Earl Hammond
In Memoriam
The Buffalo News May 29, 2002 Wednesday, FINAL EDITION
Copyright 2002 The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
May 29, 2002 Wednesday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL, Pg.D8
HEADLINE: EARL
HAMMOND, NOTED FOR VOICE-OVER WORK
Earl
Hammond, an actor known for his television and voice-over work, died May
19, 2002, under Hospice care in New York City after a brief illness. He was 80.
A Buffalo native, Hammond was born Irwin Hamburger but changed his name in the
early 1940s as he began his acting career.
A 1938 graduate of Bennett High School, he began acting on Fred and Ethel
Dampier's radio skits on WGR radio. After a brief radio career in Buffalo, he
left to study acting at Los Angeles City College and graduated with future movie
stars Donna Reed and Alexis Smith.
After moving to New York City, Hammond began a television career that included a
run of several years as a lawyer on "Days of Our Lives." Gifted with
the ability to present accents and dialects, he had feature roles in numerous
commercials and was the voice of many TV cartoon characters. His last big
voice-over speaking role was the title voice in "The Mummy."
In 1994, Hammond was selected from several hundred actors who auditioned to be
the voice of Pope John Paul II on the audiotape version of the Random House book
"Crossing the Threshold of Hope." The publisher said the pope
personally selected Hammond.
Hammond is survived by a son, Eric of Chicago; a daughter, Gwenyth of Germany;
and two grandchildren.
A memorial service was held in New York City.
