DECEMBER 23, 2002

NEIL HAMILTON, WE SALUTE YOU!

As Commissioner James Gordon, Neil Hamilton shined where others have failed. Pat Hingle ruined his career by blowing the role a record four times in a row. Michael Chiklis, though not specificly playing Gordon, was not an awful Commish, but he didn't have the trust of his city's dark protector, so he can piss off. Part of the reality Hamilton brought to the role was his experience as an actor, having been one of the few to successfully jump from silent pictures to talkies. For some time, his career was almost non-existant, giving him an insight into the depths of the human soul, how close the abyss can be, and how hope pulls you back from that. Hamilton, who died naturally at the age of 85, had grappled with suicide, much like the Dark Knight himself at one point. The one drawback to the seriousness he brought to his best known role was that it was a campy comedy. He didn't get the joke, and was fairly upset at those making light of their work on the series. While this added to his ability as a straight man to the antics around him, it's a shame he couldn't laugh it off. On the other hand, Adam West has been trying to laugh it off for years. He and Shatner need to take a break from mocking themselves and find their way to a legitimate audition sometime soon.

If you want a biography, go somewhere else, pal. This is just a salute.

For further information about this week's DSFC WEEKLY SALUTE, NEIL HAMILTON

NEIL HAMILTON on the IMDB

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THE WHITE ROSE(1923)

Mr. Hamilton got his first big break in this classic film by the legendary D.W. Griffith. The two worked well together, and often. The exact number of films they worked on is incalculable, mainly because we haven't really looked into it. You'd forget anyway.

THREE WEEKENDS (1928)

An interesting film to note, mainly because his character's name is coincidentally James Gordon. Could this be why he was later cast in the role? Was Bob Kane influenced by this performance so much he named the character for a man who would later play him? Again, we didn't really look into it, but it's probably just a fluke.

BATMAN
(1966-1968)

He fought crime the way we all do: by picking up a bright red phone anonymously routed to the secret cave of a billionaire vigilante and asking said billionaire for help. Never once did he overstep his bounds or take the hero for granted by asking for extra dipping sauce with his swift justice.

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