Bernie Hamilton
Bernard Hamilton (June 12, 1928 – December 30, 2008) was an American actor. He is best known as Captain Dobey in Starsky & Hutch (1975–1979).
Also recorded as Bernard Hamilton
Bernie Hamilton

NBC Television · ebay: https: Archive: https: archive.ph/ipBBM · Public domain
- Name
- Bernie Hamilton
- Birth Name
- Bernard Hamilton
- Born
- 12 June 1928
- Birthplace
- East Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Died
- 30 December 2008
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- acting
- Education
- Oakland Technical High School
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Bernard Hamilton (June 12, 1928 – December 30, 2008) was an American actor. He is best known as Captain Dobey in Starsky & Hutch (1975–1979).
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Bernie Hamilton (1928–2008) was an American actor, film actor and television actor. The actor was born and died in Los Angeles.
Bernie Hamilton studied at Oakland Technical High School. The actor was active in acting. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q282820 · wikipedia · Bernie Hamilton
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Bernie Hamilton • Birth Name — Bernard Hamilton • Born — 12 June 1928 • Birthplace — East Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Died — 30 December 2008 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1950–1985
Biography
Biography
Hamilton was born in East Los Angeles; his brother was jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. He attended Oakland Technical High School, where he first became interested in acting. In films from 1950, he labored in bit roles for years before getting noticed in the film One Potato, Two Potato (1964), the story of an interracial marriage. He is best remembered for his role as the brusque, no-nonsense Captain Dobey in the United States 1970s police series Starsky & Hutch. After Starsky and Hutch, Hamilton by and large quit acting, playing in only four roles, his last role being an episode of The Love Boat in 1985. Instead, he went into the music business, producing R&B and gospel records. Hamilton was also an impresario; starting in the late 1960s he ran a nightclub/art gallery called Citadel d’Haiti on Sunset Boulevard. Hamilton also produced rhythm and blues and gospel music recordings on his own record label called Chocolate Snowman. One of his releases featured himself; it was entitled Captain Dobey Sings the Blues. Hamilton married Maxine King on December 7, 1950, they divorced in 1968 after having two children, son Raoul and daughter Candy. Hamilton died on December 30, 2008, of cardiac arrest at the age of 80. A US Army veteran in the Korean War, he was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Selected filmography
Selected filmography
Selected filmography of Bernie Hamilton • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1950 — The Jackie Robinson Story — Ernie • 1951 — Bright Victory — Soldier — Uncredited • 1951 — The Harlem Globetrotters — Higgins — Uncredited • 1951 — Mysterious Island — Neb • 1954 — Jungle Man-Eaters — Zuwaba • 1954 — Carmen Jones — Reporter — Uncredited • 1955 — Kismet — Pearl Merchant — Uncredited • 1956 — Congo Crossing — Pompala • 1956 — The Girl He Left Behind — Corporal West — Uncredited • 1959 — Up Periscope — Weary — Uncredited • 1959 — Cry Tough — Policeman — Uncredited • 1959 — Take a Giant Step — Sharpie in Bar — Uncredited • 1960 — Alfred Hitchcock Presents — Dawson — Season 6 Episode 1: "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" • 1960 — The Young One — Traver — Directed by Luis Buñuel • 1960 — Let No Man Write My Epitaph — Goodbye George • 1961 — Underworld U.S.A. — Investigator — Uncredited • 1961 — The Devil at 4 O'Clock — Charlie • 1961 — The Law and Mr Jones — Bob Mills — "Lethal Weapons" • 1962 — 13 West Street — Negro • 1963 — Captain Sindbad — Quinius • 1964 — The Alfred Hitchcock Hour — Second Convict — Season 2 Episode 18: "Final Escape" • 1964 — One Potato, Two Potato — Frank Richards • 1965 — Synanon — Pete • 1967 — Stranger on the Run — Dickory • 1968 — The Swimmer — Chauffeur • 1969 — The Lost Man — Reggie Page • 1970 — Nam's Angels — Captain Jackson • 1970 — Walk the Walk — Mike • 1971 — The Organization — Lieutenant Jessop • 1972 — Hammer — Davis • 1973 — Scream Blacula Scream — Ragman • 1975 — Bucktown — Harley • 1980 — Battlestar Galactica 1980 — Police Chief — Season 1 Episode 8: "The night the Cylons Landed Pt 2"
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Bernard Hamilton. His recorded language was English.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2008
Bernie Hamilton died at Los Angeles.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Bernie Hamilton”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q282820: Bernie Hamilton
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Actor Bernie Hamilton, Capt. Dobey on 'Starsky and Hutch,' dies at 80. Los Angeles Times. 2009-01-01.
- 2.Lawson, Dominic. Bernie Hamilton: played Captain Dobey in Starsky and Hutch. The Times. 2009-01-02.
- 3.Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
References
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References
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Further particulars
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Bernie Hamilton studied at Oakland Technical High School.
The recorded source classes are reference work. Every statement above restates one of those records; where they are silent, this article is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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