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Murray Hamilton

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.

Born
March 24, 1923
Died
September 1, 1986 (aged 63)
From
Washington, North Carolina, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
66 on MovieCove · 121 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 42% in 30 days

What are Murray Hamilton's films like?

Across their 41 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

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

15 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 5 of 15 analyzed roles.

Ally
5 of 15
Shadow
4 of 15
Threshold guardian
3 of 15
Mentor
1 of 15
Herald
1 of 15
Trickster
1 of 15
Show the 15 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
29
Melancholic
13
Dread
11
Contemplative
10
Joyful
7
Other
39

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • 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).

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)

    as Gen. Hobart "Hap" Gay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Whoops Apocalypse(1987)

    as Jack 'Kill the Commies' Preston (Former US President)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Blacke's Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Golden Girls(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Daddy

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

    Show 7 episodes · as Senator Sam Cotton

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Bud Michaels

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • Too Scared to Scream(1984)

    as Jack Oberman

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
  • Cover Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Summer Girl(1983)

    as Jack Reardon

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Mama's Family(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • Mazes and Monsters(1982)

    as Lt. John Martini

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Hysterical(1982)

    as The Mayor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • All the Way Home(1981)

    as Joel Lynch

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Bret Maverick(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • Brubaker(1980)

    as Deach

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Swan Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Jack McCauley

  • 1941(1979)

    as Claude Crumn

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Amityville Horror(1979)

    as Father Ryan

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • B. J. and the Bear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 15 episodes · as Rutherford T. Grant

  • A Last Cry for Help(1979)

    as Ralph Muir

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

    as Henry Carpenter

  • Jaws 2(1978)

    as Mayor Larry Vaughn

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Casey's Shadow(1978)

    as Tom Patterson

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Killer on Board (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Dr. Ned Folger

  • Damnation Alley(1977)

    as Gen. Landers

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Murder at the World Series(1977)

    as Harvey Murkison

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Alice(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
  • Rich Man, Poor Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sid Gossett

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Drowning Pool(1975)

    as Kilbourne

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Jaws(1975)

    as Vaughn

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • After the Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mickey

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Harry Harmon

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • The Way We Were(1973)

    as Brooks Carpenter

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Needles and Pins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

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

    as Harold Talbot

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

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Guilfoyle

  • Barnaby Jones(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Clete Belford

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
  • Incident on a Dark Street(1973)

    as Edmund Schilling

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Deadly Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Sheriff Bill Jessup

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Failing of Raymond(1971)

    as Sgt. Manzak

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

    as Roy Kern

  • McMillan & Wife(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
  • A Tattered Web(1971)

    as Sgt. Joe Marcus

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

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

    as Virgil Holley

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

    Show 2 episodes · as Nick McCann

  • Night Gallery(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • McCloud(1970)

    Show 2 episodes · as Donald Yates

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Jennings

  • Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • The Brotherhood(1968)

    as Jim Egan

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Danger Has Two Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Colonel Jack Forbes

  • The Boston Strangler(1968)

    as Det. Frank McAfee

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • No Way to Treat a Lady(1968)

    as Inspector Haines

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Sergeant Ryker(1968)

    as Capt. Appleton

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • The Graduate(1967)

    as Mr. Robinson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • A Bell for Adano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Sgt. Leonard Borth

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Lewis Dunhill

  • Seconds(1966)

    as Charlie Evans

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
  • The Man Who Never Was (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 18 episodes · as Jack Forbes

  • An American Dream(1966)

    as Arthur Kabot

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

    as E.K. Hornbeck

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

    Show 1 episode · as Doug McElroy · as Emory Hale · as Mike Kessler · as Richard Mills

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

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Raphael

  • The Cardinal(1963)

    as Lafe

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

    Show 2 episodes · as Capt. Appleton

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

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Steelman · as Mel Starling

  • 13 Frightened Girls(1963)

    as Wally Sanders

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Papa's Delicate Condition(1963)

    as Mr. Harvey

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • The Eleventh Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Farmer's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Nordick

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

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

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

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Haldore Mattern · as Lt. Dan Hargrave

  • The Hustler(1961)

    as Findley

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

    Show 1 episode · as Bob Fay

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

    Show 2 episodes · as Bryan Phelps · as D.A. Sid Morgan · as District Attorney · as Miles Morgan · as Tark Bennett

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
  • Escape to Sonoita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Marsh

  • Tall Story(1960)

    as Coach Sandy Hardy

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Death

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • The FBI Story(1959)

    as Sam Crandall

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Men Into Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Love and Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 26 episodes · as Steve Baker

  • Anatomy of a Murder(1959)

    as Alphonse "Al" Paquette

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Houseboat(1958)

    as Capt. Alan Wilson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as D.A. Thomas Stevenson · as Matt Orman

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • No Time for Sergeants(1958)

    as Irving S. Blanchard

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Too Much, Too Soon(1958)

    as Charlie Snow

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • Darby's Rangers(1958)

    as Sims Delancey

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • The Real McCoys(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as John Davis 'Johnny' Hale

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Jeanne Eagels(1957)

    as Chick O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • The Spirit of St. Louis(1957)

    as Bud Gurney

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • The Big Slide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Chick Tolliver

  • The Girl He Left Behind(1956)

    as Sgt. Clyde

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • Wire Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed Holley · as Frank Lunt

  • Toward the Unknown(1956)

    as Maj. Bromo Lee

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Marsh

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Calhoun · as Jake Buley · as Webb Cutter

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

    Show 1 episode · as Chris Daniels

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

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Carpenter

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

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Mike Finn

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as E.K. Hornbeck · as Sgt. Leonard Borth

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Whistle at Eaton Falls(1951)

    as Al Webster

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Bright Victory(1951)

    as Pete Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Snow Pearson

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

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Bristol

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

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Something for the Boys(1944)

    as Soldier (uncredited)

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

    as Member of Soldier Quartet

  • Song of the Open Road(1944)

    as Crop Corps Kid (uncredited)

    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.

Film career

19441986

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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting121 of 121: 121 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

By decade

1940s6 · acting1950s30 · acting1960s33 · acting1970s35 · acting1980s17 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 4% of 24 roles
576272

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.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Midcredits score across 66 titles, by percentile

  • 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.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles23–80 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles20–59 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles23–53 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles31–60 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles12–81 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

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

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles