Born: October 30, 1951
Age: 72
Birthplace: Pasadena, California, U.S.
Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American film and television actor, known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film Clash of the Titans, and as Michael Kuzak in the legal drama series L.A. Law.
Hamlin was born October 30, 1951, in Pasadena, California, the son of Berniece (née Robinson), a socialite, and Chauncey Jerome Hamlin, Jr., an aeronautical engineer. As a teenager, he attended Flintridge Preparatory School, near Pasadena, and The Hill School, a private boarding school in Pennsylvania, where he played soccer and lacrosse and acted in the school's musicals and plays. Hamlin attended University of California, Berkeley and is an alumnus of the Theta Zeta chapter of the national fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon, of which he was President in 1972. Hamlin graduated from Yale University with a BA degree in Drama and Psychology in 1974. Hamlin then attended the American Conservatory Theatre's Advanced Actor Training Program from which he was subsequently awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting.
Hamlin appeared in the 1976 television production of Taming of the Shrew and also had the title role in the 1979 television miniseries Studs Lonigan. He had a role in Movie Movie with George C. Scott in 1978, but his big-screen break was a starring role in the 1981 Greek mythology fantasy epic Clash of the Titans. Afterwards, his career faltered somewhat with such controversial box office films as Making Love (1982) and Blue Skies Again (1983). He returned to television appearing in the miniseries Master of the Game (based on novel by Sidney Sheldon) in 1984 and Space (based on the novel by James A. Michener) in 1985.
Following this, Hamlin's popularity skyrocketed when he starred on the highly popular NBC legal drama series L.A. Law. Playing principled attorney Michael Kuzak, he remained on the series from 1986 to 1991, during which time he was voted as People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1987. Hamlin decided to leave the series at the end of the fifth season and tried to revive his movie career. However, this was unsuccessful and so far he has only starred in B movies and direct-to-video features.
In early 1991, Hamlin appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care", which was made in support of U.S. troops who were stationed in the Middle East and involved at that time in Operation Desert Storm. He then appeared in two 1992 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, in each episode as a separate character. In the episode "Joker's Wild", Hamlin played the role of Cameron Kaiser, a ruthless businessman who sinks all his money into a casino, then counts on the Joker to destroy it in order to collect on the insurance policy from a reputable company, and in the other episode, "Moon of the Wolf", he provided the voice of Anthony Romulus, a greedy athlete who takes a potion to enhance his skills, only to realize too late that it has transformed him into a werewolf. In 1995, he participated in the documentary film, The Celluloid Closet where he discussed his role in the film Making Love.
In 2001, he starred in the television comedy Bratty Babies, and in 2002 he reprised the role of Michael Kuzak in an L.A. Law reunion television movie.
In 2004, Hamlin began a recurring role on the television series Veronica Mars. He played fading action hero Aaron Echolls, father to central show character Logan Echolls who had a turbulent relationship with him. Hamlin's character states that he (like the real-life Hamlin) was People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' in 1987. Aaron's wife, Lynn, was played by Hamlin's real-life wife, Lisa Rinna. Hamlin appeared beginning in the sixth episode of the first season, "Return of the Kane", and made his last appearance in the second season finale, "Not Pictured". In 2006, Hamlin took part in the third season of Dancing with the Stars with Ashly DelGrosso, but was voted off the show in the third week.
Hamlin reprised the role of Perseus in the 2007 video game God of War II. In the game, Perseus was trapped in a room while searching for the Sisters of Fate to revive his dead lover, and believes Kratos to be sent by the gods to test him.
In 2009, Hamlin starred in the series Harper's Island as Uncle Marty. He was killed abruptly in the first episode by being cut in half while he dangled from a broken wooden bridge.
In June 2010, Hamlin guest-starred in an episode of Army Wives, and has since become a recurring cast member.
In June 2010, Hamlin starred in the Hallmark movie You Lucky Dog.
On December 4, 2008, TV Guide reported that Hamlin and Rinna signed a deal to create a reality television series called Harry Loves Lisa that is based around their family life. The series was developed by TV Land and premiered on October 6, 2010.
In 2010, Hamlin published a book Full Frontal Nudity: The Making of an Accidental Actor wherein he shares stories of his career as an actor. (ISBN 1-4391-6999-3)
In 2012, Hamlin began playing Lloyd Lishman, an older lover to Ian Gallagher (Cameron Monaghan) on the U.S version of Shameless (7 episodes circa the end of Season 3).
On April 15, 2012, he appeared in an adult diaper commercial with his wife during a primetime television program.
Beginning on April 28, 2013, Hamlin appeared in several episodes of season six (1968) of Mad Men as ad executive Jim Cutler after the merger of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and Cutler Gleason and Chaough. Hamlin was nominated for a 2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance in "A Tale of Two Cities."
Hamlin was in a relationship with Swiss actress Ursula Andress, his co-star in the film Clash of the Titans, from 1979 to 1983. In 1980, Hamlin had a son (Dimitri Alexander Hamlin) with Andress. From 1985 to 1989, he was married to actress Laura Johnson and between 1991 and 1993 to actress Nicollette Sheridan.
Since 1997, Hamlin has been married to former Days of Our Lives actress and television host Lisa Rinna. They have two daughters, Delilah Belle Hamlin and Amelia Gray Hamlin, who both featured in the reality show Harry Loves Lisa with the couple. The couple also starred in the first season of Veronica Mars as Aaron and Lynn Echolls, a married couple.
All three of Hamlin's wives have been prominent prime time soap-opera actresses: Rinna starred on Melrose Place, Sheridan was a regular on Knots Landing and more recently on Desperate Housewives, whereas Johnson was a regular on Falcon Crest (on which even Andress later made guest appearances).
Hamlin is an advocate for Fusion energy and has invested in Tri-Alpha Energy, Inc. and is also a board member of Advanced Physics Corporation.
His wife Lisa Rinna joined the fifth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she revealed that Hamlin quit drinking alcohol and has been sober for three years at the time of filming due to two of his brothers dying from drug abuse and alcoholism, with Rinna stating that Hamlin had to "break the cycle."
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | Hercules | N/A | |
1978 | Movie Movie | Joey Popchik | Nominated—Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor |
1979 | Studs Lonigan | Bill 'Studs' Lonigan | |
1981 | Clash of the Titans | Perseus | |
1981 | King of the Mountain | Steve | |
1982 | Making Love | Bart | |
1983 | Blue Skies Again | Sandy | |
1985 | Maxie | Himself | |
1987 | Laguna Heat | Tom Shephard | Television movie |
1989 | Dinner at Eight | Larry Renault | Television movie |
1990 | Deceptions | Nick Gentry | Television movie |
1991 | Deadly Intentions... Again? | Charles Raynor | Television movie |
1992 | Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View | Richard Worthington | Television movie |
1993 | Poisoned by Love: The Kern County Murders | Steve Catlin | Television movie, also known as, Murder So Sweet |
1993 | Save Me | Jim Stevens | |
1993 | Under Investigation | Detective Harry Keaton | |
1994 | Ebbtide | Jeff Warren | |
1994 | In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness | N/A | Television movie |
1995 | Tom Clancy's 'OP Center' | Paul Hood | Television movie |
1995 | Her Deadly Rival | Jim Lansford | Television movie |
1997 | Allie & Me | Dustin Halaburton | |
1997 | Badge of Betrayal | Sheriff Dave Ward | Television movie |
1997 | Night Sins | Chief Mitch Holt | Television movie |
1997 | Time to Say Goodbye? | N/A | Television movie |
1998 | Frogs for Snakes | Klench | |
1998 | Like Father, Like Santa | Tyler Madison | Television movie |
1998 | The Hunted | Doc Kovac | Television movie |
1998 | Stranger in Town | Jack | Television movie |
1999 | Silent Predators | Vic Rondelli | Television movie |
2000 | Shoot or Be Shot | Jack Yeager | |
2000 | Quarantine | President Kempers | Television movie |
2001 | Perfume | Hancock | |
2001 | Sex, Lies and Obsession | Cameron Thomas | Television movie |
2002 | Roads to Riches | Dan Smith | |
2002 | Disappearance | Jim Henley | Television movie |
2008 | Strange Wilderness | Sky Pierson | |
2010 | You Lucky Dog | Jim Rayborn | Television movie |
2012 | Christmas High School Reunion | N/A | Television movie |
2012 | Shadow of Fear | Richard Steele | Television movie |
2013 | Shiva and May | Ed | |
2016 | Director's Cut | Godfrey Winters |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Master of the Game | Anthony James 'Tony' Blackwell | 3 episodes |
1985 | Space | John Pope | 5 episodes |
1986-1991 | L.A. Law | Michael Kuzak | 102 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama |
1988 | Favorite Son | Senator Terry Fallon | Episode: "Part One" |
1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | Anthony 'Tony' Romulus | Episode: "Moon of the Wolf: |
1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | Cameron Kaiser | Episode: "Joker's Wild" |
1992 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | Sir Lymon | Episode: "The Traitor" |
1997 | Ink | Brian | 4 episodes |
1997 | The Nanny | Professor Steve | Episode: "Educating Fran" |
1999-2000 | Movie Stars | Reese Hardin | 21 episodes |
2001 | Touched by an Angel | Liam | Episode: "Winners, Losers & Leftovers" |
2004-2006 | Veronica Mars | Aaron Echolls | 12 episodes |
2005 | Arrested Development | Himself | Episode: "For British Eyes Only" |
2007 | Law & Order | Randall Bailey | Episode: "The Family Hour" |
2009 | Harper's Island | Uncle Marty Dunn | 2 episodes |
2010-2011 | Army Wives | Professor Chandler | 8 episodes |
2010 | Harry Loves Lisa | Himself | 2 episodes |
2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Dino | Episode: "The Smiley Face" |
2011 | Franklin & Bash | Rick Paxton | Episode: "Bro-Bono" |
2012-2014 | Shameless | Lloyd 'Ned' Lishman | 8 episodes |
2013-2014 | Mad Men | Jim Cutler | 15 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series |
2014 | Rush | Dr. Warren Rush | 4 episodes |
2014-2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Chief Charles Patton | 2 episodes |
2015 | Glee | Walter | 4 episodes |
2016 | Mom | Fred Hayes | 2 episodes |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | God of War II | Perseus |
Charities
Harry Hamlin supports the following charitable causes: AIDS, Animals, Drug Abuse, Hunger, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes.