Donald Hamilton(1916-2006)
- Writer
Born in Sweden, the son of a Swedish count (who renounced his title when
he emigrated to the U.S.) Donald Hamilton graduated from the University
of Chicago and served in the Navy during the second World War. He has
published 27 novels in the Matt Helm Series, from 1960-1992, as well as
several other novels and magazine articles. Hamilton lived aboard his
motor-yacht, the "Kathleen", in the waters of Connecticut, for a number
of years before finally returning to his native Sweden. Once there he
bought and lived about a surplus patrol boat, which he christened the
'Maagen' or 'Seagull' (in Danish,) until sustaining a fall that
required his being placed in a nursing home, where he died in his sleep
on November 20, 2006.
One of the last truly "American" suspense series writers, his Matt Helm series, translated to the screen for Columbia Pictures, starring Dean Martin, ranks up there with John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee, as the quintessential American anti-hero.
Hamilton was working on the manuscript of the 28th Matt Helm novel at the time of his death, tentatively titled "The Dominators." Visitors to the UCLA library can find an early draft of this work there among his papers.
One of the last truly "American" suspense series writers, his Matt Helm series, translated to the screen for Columbia Pictures, starring Dean Martin, ranks up there with John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee, as the quintessential American anti-hero.
Hamilton was working on the manuscript of the 28th Matt Helm novel at the time of his death, tentatively titled "The Dominators." Visitors to the UCLA library can find an early draft of this work there among his papers.
