Bernie Hamilton

Managed to avoid stereotyping for the most part in his early films years, his debut was as a baseball player in The Jackie Robinson Story (1950). His most important role was in the frank, groundbreaking drama One Potato, Two Potato (1964) as the black husband of a white woman (Barbara Barrie).

Brother of jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. Originally cast as "Roop" in the film, Claudine (1974), but was dropped when Diana Sands, originally cast in the title role, had to withdraw because of illness. Diana suggested that the role go to her friend Diahann Carroll. When Carroll auditioned and got the part, James Earl Jones was cast in the role of "Roop".

Initially a white actor was cast to play Captain Harold Dobey on "Starsky and Hutch" (1975). Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, however, remembered Bernie, who had already played a police captain in a previous Spelling-Goldberg TV show, and thought he'd provided the right chemistry and balance. Since they already had film on him, Bernie didn't need a screen test and secured the part.

After "Starsky and Hutch" (1975) ended, Hamilton spent twenty years producing R&B and Gospel records for the Chocolate Snowman label.

Produced and sang on the album "Capt. Dobey Sings the Blues". Captain Dobey was the gruff police captain he played for four seasons on "Starsky and Hutch" (1975).