Murray Hamilton
Murray Hamilton (
March 24,
1923 â€"
September 1,
1986) was an
American stage, screen, and television character actor.
Born in
Washington,
North Carolina, Hamilton is best remembered for his role as the ignorant Amity Island mayor in the
Steven Spielberg shark-thriller
Jaws and its sequel
Jaws 2. His other memorable film appearances include the critically acclaimed
1959 film
Anatomy of a Murder, in which he played the dim-witted bartender,
The Hustler (
1961), wherein he played the character "Findley," a wealthy billiards player fevered by gambling, and in
The Graduate (
1967) as
Mister Robinson . For many years both before and during his film career, Hamilton was a prominent dramatic actor, earning a
Tony Award nomination for his role in the
1965 production of "
Absence of a Cello."
Hamilton displayed an early interest in performing during his days at Washington High School just before the outbreak of World War II. Bad hearing kept him from enlisting, so he moved to New York as a 19-year-old to find a career on the stage. In an early role, he performed with
Henry Fonda in
Mister Roberts. In 1960, he was seen onstage again with Henry Fonda in
Critic's Choice.
