Harry Hamlin is an American actor. He portrayed Ned Lishman in the second, third and fourth seasons of the US version of Shameless.
Youth[]
Harry was born in Pasadena, California, the son of Bernice, a socialite, and Chauncey Jerome Hamlin, Jr., an aeronautical engineer who once worked with scientist Wernher von Braun. As a teenager, he attended Flintridge Preparatory School, near Pasadena, and The Hill School, a private boarding school in Pennsylvania, where he played soccer and lacrossse and acted in the school's musicals and plays. Harry attended University of California, Berkeley, and is an alumnus of the Theta Zeta chapter of the national fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon, of which he was President in 1972. Harry graduated from Yale University with a BA in Drama and Psychology in 1974. Harry then attended the American Conservatory Theatre's Advanced Actor Training Program from which he was subsequently awarded a Masters of Fine Arts degree in acting.
Career[]
Harry appeared in the 1976 television production of Taming of the Shrew and also had the title role in the 1979 television miniseries Studs Lonigan. He had a role in Movie Movie with George C. Scott in 1978, but his big-screen break was a starring role in the 1981 Greek mythology fantasy epic Clash of the Titans. Afterwards, his career faltered somewhat with such controversial box office films as Making Love and Blue Skies Again. He returned to television appearing in the miniseries Master of the Game in 1984 and Space in 1985.
Following this, Harry's popularity skyrocketed when he starred on the highly popular NBC legal drama series L.A. Law. Playing principled attorney Michael Kuzak, he remained on the series from 1986 to 1991 during which time he was voted as People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 1987. Harry decided to leave the series at the end of the fifth season and tried to revive his film career. However, this was unsuccessful and so far he has only starred in B movies and direct-to-video features.
In early 1991, Harry appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the songs Voices That Care, which was made in suupport of US troops who were stationed in the Middle East and involved at that time in Operation Desert Storm. He then appeared in two 1992 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, in each episode as a separate character. In the Joker's Wild, Harry played the role of Cameron Kaiser, a ruthless businessman who sinks all his money into a casino, then counts on the Joker to destroy it in order to collect on the insurance policy from a reputable company, and in the other episode, Moon of the Wolf, he provided the voice of Anthony Romulus, a greedy athlete who takes a portion to enhance his skills, only to realize too late that it has transformed him into a werewolf. In 1995, he participated in the documentary film, The Celluloid Closet where he discussed his role in the film Making Love.
In 2001, he starred in the television comedy Bratty Babies, and in 2002 he reprised the role of Michael Kuzak in an L.A. Law Reuinion television film.
In 2004, Harry began a recurring role on the television series Veronica Mars. He played fading action hero Aaron Echolls, father to central show character Logan Echolls. Harry's character states that he was People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 1987. Aaron's wife, Lynn, was played by Harry's real-life wife, Lisa Rinna. In 2006, Harry took part in the third season of Dancing with the Stars with Ashly DelGrosso, but was voted off the show in the third week.
Harry reprised the role of Perseus in the 2007 video game God of War II. In the game, Perseus was trapped in a room while searching for the Sisters of Fate to revive his dead lover, and believes Kratos to be sent by the gods to test him.
In 2009, Harry starred int he series Harper's Island as Uncle Marty. He was killed abruptly in the first episode by being cut in half while he dangled from a broken wooden bridge.
In June 2010, Harry guest-starred in an episode of Army Wives, and has since become a recurring cast member. Harry also starred in the Hallmark film You Lucky Dog.
On December 4, 2008, TV Guide reported that Harry and Rinna signed a deal to create a reality television series called Harry Loves Lisa that is based around their family life. The series was developed by TV Land and premiered on October 6, 2010.
In 2010, Harry published a book Full Frontal Nudity: The Making of an Accidental Actor wherein he shares stories of his career as an actor.
In 2012, Harry began playing Ned Lishman, an older lover to Ian Gallagher on the US version of Shameless.
Beginning on April 28, 2013, Harry appeared in several episodes of Mad Men as executive Jim Cutler after the merger of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and Cutler Gleason and Chaough. Harry was nominated for a 2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance in A Tale of Two Cities.
Personal Life[]
In 1980, Harry had a son with Swiss actress Ursula Andress, his co-star in the film Clash of the Titans. From 1985 to 1989, he was married to Laura Johnson and between 1991 and 1993 to actress Nicollette Sheridan.
Since 1997, Harry has been married to former Days of Our Lives actress and television host Lisa Rinna. They have two daughters, Delilah Belle Hamlin and Amelia Gray Hamlin, who both featured in the reality show Harry Loves Lisa with the couple.
All three of Harry's wives have been prominent prime time soap-opera actresses: Rinna starred in Melrose Place, Sheridan was a regular on Knots Landing and more recently on Desperate Housewives, whereas Johnson was a regular on Falcon Crest.
Harry is an advocate for Fusion energy and has invested in Tri-Alpha Energy and is also a board member of Advanced Physics Corporation.