James Neil Hamilton (1899 - 1984)

Born 9 Sep 1899 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elsa Cozetta (Whitmer) Hamilton — married 27 Nov 1922 in New York City, New York, United States

Died 24 Sep 1984 at age 85 in Escondido, San Diego, California, United States

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Biography

Neil Hamilton is Notable.

Neil Hamilton was an American actor who is today best known for his role as Commissioner Gordon on the 1960's Batman TV Series; however, he began his acting career in silent movies, at which time he was a leading man and a star.^[1]

He was born James Neil Hamilton 9 September 1899 at Lynn, Massachusetts, the son of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth O'Neil.^[2] He was an only child (no siblings).

He married Elsa Cozetta Whitmer 27 November 1922 in New York City, New York.^[3] They were the parents of one child, Patricia, born 1931.

Neil died 24 September 1984 in Escondido, California at the age of 85 after suffering a severe asthma attack.^[4][5] His remains were cremated and scattered at sea.^[6]

Obituary:^[7]

Neil Hamilton, Paramount Studio's dashing leading man during the silent film epoch and later the white-haired police commissioner on television's "Batman," died in his Escondido home. He was 85. Jess L. Hoaglin, Hamilton's longtime friend and publicist, said yesterday the former actor died Sept. 24 of complications stemming from asthma.

Hamilton began his entertainment career as a model, appearing as the "Arrow Collar Man" in the shirt manufacturer's advertisements of the late teens and early 1920s.

However, he achieved his greatest fame in movies and was one of the silent film era's greatest stars, playing leading roles in "Beau Geste," "The Great Gatsby," "Isn't Life Wonderful?" and other classics.

In the silent film era, he emerged as Paramount's leading man. In 1929, he made six movies, including "The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu," and the following year he starred with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in "The Dawn Patrol." During the 1930s and '40s, Hamilton was cast in a string of Westerns, a few melodramas and two Tarzan films. He regained stardom in 1966, in the role of Gotham City's pompous Commissioner Gordon in the television series "Batman." Although the series posted some of the highest ratings in television history, it lasted only two years, until 1968.

Soon after, Hamilton's health began to fail and he and his wife, Elsa, retired to Escondido.

His final film was "Which Way to the Front" in 1970.

Sources

1. ↑ Neil Hamilton Biography on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXX1-47M : 11 March 2018), James Niel Hamilton, 08 Sep 1899, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #1091 P499, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,843,710.
3. ↑ Niel J Hamilton in the New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Name: Niel J Hamilton Gender: Male Marriage License Date: 27 Nov 1922 Marriage License Place: Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA Spouse: Elsa C Whittner License Number: 35529 .
4. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGGB-BNF : 26 November 2014), James Neil Hamilton, 24 Sep 1984; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
5. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JTZP-KPV : 20 May 2014), Neil Hamilton, Sep 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5811752/neil-hamilton : accessed 15 June 2022), memorial page for Neil Hamilton (9 Sep 1899–24 Sep 1984), Find a Grave Memorial ID 5811752, ; Maintained by Find a Grave Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
7. ↑ Evening Tribune (San Diego, California) 03 October 1984, obit for Neil Hamilton, 85, silent screen star, dies in Escondido, GenealogyBank.com (https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/obituaries/obit/134D6C3D624982F8 : accessed 15 June 2022).

See also:

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9RH-21Z : accessed 9 November 2018), James A Hamilton in household of Alexander B Hamilton, Lynn city Ward 7, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 401, sheet 3B, family 63, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,645.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M22X-81K : accessed 9 November 2018), Fred J Hamilton in household of Alex B Hamilton, Athol, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1694, sheet 1A, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 627; FHL microfilm 1,374,640.

• "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZJH-FW7 : 13 March 2018), Neil James Hamilton, 1917-1918; citing Bergen County no 3, New Jersey, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,711,909.

• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-WRL2 : 16 March 2018), James Neil Hamilton, 1924; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #453278, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 2591, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJ1-2NS : accessed 9 November 2018), James S Hamilton, Los Angeles (Districts 0001-0250), Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 67, sheet 19A, line 7, family 545, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 134; FHL microfilm 2,339,869.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K974-ZXT : 14 March 2018), Neil Hamilton, Tract 381, Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Judicial Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 19-38A, sheet 11B, line 60, family 207, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 220.