Earl Hammond

In the vast landscape of mid-20th-century entertainment, few performers demonstrated the versatility and enduring talent of Earl Hammond. Born Erwin Saul Hamburger in Manhattan, New York City, Hammond would become a prolific voice actor and performer whose career spanned radio, television, and animation, leaving an indelible mark on multiple generations of audiences.

Early Beginnings in Buffalo

Earl Hammond was born on June 17, 1921, in Manhattan, but his family moved to Buffalo, New York, while he was still a toddler. His journey into performance began remarkably early, as he started acting in radio at the tender age of 7. After graduating from Bennet High School in 1938, Hammond began performing in Fred and Ethel Dampier's radio skits on WGR, a major local radio station.

His passion for performance led him to California, where he studied acting and graduated in 1941, sharing classrooms with future stars. However, his budding career was interrupted by World War II, during which he was drafted into the U.S. Army.

The Radio and Television Years

After being discharged from military service, Hammond moved to New York City, where he immersed himself in the performing arts. The late 1940s saw him performing in radio dramas, summer theater, and off-Broadway productions. During this period, he established himself as a regular on radio soap operas, playing a young lawyer . His television career began in the early 1950s, with notable roles that showcased his range. He played Sergeant Lane on the police drama Inside Detective and was even one of the first actors to portray Buck Rogers in the science fiction adventure series that ran from April 15, 1950, to January 30, 1951. In the mid-1950s, he became a familiar face on the CBS soap opera, playing Hal Soames.

Voice Acting and Animation Legacy

Hammond's most enduring legacy would be in voice acting. He became particularly renowned for his work in animated series of the 1980s. He provided the voices for iconic characters like Mumm-Ra and Jaga in ThunderCats, and the villain Mon*Star in SilverHawks . His vocal talents were so respected that in 1994, he was personally selected by Pope John Paul II to narrate the Random House audiobook about the pontiff's life.

Personal Life and Final Chapter

While details of his personal life remain somewhat private, we know Hammond married between 1950 and 1980 and had two children. His remarkable career came to a close when he passed away on May 19, 2002, in New York City, succumbing to heart failure.

Works and Appearances

Radio

• Various radio soap operas (1940s)
• Fred and Ethel Dampier's radio skits on WGR (1938)

Television

• Inside Detective - Sergeant Lane (1950-1953)
• Buck Rogers - Title character (1950)
• Love of Life - Hal Soames (1954-1955)
• ThunderCats - Mumm-Ra, Jaga, Snarf (1985)
• SilverHawks - Mon*Star (1986)

Film

• ThunderCats: The Movie (1985) - Voice roles including Jaga, Mumm-Ra
• Moses: Egypt's Great Prince (1998) - Voice work

Earl Hammond's career exemplified the versatility and adaptability required of performers in the mid-20th-century entertainment landscape, bridging radio, television, and animation with remarkable skill and passion.