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Nicholas Hammond

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For other people named Nicholas Hammond, see Nicholas Hammond (disambiguation).
Nicholas Hammond
Hammond in 2019
Born (1950-05-15) May 15, 1950 (age 74)
Washington, D.C., US
Years active1961–present
Spouse
Laura Soli
​
​
(m. 1980; div. 1984)​
PartnerRobyn Nevin

Nicholas Hammond (born May 15, 1950)[1] is an American-Australian actor and writer who is known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in the film The Sound of Music and as Peter Parker / Spider-Man on the television series The Amazing Spider-Man.

Early life

Hammond was born in Washington, D.C.,[1] the son of Colonel Thomas West Hammond, Jr.[2] by his wife Eileen Hammond (née Bennett). While Hammond's father was a U.S. citizen and an officer in the U.S. Army, his mother was an Englishwoman who had played a role in Much Too Shy in 1942. Hammond has one elder brother, David (b. 1946). Hammond's parents had met and married in London during World War II when his father had been posted there. After the war, the couple had moved to the U.S. permanently, and because the Colonel had an army job, the family moved numerous times to various army stations across the country during Hammond's childhood. Col. Hammond died in 1970.

Career

Hammond was 11 years old when he made his acting debut in the Broadway play The Complaisant Lover, in 1961. At the same time, he began to shoot for the 1963 film Lord of the Flies, which marked his film debut. After this, Hammond played what was to be his most visible screen role for many years as Friedrich von Trapp (the elder of the two boys) in the 1965 hit The Sound of Music.

Hammond's next acting role came in 1970, when he appeared in Conduct Unbecoming. This was his first role as an adult. In 1972, Hammond appeared as Peter Linder in Skyjacked. In 1973, he made a guest appearance on The Brady Bunch, in season 4, episode #090, "The Subject Was Noses", as the high school hunk, Doug Simpson, who loses interest in Marcia after her tragic football accident. That year, he also appeared The Waltons episode, "The Townie", as Theodore Claypool, Jr.

After making the transition from juvenile to young leading man, he spent several seasons in daytime soaps such as General Hospital. He also appeared on many television shows of the 1970s, including Hawaii Five-O.

In the late 1970s, Hammond re-joined fellow The Sound of Music alumna Heather Menzies (who played Louisa von Trapp) for one episode of the TV adaptation of Logan's Run. He also contributed to The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook.[3]

Spider-Man

Hammond as Spider-Man

From 1977 to 1979, Hammond played the role for which he is perhaps best known, as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the television series The Amazing Spider-Man.[4] Hammond described his approach to the character: "I liked the idea of taking a fantasy hero and making him believable as a person. I made it clear going into it that I wasn't interested in doing something that was just a camp joke."[5]

The series aired sporadically on CBS, with 13 episodes airing over two seasons. A pilot movie appeared in the fall of 1977, with the series returning as a mid-season replacement for five episodes in the spring of 1978. While the show did well in the ratings, CBS was unwilling to commit to a regular timeslot due to its relatively weak showing in the lucrative adult demographic.[5] The second season aired six episodes, each an hour long, in the fall of 1978 and winter of 1979, with a final two-hour episode in the summer of that year. Although Hammond played Peter Parker in the television series, in all of the scenes in which Spider-Man is seen performing stunts or without dialogue, a stunt double was filmed by a second camera unit.[5]

Later career

Hammond as Peter Parker in 1977

After the Spider-Man series ended, Hammond guest-starred on a number of top-rated TV shows of the early 1980s, including The Love Boat, Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, and he played recurring roles on Falcon Crest and Dallas.

After being cast as yachtsman Dennis Conner in the 1986 Australian TV miniseries The Challenge, about the 1983 America's Cup challenge, Hammond liked the country so much that he decided to stay. He later became an Australian citizen and has since then appeared in several television miniseries filmed in Australia.

Among these was an important role as an American WWII officer based in Far North Queensland, in the major miniseries Fields of Fire, series I and II, set in the cane fields of tropical Australia. His character represented the gentler side of the culture clash between Australians and Americans. He had a starring role as Sir Ivor Creevy-Thorne in Mirror, Mirror, an Australia/New Zealand extended miniseries (a complete story of 20 serialised episodes, with cliffhangers between each of the episodes). Hammond also guest-starred in various Australian television series, including satirical television programs such as BackBerner and CNNNN, the science fiction program Farscape, and dramatic series such as The Flying Doctors, MDA and the Australian/USA co-production Mission: Impossible (which was filmed in Australia).

In 2005, Hammond portrayed television producer Aaron Spelling in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of Dynasty.[6][7]

Hammond is a writer for Australian television, having written both the miniseries A Difficult Woman and the TV movie Secret Men's Business. In 2009, he made his directing debut with Lying Cheating Bastard, a play he co-wrote with magician James Galea.[8]

In 2019 he portrayed director Sam Wanamaker in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.[9]

Personal life

Hammond married Laura Soli in 1980, and the couple were divorced in 1984.[1] He moved to Australia in the mid-1980s and now lives in Sydney, with the Australian actress Robyn Nevin.[10]

He has remained close friends with his Sound of Music siblings, several of whom joined a multitude of other actors and co-stars for the 'Save the Rose Theatre' campaign's street event, amid talent from many international productions.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1963 Lord of the Flies Robert
1965 The Sound of Music Friedrich von Trapp Released as Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
1971 Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me Agneau
1972 Skyjacked Peter Lindner Also known as Sky Terror in the United States
1972 Cherry Blossoms Luke
1973 Superdad Roger Rhinehurst
1977 Spider-Man Peter Parker / Spider-
Man
1978 Spider-Man Strikes Back
1979 Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge
1988 Emerald City Ian Wall
1990 Beyond My Reach Steven Schaffer
Black Cobra 2 Lieutenant Kevin McCall
1993 Frauds Detective Simms
1997 Paradise Road Marty Merritt
2001 Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles Curator
2003 The Rage in Placid Lake Bill Taylor
2005 The Saviour Pastor Short film
Stealth Executive Officer
2014 Turkey Shoot General Charles Thatcher II
2018 The BBQ Carver
Ladies in Black Mr Ryder
2019 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Sam Wanamaker

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1962 The Defenders Bobby Braden 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Last Six Months"
1967 Soldier in Love Young John Anthology series
1971 Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones Evan Clark
1973 The Brady Bunch Doug Simpson 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Subject Was Noses"
The Waltons Theodore Albert Claypool Jr. 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Townie"
Outrage Ron Werner Television film
1974 Double Solitaire Peter
Sorority Kill Benjamin Haller
Dirty Sally John 1 episode of television series:
  • Season 1, Episode 14
Lucas Tanner Andy 1 episode of television series:
  • "Thirteen Going on Twenty"
1973-1974 Gunsmoke Britt / Doak 3 episodes of television series:
  • "Women for Sale: Part 1" (1973)
  • "Women for Sale: Part 2" (1973)
  • "Thirty a Month and Found" (1974)
1976 Rich Man, Poor Man Walters 1 episode of television series:
  • "Part I: Chapters 1 and 2"
Petrocelli Whitey 1 episode of television series:
  • "Blood Money"
Law of the Land Brad Jensen
Family John Crosswell 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Cradle Will Fall"
1974-1977 Hawaii Five-O Roger / Calvin 2 episodes of television series:
  • "The Banzai Pipeline" (1974)
  • "Requiem for a Saddle Bronc Rider" (1977)
1977 The Fantastic Journey Tye 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Innocent Prey"
The Oregon Trail Bradley 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Army Deserter"
Eight Is Enough Harold 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Yes Nicholas, There Is a Santa Claus: Part 1"
  • "Yes Nicholas, There Is a Santa Claus: Part 2"
Logan's Run Hal 14 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Judas Goat"
1978 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Lieutenant Douglas Burke 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Lady on Thursday at Ten"
1979 Supertrain David 1 episode of television series:
  • "Where Have You Been Billy Boy?"
1977-1979 The Amazing Spider-Man Peter
Parker / Spider-
Man		 13 episodes
1980 The Martian Chronicles Commander Arthur Black 3 episodes of television series:
  • "The Expeditions"
  • "The Settlers"
  • "The Martians"
The Love Boat Paul Stockwood 1 episode of television series:
  • "Not So Fast, Gopher/Haven't We Met Before?/Foreign Exchange"
1981 The Manions of America Padric O'Manion / Sean O'Manion 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Part I"
  • "Part III"
1982 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Reverend Tull 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Adventures of Pollyanna"
The Adventures of Pollyanna Reverend Tull
Falcon Crest D.A. Martin Deering / Michael Deering 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Penultimate Questions"
    * "Ultimate Answers"
Magnum, P.I. Clarke Troubshaw 1 episode of television series:
  • "Foiled Again"
Dallas Bill Johnson 3 episodes of television series:
  • "Hit and Run"
  • "The Ewing Touch"
  • "Post Nuptial"
1985 Crazy Like a Fox [Extra] 1 episode of television series:
  • "Till Death Do Us Part"
Murder, She Wrote Todd Worthy 1 episode of television series:
  • "Murder in the Afternoon"
General Hospital Algernon Durban
1986 The Challenge Dennis Conner Miniseries
Cyclone Tracy Harry Miniseries
1989 The Flying Doctors Richard Hull 1 episode of television series:
  • "No Tears"
Mission: Impossible Woodward 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Greek"
Trouble in Paradise Arthur
1992 Frankie's House Major Frey
1990-1992 Embassy Ed Benson 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Pilot" (1990)
  • "Nice Guys Finish Last" (1992)
1993 The Feds: Terror Milton Morehouse
Irresistible Force Lieutenant Nash
1994 The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Corky 1 episode of television series:
  • "Hey St. Jude"
1995 Mirror, Mirror Sir Ivor Creevey-Thorne
1996 Mercury Jack Koper
Flipper F.C.C. Agent Smiley / Quarantine Doctor 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Monkey Island"
  • "Radio Free Flipper"
1997 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Saxon
1998 13 Gantry Row Russell
2000 Tales of the South Seas Luke 1 episode of television series:
  • "The Rabblercrouser"
On The Beach United States President
The Lost World Phil Dillon 1 episode of television series:
  • "Tourist Season"
2001 Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story Adolphe Menjou
2000-2002 BackBerner [Various] 6 episodes of television series
2003 Future Tense
Farscape Doctor Adrian Walker 2 episodes of television series:
  • "Terra Firma"
  • "A Constellation of Doubt"
Always Greener Nigel Milne 2 episodes of television series:
  • "More Things in Heaven and Earth, Elizabeth"
  • "A Tangled Web"
CNNNN: Chaser Non-Stop News Network Commander Oscar F. Hepple 2 episodes of television series:
  • Season 2, Episode 3
  • Season 2, Episode 8
2004 Salem's Lot (2004 miniseries) Doctor (uncredited)
2005 Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure Aaron Spelling
MDA Doctor Nick Standish 4 episodes of television series:
  • "Second Chance: Part 1"
  • "Second Chance: Part 2"
  • "Second Chance: Part 3"
  • "Second Chance: Part 4"
2009-2011 The Jesters Agent Smith 2 episodes of television series:
  • "All Nighter" (2009)
  • "Staged" (2011)
2012 Climb Every Mountain with Nicholas Hammond Himself Documentary narrated by Nicholas Hammond for the BBC about the secrets behind the film The Sound of Music and how the original Von Trapp family made a living as the Von Trapp Family Singers
2015 Gallipoli Henry Nevinson Famed war correspondent for The Telegraph appearing in several episodes

References

  1. ^ a b c "Nicholas Hammond Biography profile". FilmReference.com. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  2. ^ Eileen Bennett profile, georgeformby.co.uk; accessed June 25, 2015.
  3. ^ The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  4. ^ Edlitz, Mark. "'Spider-Man' flashback: Nicholas Hammond, reeling in the years". LA Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Mangels, Andy (October 2010). "Spinning the Story of the Amazing Spider-Man". Back Issue! (44). TwoMorrows Publishing: 44–48.
  6. ^ Heffernan, Virginia (January 1, 2005). "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure: If You've Got It, Flaunt It: ABC Trumpets an 80's Hit". The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
  7. ^ "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure: Credits". Der-denver-clan.de. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
  8. ^ "James Galea: Breaking Magic". www.discovery.com. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  9. ^ Coates, Tyler (March 21, 2019). "The Real-Life People Portrayed in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Esquire. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Bond, Nick. "Australia's Own Von Trapp Child". Star Observer. Retrieved 19 November 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nicholas Hammond.
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