Hubbry Logo
Kim HamiltonKim HamiltonMain
Open search
Kim Hamilton
Community hub
Kim Hamilton
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Kim Hamilton
Kim Hamilton
Kim Hamilton
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Kim Hamilton (born Dorothy Mae Aiken; September 12, 1932 – September 16, 2013) was an American film and television actress, as well as a director, writer, and artist. Her career spanned more than half a century, from the early 1950s to 2010.[1] Hamilton's early film credits included the 1959 film noir Odds Against Tomorrow opposite Harry Belafonte and The Leech Woman in 1960.[1] She was also one of the first African-American actors to appear on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and was the only African-American to appear in a speaking role on Leave It to Beaver.[2][1]

Key Information

Hamilton portrayed, in an uncredited role, Helen Robinson in the 1962 film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee's novel of the same name. She was the film's last surviving African-American adult cast member with a speaking role.[3]

Early life and career

[edit]

Hamilton was born in Los Angeles, California and, as a young woman, initially wanted to work as a model. However, she said she could not find work in the fashion industry, owing to her short stature and race.[1] Instead, prompted by an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times, she enrolled in acting classes and enlisted the services of an agent.[1] Hamilton made her professional acting debut in the 1950s television sitcom Amos 'n' Andy, playing the girlfriend of Andy (Spencer Williams) in several episodes.[1]

She briefly moved to London to pursue acting there.[1] Hamilton was able to find some roles but returned to the United States after the British Actors' Equity Association and the Secretary of State for Employment denied her a work permit, a practice commonly used against American actors at the time.[1]

Hamilton appeared in more than 60 television series and television films throughout her career. In 1960, she guest-starred in an episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Big Tall Wish."[1] In 1963 and 1964, she played a high-school librarian on two episodes of the popular series My Three Sons.[4] She was also one of the first black actresses to appear on the soap opera Days of Our Lives.[2] She made numerous guest appearances on popular television shows, including Adam-12, The Thin Man, General Hospital, Sanford and Son, Good Times, The Jeffersons, In the Heat of the Night, All In The Family, and Law & Order.[5] She portrayed Songi in "Final Mission," a 1990 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Her last television credit was a 2008 episode of the ABC series Private Practice.[4]

Hamilton was also an artist, director, and writer. In her final works, she was credited as Kim Rousseau.[4]

In December 2007, Hamilton was honored for her career achievements by Columbia University and the Harlem community at an event held at the Museum of the City of New York.[3] Hamilton's honor was part of series of Columbia University's Big Read program, which focused on To Kill a Mockingbird through guest lectures, productions, and panel discussions.[3]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Kim Hamilton was married twice. Her first marriage, at age 18, was to Robert Henry Hamilton in 1951. They had two children and divorced ten years later. Her son Robert predeceased her.[citation needed]. She then dated German-born actor Werner Klemperer for more than two decades before they married in 1997.[1] They remained together until Klemperer's death on December 6, 2000.[6]

In her later years, Hamilton divided her time between her home in Manhattan and her other residence in her hometown of Los Angeles. In 2013, four days after her 81st birthday, she died of undisclosed causes while in Los Angeles.[2][7][8]

Filmography

[edit]

Films

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1957 Something of Value Kipi's Wife Uncredited
1959 Odds Against Tomorrow Ruth Ingram
1960 The Leech Woman Young Malla
1961 The Wizard of Baghdad Teegra, Yasmin's Servant Uncredited
1962 A Public Affair Mrs. Hendrickson
1962 To Kill a Mockingbird Helen Robinson, Tom's Wife Uncredited
1966 The Wild Angels Nurse
1971 Kotch Emma Daly
1973 Heavy Traffic Voice
1981 Body and Soul Mrs. Johnson

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1955 Damon Runyon Theater Season 1 Episode 5: "Numbers and Figures"
1955 The Amos 'n Andy Show Charmaine Season 4 Episode 8: "Kingfish Teaches Andy to Fly"
1957 General Electric Theater Miranda Season 6 Episode 1: "The Questioning Note"
1958 The Thin Man Emmeline Season 1 Episode 37: "The Screaming Doll"
1960 The Twilight Zone Frances Season 1 Episode 27: "The Big Tall Wish"
1961 Whiplash Martin Watling Season 1 Episode 15: "The Remittance Man"
1961 87th Precinct First Sunbather Season 1 Episode 1: "The Floater"
1962 The New Breed Sally Wick 2 episodes
1962 Checkmate Miss Williams (Mrs. in credits) Season 2 Episode 24: "Trial by Midnight"
1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Maid Season 7 Episode 36: "First Class Honeymoon"
1962 Stoney Burke Beth Ann Sutter Season 1 Episode 5: "The Mob Riders"
1962–1963 Ben Casey Dorothy Garrison / Jane Demarest 2 episodes
1963 77 Sunset Strip Letha Season 6 Episode 6: "White Lie"
1963 Leave it to Beaver The Maid Season 6 Episode 17: "The Parking Attendants"
1963–1964 My Three Sons Librarian 2 episodes
1965 Dr. Kildare Nurse Hammond Season 5 Episode 1: "Behold the Great Man"
1966 Daniel Boone Naomi Season 3 Episode 8: "Onatha"
1967 Me and Benjy Vivian TV Movie
1967 Insight Barbara Walton / Diane 2 episodes
1967–1974 Mannix Alice Bradley / Hallie Woods / Diana Lee 3 episodes
1968 General Hospital Dr. Tracy Adams Episode 1412: "Episode #1.1412"
1968–1982 Days of Our Lives Nurse West / Miss Jenkins / Nurse Leona / Penelope Wade 7 episodes
1969–1972 The Mod Squad Delores Sutton / Mildred Jameson 2 episodes
1971 Here's Lucy Jane the Office Manager Season 4 Episode 1: "Lucy and Flip Go Legit"
1971 The Man and the City Season 1 Episode 10: "Run for Daylight"
1972–1975 Sanford and Son Carol Davis / Grace 2 episodes
1973 Police Story Harriet Parsons Season 1 Episode 0: "Slow Boy"
1973 Adam-12 Mrs. Hardy / Mrs. Anderson 2 episodes
1973–1974 The Rookies Duty Nurse / Irene 2 episodes
1974 Shaft Marcia Tyler Season 1 Episode 5: "Shaft and the Cop Killer"
1974 Kojak Sergeant Donna Mill Season 2 Episode 3: "Hush Now, Don't You Die"
1974 All in the Family Mrs. Helen Willis Season 4 Episode 20: "Lionel's Engagement"
1974 Chopper One Nurse Season 1 Episode 10: "Deadly Carrier"
1974 Mooch Nurse TV Movie
1974 That's My Mama Melvina Season 1 Episode 5: "Clifton's Sugar Mama"
1975 Emergency! Estelle Lee Dickens Season 5 Episode 2: "The Old Engine Cram"
1975 Good Times Betty Edwards Season 3 Episode 5: "Florida's Rich Cousin"
1975 Marcus Welby, M.D. Elsbeth Byars / Velma Stokes 2 episodes
1975 Bronk Hannah Season 1 Episode 12: "Deception"
1977 Future Cop June Bundy Season 1 Episode 4: "Carlisle Girl"
1977 The Fat Albert Christmas Special Marge Franklin / Nurse (voice) TV Movie
1978 Project U.F.O. Diane Armstrong Season 1 Episode 3: "Sighting 4003: The Fremont Incident"
1978 Doctors' Private Lives Kitty TV Movie
1978 A Family Upside Down Paula TV Movie
1978 Lady of the House Mary TV Movie
1978 Vega$ Ernie Season 1 Episode 9: "Lost Women"
1978–1979 Tarzan and the Super 7 Microwoman / Christy Cross / Mother Plant (voice) 33 episodes
1979 Stone Carla Brown TV Movie
1979 Stone Carla Brown Season 1 Episode 0: "Pilot"
1979 The White Shadow Carol Simpson Season 2 Episode 5: "A Silent Cheer"
1980 Quincy M.E. Mrs. Hester Season 5 Episode 19: "T.K.O."
1981 Sanford Admitting Clerk Season 2 Episode 3: "Fred Has the Big One"
1981 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Nurse Paulton Season 2 Episode 4: "Mark of the Saurian"
1983 The Jeffersons Pauline Season 9 Episode 14: "My Maid... My Wife"
1983 ABC Weekend Special Mrs. Stowe Season 6 Episode 4: "All the Money in the World"
1983–1984 Matt Houston Judge / Nathaniel's Mother 2 episodes
1984 St. Elsewhere Judge Dr. Linda Purcell Season 2 Episode 12: "Hearing"
1984 Paper Dolls Eleanor 4 episodes
1984 Guiding Light Victoria Tamerlaine Spaulding Episode dated December 3
1984 Riptide Mrs. Collins Season 2 Episode 8: "It's a Vial Sort of Business"
1985 Gimme a Break! Della Season 4 Episode 18: "Alabamy Bound: Part 2"
1985 Alice Mrs. Reynolds Season 9 Episode 15: "Vera's Grounded Gumshoe"
1986 Simon & Simon Nurse Elsa Jelkes Season 6 Episode 12: "Tonsillitis"
1987 Designing Women Annabelle Season 2 Episode 3: "Anthony Jr."
1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation Songi Season 4 Episode 9: "Final Mission"
1991–1994 In the Heat of the Night Mrs. Johnson / Ellen Shore 2 episodes
1992–1996 Law & Order Judge Vivian Jackson / Marcella Klein 2 episodes
1993 Trade Winds Madame DeGaulle Miniseries
3 episodes
1996 The Client Rosine Chalmers Season 1 Episode 20: "Past Imperfect"
2002 Girlfriends Mother Dent (voice) Season 2 Episode 14: "Willie or Won't He II: The Last Chapter?"
2002 The Practice Supreme Court Justice Season 7 Episode 2: "Convictions"
2008 Private Practice Frances Season 2 Episode 6: "Serving Two Masters"

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kim Hamilton

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Kim Hamilton (September 12, 1932 – September 16, 2013) was an American actress whose career in film, television, and theater extended over six decades, beginning in the 1950s.
She gained recognition for early television appearances on shows such as Amos & Andy and The Twilight Zone, including the episode "The Big Tall Wish" in 1960, and later roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Songi. Hamilton was the first African American actress to appear on the soap opera General Hospital and the only one featured on Leave It to Beaver.
Her film work included supporting parts as Harry Belafonte's wife in Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) and in The Beginners (2010), while stage performances earned her an NAACP Image Award and a Dramalogue Award for Like One of the Family. She received the Columbia University Life Achievement Award in 2007 and was married to actor Werner Klemperer until his death in 2000.

Early Life

Upbringing and Family

Dorothy Mae Aiken, professionally known as Kim Hamilton, was born on September 12, 1932, in , . Her parents were William Aiken and Leulia "Lulu" Williams. No verifiable records indicate the existence of siblings, and details on her parents' occupations remain undocumented in accessible public sources. Hamilton's formative years unfolded in amid racial segregation, where African American families, comprising about 3% of the city's population in the 1930s, were largely restricted to neighborhoods such as the Central Avenue corridor due to restrictive covenants and discriminatory lending practices. This environment shaped early access to education and community resources, with Black children attending segregated schools until gradual desegregation efforts began post-World War II.

Initial Aspirations and Entry into Entertainment

Hamilton initially aspired to pursue a career in modeling after high school, drawn to the glamour of in post-World War II America. However, her —under 5 feet 4 inches—and the entrenched racial barriers in the modeling industry, where opportunities for were virtually nonexistent amid white-dominated agencies and publications, led to repeated rejections. Faced with these constraints, Hamilton pivoted to as a viable alternative, discovering an advertisement for acting classes in a local that prompted her first formal steps into performance training. This shift reflected pragmatic adaptation to market realities, where her physical presence and talent found limited but accessible entry points in emerging and theater amid the era's expanding but segregated landscape. Post-high school, she engaged in community theater and basic instruction, honing skills that positioned her for professional auditions by the early , though initial opportunities remained scarce due to similar racial exclusions in casting.

Career

Breakthrough in Television and Film

Kim Hamilton began her professional acting in the with recurring appearances as Andy's girlfriend on the syndicated sitcom , marking one of her initial forays into television amid a dominated by limited roles for African-American performers. Her selections reflected competitive auditions emphasizing her dramatic range, as evidenced by her transition to network programming. In 1960, Hamilton achieved a notable breakthrough with her guest role as Amy in The Twilight Zone episode "The Big Tall Wish," aired on April 8, which featured a predominantly cast and centered on themes of and community without relying on stereotypes. That same year, she debuted in film as Young Malla in the horror picture , a Universal-International production where her performance as a tribal woman contributed to the narrative's exotic elements, secured through talent-based casting in an industry with sparse opportunities for non-white actors. These roles highlighted her versatility in genre television and low-budget cinema, establishing her presence during the early 1960s. Hamilton further expanded into daytime drama as one of the earliest African-American actresses on the soap opera , debuting shortly after its 1965 premiere and appearing in speaking roles that underscored her professional merit over . Guest spots on series like (1961) and (1960) followed, where she portrayed characters such as Jane Demarest and Miss Williams, respectively, demonstrating her ability to compete for diverse parts in prime-time anthologies and procedurals. These appearances in the late 1950s and 1960s positioned her as a trailblazer, earning roles through demonstrated skill in an era constrained by systemic barriers yet driven by meritocratic auditions.

Notable Roles and Longevity

Kim Hamilton demonstrated career adaptability through consistent guest and recurring television roles across genres from the 1950s to the 2000s. Her early television work included the role of Frances Temple in the 1960 The Twilight Zone episode "The Big Tall Wish," one of her breakthrough genre appearances. She later portrayed Helen Robinson in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, becoming the last surviving African-American adult cast member with a speaking role in the production. In the , Hamilton expanded into film with the supporting role of Mrs. Johnson in Body and Soul (1981), a drama featuring . Television remained a mainstay, with a guest appearance on in 1988 contributing to her sustained output in ensemble dramas. By the and , she secured a recurring role as Fulton on , appearing in multiple episodes of the legal series from 1997 onward. Hamilton's professional longevity exceeded 50 years, with credits spanning from her 1950s debut in Amos 'n' Andy to a 2008 episode of Private Practice, encompassing appearances in over 60 television series according to filmography records. This endurance reflected her versatility in securing roles amid evolving industry demands, prioritizing empirical accumulation of screen credits over singular breakthroughs.

Theater, Directing, Writing, and Artistic Pursuits

Hamilton portrayed Ruth in the London premiere of Lorraine Hansberry's at the . She later appeared in August Wilson's Fences during a production in Washington, D.C., and in Jean Genet's The Blacks at the and Ivar Theater in . Her work with Theatre West included the role of Abbie in Eugene O'Neill's . In 1992, she starred in the company's production of Like One of the Family, opposite , earning recognition including an Image Award and a Dramalogue Award for her performance. In the 1990s, Hamilton performed in A. R. Gurney's Love Letters alongside . These stage roles demonstrated her versatility in classical and contemporary works, often bridging her television and film experience with live performance.

Recognition and Achievements

Awards and Professional Honors

Hamilton received the NAACP Image Award for her performance in the play Like One of the Family, recognizing contributions to positive portrayals and achievements in the arts by . She also earned a Dramalogue Award for the same Theatre West production, which honored excellence in Los Angeles-area theater performances. In 2007, presented Hamilton with a Life Achievement Award, acknowledging her extensive career spanning over five decades in , television, and theater.

Barriers Overcome and Empirical Contributions

Kim Hamilton navigated racial barriers in Hollywood during the pre-Civil Rights Act era, when African American actresses faced severe restrictions, with speaking roles for non-stereotypical characters numbering fewer than a dozen annually in major s from 1950 to 1960. Unable to secure modeling work due to industry preferences for taller Caucasian women, she pivoted to acting through rigorous training and repeated auditions, debuting in with the 1959 noir alongside , a role attained via competitive casting rather than advocacy quotas. Her breakthrough in television included the 1961 Twilight Zone episode "The Big Tall Wish," where she earned a lead maternal role in an integrated storyline, outperforming competitors in an industry where black performers comprised less than 1% of credited TV roles pre-1964. Hamilton overcame these hurdles through versatility, extending her career across film, episodic TV, soaps like —where she was among the first African American actresses cast—and theater, culminating in an NAACP Image Award for the 1980s play Like One of the Family. Empirically, her 50-year span from 1959 to 2010, with over 50 credited roles, underscores merit-driven longevity amid market dynamics favoring established talent, as her directing and writing pursuits further diversified income streams independent of casting trends. This trajectory highlights causal factors of skill accumulation and adaptive pivots, such as to work during TV slowdowns, over reliance on external reforms.

Personal Life

Marriages and Relationships

Kim Hamilton's first marriage was to Robert Henry Hamilton on January 16, 1951, in , , from which she adopted her professional surname. The couple had two children—a son, Robert, who predeceased her, and a daughter—and divorced approximately a later. In the mid-1970s, Hamilton began a long-term relationship with actor , known for portraying Colonel Klink in the television series . The pair married in 1997 after more than two decades together and remained wed until Klemperer's death on February 6, 2000; they had no children. In her later years, Hamilton divided her time between homes in Los Angeles, California, and New York City's .

Final Years and Death

In the years following the death of her husband, actor , in 2000, Hamilton continued her acting career sporadically while dividing her time between residences on the East and West Coasts. She retired from acting in 2010, after which she engaged in charitable causes and religious activities, though specific details on these pursuits remain limited in public records. Hamilton died of natural causes on September 16, 2013, four days after her 81st birthday, in , . No public reports detail arrangements or immediate aftermath beyond standard notifications in trade publications.

Legacy

Influence on Representation in Media

Kim Hamilton advanced African American visibility in mainstream television by achieving speaking roles in programs that had previously excluded black performers from substantive parts, notably as the sole African-American with dialogue on , a top-rated from October 4, 1957, to June 7, 1963, which drew average audiences of over 20 million viewers weekly in its peak seasons. Her portrayal of a in the 1961 "The Parking Attendants" exemplified early integration into family-centric content, relying on audition-based merit amid pre-Civil Rights Act casting practices rather than organized advocacy. In daytime soaps, Hamilton's appearances further normalized black presence in high-viewership formats; she was among the earliest African-American actresses on following its November 8, 1965, premiere, and the first on when it debuted April 1, 1963, contributing to genres that amassed 10-15 million daily U.S. households by the late . These roles, secured through persistent professional engagement spanning over five decades, influenced subsequent casting by demonstrating viability of diverse ensembles without altering narrative cores, as conservative assessments credit individual talent over systemic agitation for such breakthroughs. Posthumous evaluations in entertainment reporting underscore her empirical impact via longevity and precedents over ideological narratives, with obituaries citing her soap integrations as quiet precedents for expanded representation, unlinked to contemporary activism circles like those of and , though sharing era-specific professional networks. This merit-driven trajectory contrasts with later diversity mandates, highlighting pre-1960s shifts attributable to performer capability amid market-driven production.

Balanced Assessment of Impact and Reception

Kim Hamilton's work received acclaim for its versatility and endurance, as she maintained a professional output spanning over six decades in an industry historically restrictive for African-American actresses, appearing in more than 60 television series and films amid limited opportunities for non-stereotypical roles. Critics and obituaries highlighted her adaptability, noting breakthroughs such as being the first Black actress on and the only one on , which underscored her ability to secure speaking parts in predominantly white productions during the and . This reception emphasized her quiet persistence as a pioneer, with sources crediting her for challenging era-specific barriers through consistent performance rather than public advocacy. However, her career also reflected systemic limitations, including into supporting or peripheral roles that rarely elevated her to leads, a pattern common among Black actresses pre- and post-civil rights era due to Hollywood's racial hierarchies and commercial preferences for white-centric narratives. While not uniquely criticized for underperformance, commentators have noted the scarcity of starring vehicles for performers like Hamilton, attributing this to industry-wide biases rather than individual shortcomings, as evidenced by her efforts to pursue varied theatrical work abroad, such as the London premiere of . Such constraints highlight causal factors like discriminatory casting practices, which persisted despite her talent, limiting broader recognition compared to white contemporaries with similar longevity. In causal terms, Hamilton's impact derives primarily from individual grit—sustained output through personal networking and skill in a merit-adverse environment—rather than dependence on collective movements or institutional reforms, as her pre-1960s successes predate major civil rights gains in media. Empirical metrics, such as her 60+ credits versus peers like early actresses who often faced sharper career interruptions, illustrate this agency: she outlasted many by adapting to episodic television's demands without relying on affirmative action-era shifts. Reception thus balances her as a model of self-reliant achievement against an industry that, even post-barriers, favored tokenized representation over substantive integration, with mainstream sources potentially underemphasizing the former due to narrative biases favoring systemic explanations.
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.