
Murray Hamilton
Actor · Died September 1, 1986, aged 63 · Washington, North Carolina, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Murray Hamilton (March 24, 1923 – September 1, 1986) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as Mayor Larry Vaughn in the 1975 film "Jaws" and its sequels, "Jaws 2" and "Jaws: The Revenge". Hamilton also starred in several other well-known films such as "The Graduate", "The Hustler" and "The Amityville Horror". He had a long career in both film and TV and appeared in over 70 films and TV series. Early life Hamilton was born in Washington, North Carolina. He displayed an early interest in performing during his days at Washington High School just before America's entry into World War II. Bad hearing kept him from enlisting, so he moved to New York City as a 19-year-old to find a career on stage. Career In an early role, he performed on stage with Henry Fonda in the wartime story Mister Roberts as a replacement for David Wayne, playing Ensign Pulver. In 1960, he was onstage again with Fonda in Critic's Choice; Howard Taubman of The New York Times called him "properly obnoxious as the director". Hamilton was teamed once more with Fonda in 1968 for the drama film The Boston Strangler. Hamilton's best-known performance is as Larry Vaughn, the mayor of Amity, in the Steven Spielberg thriller Jaws (1975). Hamilton reprised the role in the sequel, Jaws 2 in 1978. He had agreed to reprise the role again in Jaws: The Revenge, but died in 1986, before production began. He was just 63 years old. Hamilton complained in a newspaper article about being typecast, stating "After I was first cast as a heavy on The Untouchables, I couldn't ever persuade them [producers] that I could also do something else." While comic roles were rare for Hamilton during his Hollywood career, he had one opposite Andy Griffith in the 1958 military comedy No Time for Sergeants, as well as an appearance in Steven Spielberg's raucous comedy 1941, released in 1979. He also appeared in a comedic guest spot on Mama's Family in the second-season episode "Mama Cries Uncle" as Uncle Roy. He was more often cast in dramatic works, such as the science-fiction drama Seconds (1966), which starred Rock Hudson. In his most high-profile performances, Hamilton appeared with Paul Newman in The Hustler (1961), playing Findley, a wealthy billiards player who gambles for high stakes, and with Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate (1967) as Mr. Robinson, husband of the seductress Mrs. Robinson. In 1975, Hamilton appeared again with Newman in The Drowning Pool. He also worked with Robert Redford in a pair of films, The Way We Were (1973) and Brubaker (1980). In early 1982 he appeared as a judge presiding over an impromptu court case on an episode of Bret Maverick. Death Hamilton died of lung cancer at age 63, and is interred at Oakdale Cemetery in his native Washington, North Carolina. He and his wife, Terri DeMarco Hamilton (of The DeMarco Sisters), had a son, David. CLR
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Biography from TMDB.
- March 24, 1923
- September 1, 1986 (aged 63)
- Washington, North Carolina, USA
- Actor
- 66 on MovieCove · 121 credits in all
What are Murray Hamilton's films like?
Across their 41 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 2 · Wry 4 · Earnest 35
A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 12 · Dark 17
Grounded 30 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 3
Gentle 7 · Charged 28 · Intense 6
Steady 15 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 3
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5
Slow burn 18 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 1
Casual 19 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 2
Easy watch 15 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 11
Resolved 32 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 3
Roles they play
Usually the Ally: 5 of 15 analyzed roles.
Show the 15 rolesHide the roles
- Shadowas Al Webster in The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951)
- Allyas Sgt. Clyde in The Girl He Left Behind (1956)
- Allyas Bud Gurney in The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
- Allyas Sam Crandall in The FBI Story (1959)
- Allyas Coach Sandy Hardy in Tall Story (1960)
- Mentoras Wally Sanders in 13 Frightened Girls (1963)
- Heraldas Arthur Kabot in An American Dream (1966)
- Threshold guardianas Charlie in Seconds (1966)
- Shadowas Mr. Robinson in The Graduate (1967)
- Tricksteras Jim Egan in The Brotherhood (1968)
- Allyas Sgt. Joe Marcus in A Tattered Web (1971)
- Shadowas Jay Hue Kilbourne in The Drowning Pool (1975)
- Threshold guardianas Vaughn in Jaws (1975)
- Threshold guardianas Mayor Vaughn in Jaws 2 (1978)
- Shadowas John Deach in Brubaker (1980)
Moods and endings
- Happy16
- Bittersweet15
- Tragic4
- Ambiguous6
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Murray Hamilton's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 66 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).
- The Graduate (1967) · actor · free
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) · actor · free
- No Time for Sergeants (1958) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- The Loretta Young Show (1953) · actor · free
- The Real McCoys (1957) · actor · free
- The Last Days of Patton (1986) · actor · free
- Casey's Shadow (1978) · actor · free
- The Amityville Horror (1979) · actor · free
- A Tattered Web (1971) · actor · free
- 13 Frightened Girls (1963) · actor · free
- Too Scared to Scream (1984) · actor · free
- +1 more
- Anatomy of a Murder (1959) · actor
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) · actor
- Perry Mason (1957) · actor
- Route 66 (1960) · actor
- The Real McCoys (1957) · actor
- McMillan & Wife (1971) · actor
- The Last Days of Patton (1986) · actor
- McCloud (1970) · actor
- Barnaby Jones (1973) · actor
- The Amityville Horror (1979) · actor
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- The Loretta Young Show (1953) · actor · free
- The Real McCoys (1957) · actor · free
- McMillan & Wife (1971) · actor · free
- Kojak (1973) · actor · free
- McCloud (1970) · actor · free
- If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) · actor · free
- Casey's Shadow (1978) · actor · free
- Mazes and Monsters (1982) · actor · free
- The Twilight Zone (1959) · actor · free
- Perry Mason (1957) · actor · free
- Mission: Impossible (1966) · actor · free
- No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- Mama's Family (1983) · actor · free
- Houseboat (1958) · actor · free
- The Real McCoys (1957) · actor · free
- Barnaby Jones (1973) · actor · free
- Best TV Ever, show their 2 titles on Best TV Ever
- Howdy, show their 2 titles on Howdy
- Shout! TV, show their 2 titles on Shout! TV
- Sony Pictures Core, show their 2 titles on Sony Pictures Core
- Great American Pure Flix, show their title on Great American Pure Flix
- ScreenPix, show their title on ScreenPix
- UP Faith & Family, show their title on UP Faith & Family
Subscription and free streaming for Murray Hamilton's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
121 credits, 66 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

The Last Days of Patton(1986)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Whoops Apocalypse(1987)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Blacke's Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

The Golden Girls(1985)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Hail to the Chief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

Murder, She Wrote(1984)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Too Scared to Scream(1984)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Cover Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

Summer Girl(1983)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Mama's Family(1983)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Mazes and Monsters(1982)
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
Hysterical(1982)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

All the Way Home(1981)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Bret Maverick(1981)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Brubaker(1980)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Swan Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

1941(1979)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
The Amityville Horror(1979)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
B. J. and the Bear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

A Last Cry for Help(1979)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Donovan's Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

Jaws 2(1978)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Casey's Shadow(1978)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Killer on Board (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

Damnation Alley(1977)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Alice(1976)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
Rich Man, Poor Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

The Drowning Pool(1975)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Jaws(1975)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
After the Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

Kojak(1973)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
The Way We Were(1973)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all filmsNeedles and Pins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

Murdock's Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

Hawkins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

Barnaby Jones(1973)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Deadly Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

The Failing of Raymond(1971)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
The Harness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

McMillan & Wife(1971)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
A Tattered Web(1971)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

Vanished (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

Night Gallery(1969)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
McCloud(1970)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
The Brotherhood(1968)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Danger Has Two Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

The Boston Strangler(1968)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
No Way to Treat a Lady(1968)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Sergeant Ryker(1968)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
The Graduate(1967)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
A Bell for Adano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

Judd, for the Defense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

The Invaders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

Seconds(1966)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Mission: Impossible(1966)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
The Man Who Never Was (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

An American Dream(1966)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Inherit the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

The F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

Run for Your Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

The Cardinal(1963)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

The Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

13 Frightened Girls(1963)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Eleventh Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
The Farmer's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

Target: The Corruptors! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

The Hustler(1961)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
The DuPont Show of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

Route 66(1960)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all showsEscape to Sonoita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

Tall Story(1960)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
The Twilight Zone(1959)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
The FBI Story(1959)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Men Into Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
Love and Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

Anatomy of a Murder(1959)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Houseboat(1958)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Naked City(1958)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
No Time for Sergeants(1958)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Too Much, Too Soon(1958)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Darby's Rangers(1958)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Real McCoys(1957)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Perry Mason(1957)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

Jeanne Eagels(1957)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
The Spirit of St. Louis(1957)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
The Big Slide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

The Girl He Left Behind(1956)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Wire Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

Toward the Unknown(1956)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

The Millionaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

Inner Sanctum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

The Loretta Young Show(1953)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Bright Victory(1951)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all filmsLux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

The Philco Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Something for the Boys(1944)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Reckless Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

Song of the Open Road(1944)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Career shape
Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 121 titles from 1944 to 1986; peak year 1979.

Biggest box office
Jaws (1975)

Highest rated
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Most popular right now
Jaws (1975)
Film career
Peak 1979 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1957Screen debut· The Spirit of St. Louis
- 1963First top-billed film· 13 Frightened Girls
- 1975Career best· Jaws
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do Murray Hamilton's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 48; across their 41 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up20
- 50th to 74th23
- 25th to 49th15
- Below 25th8
Shape of the crowd
31 of their 66 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved10
- Universally Panned1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser31
- Broadly Agreed6
- Mixed17
Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 41 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Murray Hamilton's work okay for kids?
Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Murray Hamilton work with?
People who share at least 2 of Murray Hamilton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Williams shares the most, 4.
Directors
- Stuart RosenbergShared titles: Brubaker (1980), The Amityville Horror (1979), The Drowning Pool (1975)See all 3 shared titles with Stuart Rosenberg

- Mervyn LeRoyShared titles: The FBI Story (1959), No Time for Sergeants (1958), Toward the Unknown (1956)See all 3 shared titles with Mervyn LeRoy

- Delbert MannShared titles: The Last Days of Patton (1986), All the Way Home (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Delbert Mann

- Steven SpielbergShared titles: 1941 (1979), Jaws (1975)See all 2 shared titles with Steven Spielberg

Writers
- Carl GottliebShared titles: Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws (1975)See all 2 shared titles with Carl Gottlieb

- Peter BenchleyShared titles: Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws (1975)See all 2 shared titles with Peter Benchley

- Lewis John CarlinoShared titles: The Brotherhood (1968), Seconds (1966)See all 2 shared titles with Lewis John Carlino
- Jack RoseShared titles: Papa's Delicate Condition (1963), Houseboat (1958)See all 2 shared titles with Jack Rose

Actors
- George C. ScottShared titles: The Last Days of Patton (1986), The Hustler (1961), Anatomy of a Murder (1959)See all 3 shared titles with George C. Scott

- Val AveryShared titles: Too Scared to Scream (1984), A Tattered Web (1971), The Brotherhood (1968)See all 3 shared titles with Val Avery

- Vera MilesShared titles: Mazes and Monsters (1982), Sergeant Ryker (1968), The FBI Story (1959)See all 3 shared titles with Vera Miles

- Robert RedfordShared titles: Brubaker (1980), The Way We Were (1973), Tall Story (1960)See all 3 shared titles with Robert Redford

Composers, cinematographers and editors
- John WilliamsShared titles: 1941 (1979), Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws (1975), Sergeant Ryker (1968)See all 4 shared titles with John Williams

- Lalo SchifrinShared titles: Brubaker (1980), The Amityville Horror (1979), The Brotherhood (1968)See all 3 shared titles with Lalo Schifrin

- Fred J. KoenekampShared titles: Summer Girl (1983), The Amityville Horror (1979)See all 2 shared titles with Fred J. Koenekamp

- Robert BrownShared titles: Brubaker (1980), The Amityville Horror (1979)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Brown
Producers
- David BrownShared titles: Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws (1975)See all 2 shared titles with David Brown

- Ray StarkShared titles: Casey's Shadow (1978), The Way We Were (1973)See all 2 shared titles with Ray Stark

- Richard D. ZanuckShared titles: Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws (1975)See all 2 shared titles with Richard D. Zanuck

- Lawrence TurmanShared titles: The Drowning Pool (1975), The Graduate (1967)See all 2 shared titles with Lawrence Turman

Mixed roles
- Tony Lo BiancoShared titles: Too Scared to Scream (1984), A Last Cry for Help (1979)See all 2 shared titles with Tony Lo Bianco


