Friday, September 09, 2022

Today in Comics History, September 9: Happy birthday, Neil Hamilton!

Born on this day in 1899, so he knows ALL about the Y1.9K virus: actor Neil Hamilton, star from stage to silents to movies to television, plus advertisement modeling and even a little song and dance!


from "Screen Scoops" in Movie Comics (1939 series) #2 (DC/Picture Publications, May 1939); text, pencils and inks by Walter Galli




Hamilton co-starred alongside George Sanders in the crime drama The Saint Strikes Back, playing ne'er-do-well Alan Breck (Shampoo magnate? Must investigate further.) This early movie-to-comics adaptation used colorized movie stills to tell the story!



from "The Saint Strikes Back" in Movie Comics #2; airburshed art by Jack Adler and Emery Gondor

But what we all know and love Neil Hamilton for best is his consummate performance as Commisioner Gordon (did they ever call him Jim?) on the classic Batman '66 TV show!



from Batman '66 #2 (DC, October 2013), script by Jeff Parker, pencils and inks by Ty Templeton, colors by Wes Hartman, letters by Wes Abbott

What's this? Neil Hamilton satirically spoofed by that mendicant of mirthful magazines, MAD!


from "Bats-Man" in MAD #105 (September 1966), script by Alicia Lou Silverstone, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker

Naturally, this stinky nogoodnik romance-killer below is not our Neil Hamilton, and he is a tarnish on the good name of Neil Hamiltons.




from "Ecstasy" in First Love Illustrated #42 (Harvey, July 1954), pencils and inks by Ray Bailey

Happy birthday to you, real Neil Hamilton!


(But see also: Commissioner Gordon is a Jerk!)

1 comment:

Blam said...

Hold on. Is that "I'm Neil Hamilton, Miss Venus," like "I'm Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic"? 'Cause if so the story's a lot more interesting.