2008 (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–1985 |
Bernard Hamilton (June 12, 1928 – December 30, 2008) was an American actor.[1] He is best known as Captain Dobey in Starsky & Hutch (1975–1979).
Biography
Hamilton was born in East Los Angeles; his brother was jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. He attended Oakland Technical High School, where he first became interested in acting.[2] In films from 1950, he labored in bit roles for years before getting noticed in the film One Potato, Two Potato (1964), the story of an interracial marriage. He is best remembered for his role as the brusque, no-nonsense Captain Dobey in the United States 1970s police series Starsky and Hutch.
After Starsky and Hutch, Hamilton by and large quit acting, playing in only four roles, his last role being a The Love Boat episode in 1985. Instead, he went into music business, producing R&B and gospel records.[1]
Hamilton was also an impresario; starting in the late 1960s he ran a nightclub/art gallery called Citadel d’Haiti on Sunset Boulevard. Hamilton also produced rhythm and blues and gospel music recordings on his own record label called Chocolate Snowman. One of his releases featured himself; it was entitled Captain Dobey Sings the Blues.[2]
Hamilton married Maxine King on December 7, 1950, they divorced in 1968 after having two children, son Raoul and daughter Candy.[1]
Hamilton died on December 30, 2008, of cardiac arrest at the age of 80.[1] A US Army veteran in the Korean War, he was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Selected filmography
- The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) – Ernie
- Bright Victory (1951) – Soldier (uncredited)
- The Harlem Globetrotters (1951) – Higgins (uncredited)
- Mysterious Island (1951) – Neb
- Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) – Zuwaba
- Carmen Jones (1954) – Reporter (uncredited)
- Kismet (1955) – Pearl Merchant (uncredited)
- Congo Crossing (1956) – Pompala
- The Girl He Left Behind (1956) – Corporal West (uncredited)
- Up Periscope (1959) – Weary (uncredited)
- Cry Tough (1959) – Policeman (uncredited)
- Take a Giant Step (1959) – Sharpie in Bar (uncredited)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) (Season 6 Episode 1: "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat") - Dawson
- The Young One (1960, directed by Luis Buñuel) – Traver
- Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960) – Goodbye George
- Underworld U.S.A. (1961) – Investigator (uncredited)
- The Devil at 4 O'Clock (1961) – Charlie
- 13 West Street (1962) – Negro
- Captain Sindbad (1963) – Quinius
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Episode 18: "Final Escape") - Second Convict
- One Potato, Two Potato (1964) – Frank Richards
- Synanon (1965) – Pete
- Stranger on the Run (1967) – Dickory
- The Swimmer (1968) – Chauffeur
- The Lost Man (1969) – Reggie Page
- Nam's Angels (1970) – Capt. Jackson
- Walk the Walk (1970)
- The Organization (1971) – Lt. Jessop
- Hammer (1972) – Davis
- Scream Blacula Scream (1973) – Ragman
- Bucktown (1975) – Harley
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Actor Bernie Hamilton, Capt. Dobey on 'Starsky and Hutch,' dies at 80". Los Angeles Times. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- 1 2 Lawson, Dominic (2009-01-02). "Bernie Hamilton: played Captain Dobey in Starsky and Hutch". The Times. London. Retrieved 2009-01-02.