Murray Hamilton

Murray Hamilton (March 24, 1923 – September 1, 1986) was an accomplished American stage, screen, and television character actor who appeared in a variety of films including Anatomy of a Murder, The Hustler, The Graduate, Jaws and The Amityville Horror. Born in Washington, North Carolina, Hamilton displayed an early interest in performing during his days at Washington High School. His career sprang into motion when he moved to New York City at age 19 and began performing on stage. Hamilton famously replaced David Wayne to perform with Henry Fonda in the wartime story Mister Roberts, and later worked again with Fonda in Critic's Choice and The Boston Strangler. His most well-known performance is arguably as Larry Vaughn, the mayor of Amity, in Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws. Hamilton reprised the role in the sequel, Jaws 2 in 1978.

Hamilton, throughout his expansive career, made dozens of TV guest appearances and performed in various big-screen films. One of his notable performances includes his portrayal of bartender Al Pacquette in the critically acclaimed 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart. Despite complaining about being typecast as a 'heavy', Hamilton had a diverse acting portfolio, even earning a Tony Award nomination for the 1965 production of Absence of a Cello. As he battled cancer towards the end of his life, his co-star George C. Scott helped him secure a part in the made-for-television movie The Last Days of Patton (1986). He passed away at age 63 due to lung cancer.