Mark Hamill

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Mark Hamill
Full name:	Mark Richard Hamill
Birth date:	September 25, 1951
Birth place:	Oakland, California
Occupation:	Actor
Education:	Los Angeles City College (studied drama and theater)
Parents:	William Hamill Suzanne Hamill
Spouse(s):	Marilou York (m. 1978)
Children:	Nathan Elias Hamill (b. 1979) Griffin Hamill (b. 1983) Chelsea Hamill (b. 1988)

Mark Richard Hamill (born September 25, 1951) is best known as Luke Skywalker from Star Wars and also known for voicing The Joker in a plethora of television series and video games of the Batman series. On Regular Show, he voices Skips, beginning with the pilot. Other roles he's played can be seen below.

Mark Hamill in 1978.

Early life

Mark Richard Hamill was born on September 25, 1951 in Oakland, California, being the fourth of seven children of William, a captain in the United States Navy, and Suzanne Hamill, a homemaker. Due to his father being in the United States Navy, he and his family relocated often, from his birth place California, Virginia, New York to even Japan. When asked who his hero was as a child, Hamill replied: "I used to watch Superman [sic] on TV, and i [sic] loved the idea of flying. i [sic] used to wonder if i [sic] wanted to fly like superman [sic] or Peter Pan [sic]. Peter Pan looked like it was more fun, Superman [sic] was so bolt straight. And i [sic] loved Zorro, the old Disney Zorro. What is it with guys with secret identities who go out and fight crime? And James Bond [sic]. I loved all that stuff." After graduating high school overseas at Yokohama High School in 1969, he and his family returned to the United States, where he started attending college at Los Angeles City College, where he studied drama and theater arts.

Career

Early roles

He soon made his acting debut on The Bill Cosby Show in 1970, where he began acting on television shows of the time, such as The Partridge Family, One Day at a Time and Night Gallery. He then landed a recurring role as Kent Murray on the medical drama General Hospital. Around this time he also made his voice acting debut in the film Wizards. He also co-starred on the short-lived series The Texas Wheelers in 1974. He continued playing small roles until playing David Bradford in the pilot of Eight is Enough, which he had signed on to do shortly before being offered to appear on Star Wars; on January 11, 1977, after attempting to be let out of his contract on Eight is Enough to act in Star Wars, Hamill was in a car accident where he and his BMW fell off a thirty-foot cliff, fracturing his nose and left cheekbone, requiring facial reconstructive surgery and requiring Eight is Enough to hire a new actor in his place. After three plastic surgery operations, his face was finally well-repaired and as Star Wars creator George Lucas still had not found someone to play Luke Skywalker, Hamill happily accepted the second offer.

Star Wars, Theatre and Batman

Hamill won the role of Luke Skywalker by auditioning and doing a screen test. Star Wars became a huge success, propelling Hamill and his co-stars into stardom. Hamill also won two Saturn Awards for Best Actor in Film for episodes V and VI.

After the original Star Wars trilogy ended, he focused on theatre, appearing in several plays such as The Elephant Man as John Merrick and Amadeus, portraying musical figure Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. For his role as Tony Hart in Harrigan 'n Hart, he was nominated for a Drama Desk award in the category of "Best Actor in a Musical". He also acted in such straight-to-video films as Corvette Summer, Time Runner and Village of the Damned.

He then started to voice act more often than in live action projects, landing the part of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and most of the following animated Batman projects. Describing how he won the role of The Joker, Hamill said this: "Well I'd heard that they were going to do and [sic] the model for the campaigns would be the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons of the 40's, and I'm a huge animation fan it [sic] knew it would be a much more sophisticated version. The [sic] gave me the part of Ferris Boyle in the first Mr. Freeze episode "Heart of Ice." What I loved about it, I thought it was so melancholy and so deep. Paul Dini wrote it and later got nominated for an Emmy. So I did it and I think what happened was that they were surprised what a fan boy I was, and how much I knew about Batman. I asked all these specific questions referencing the early comics.

So when they were doing the Joker auditions I think that played a big part as they asked me to audition. I thought no way would they have the person that played Luke Skywalker cast as the Joker - they are the quintessential extremes of good and evil. So I just assumed they wouldn't hire me so I went in with no apprehension. And I had been doing Amadeus on Broadway for the year. And so I was experimenting with that laugh for Amadeus and I brought it to the Joker audition and it player [sic] really well. And I felt cocky when I left and thought 'That's the best Joker they are every going to hear - too bad they can't hire me.' And then two weeks later when they called and said I got the job I immediately lost my confidence.

And then my friend told me you're pretty brave. And I said why is that? And he said I wouldn't want to follow Jack Nicholson on anything. And then I got even more scared. But fear is a great motivator." For his voice work as The Joker he has been nominated for two Annie Awards (in 1994 and 2001) and for two Video Game Awards (in 2009 and 2011). The video game Batman: Arkham City is the final installment of the Batman series to have Hamill voice The Joker.

Hamill has since guest starred on V.I.P., Amazing Stories, Third Rock from the Sun and SeaQuest DSV. He also acted as the villain in the Star Wars parody Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Voice acting and other projects

Outside of Batman he has also voice acted on The Simpsons, Robot Chicken and Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! and appeared on Just Shoot Me!. He also provided the voice of Colonel Christopher Blair in the video games Wing Commander III, Wing Commander IV and Wing Commander: Prophecy. He also provided the voice of the Hobgoblin in Spider-Man.

Hamill also co-wrote a five-part graphic novel, entitled The Black Pearl with Eric Johnson, with the first part being released on September 18, 1996. He has also directed, starred and produced the movie Comic Book: The Movie. He also wrote an introduction to Batman: Riddler Two-Face.

Regular Show

Despite voicing Skips on the show, he doubted Regular Show's success originally: "When i [sic] read the first script for The Regular Show i [sic] thought it was too weird for young people, it's surreal. I didn't think it had a chance but now it's on its sixth season." For his voice work as Skips he was nominated for an Annie Award in 2013.

Voice credits

This section may be incomplete

Season 1

1. "The Power" - Skips, Wizard, Monster
2. "Just Set Up the Chairs" - Skips, Clown, Destroyer
3. "Caffeinated Concert Tickets" - Translator, Kid #1
4. "Death Punchies" - Skips, Man #2
5. "Free Cake" - Skips, Man
6. "Meat Your Maker" - Skips, Hot Dog #1
7. "Grilled Cheese Deluxe" - Colonel, Jones, PA
8. "The Unicorns Have Got to Go" - Skips, Unicorn #3
9. "Prank Callers" - Skips
10. "Don" - Skips
11. "Rigby's Body" - Skips
12. "Mordecai and the Rigbys" - Skips, Boss

Season 2

1. "Ello Gov'nor" - Skips, Cricket #2, British Taxi
2. "Appreciation Day" - Skips, Monster
3. "Peeps" - Skips, Infomercial Boss
4. "Dizzy" - Skips, Man, Man 2
5. "High Score" - Jack Farley
6. "Rage Against the TV" - Skips, Dude 2
7. "Party Pete" - Skips, Jerk
8. "Brain Eraser" - Skips
9. "Benson Be Gone" - Skips
10. "But I Have a Receipt" - Skips
11. "This Is My Jam" - Skips
12. "Temp Check" - Skips, Flunky #2, Detective
13. "Jinx" - Skips
14. "Grave Sights" - Skips, Guy #2, Howard Fightington
15. "Really Real Wrestling" - Officer
16. "Over the Top" - Skips
17. "More Smarter" - Skips
18. "First Day" - Skips
19. "Skunked" - Skips
20. "Karaoke Video" - Skips

Season 3

1. "Stick Hockey" - Skips, Dave
2. "Bet to Be Blonde" - Skips, Mega Blonde
3. "Skips Strikes" - Skips, Wizard, Photographer
4. "Terror Tales of the Park" ("In the House") - Skips, Wizard, Wind
5. "Cool Bikes" - Skips, Cool Cop #1
6. "Rap It Up" - Skips, Guy #1
7. "Under the Hood" - Skips, Announcer
8. "Fortune Cookie" - Skips, Janitor
9. "Think Positive" - Skips, Benson's Dad
10. "Skips vs. Technology" - Skips
11. "Eggscellent" - Skips, Manetti
12. "Gut Model" - Skips, Manager
13. "Video Game Wizards" - Skips, Employee 1
14. "Out of Commission" - Skips, Jim, Carl

Season 4

1. "Exit 9B" - Skips, Destroyer of Worlds
2. "Starter Pack" - Skips
3. "Terror Tales of the Park II" - Skips, Bus Driver
4. "Pie Contest" - Skips
5. "150 Piece Kit" - Skips, Gunnar Von Strauss
6. "Bald Spot" - Skips, Guy 2
7. "Guy's Night" - Skips, Guy 1, Guy 3
8. "One Pull Up" - Skips
9. "The Christmas Special" - Skips
10. "TGI Tuesday" - Margaret's Boss
11. "Firework Run" - Skips, Armando, El Diablo
12. "The Longest Weekend" - Skips
13. "Do or Diaper" - Bucktooth Bob, Concierge, Guy 1
14. "Quips" - Skips
15. "Caveman" - Skips, Dog Catcher
16. "A Bunch of Full Grown Geese" - Skips, Baby Duck 4
17. "Limousine Lunchtime" - Skips, Rowdy Millionaire
18. "Picking Up Margaret" - Skips, Topsy, Old Guy
19. "Carter and Briggs" - Skips, Sam, Commissioner Davis
20. "Skips' Stress" - Skips
21. "Cool Cubed" - Skips, Translator
22. "Trailer Trashed" - Skips
23. "World's Best Boss" - Skips, Boss #1
24. "Sleep Fighter" - Skips, Guy
25. "Party Re-Pete" - Skips, Party Rob, Officer 2
26. "Steak Me Amadeus" - Skips, Louie

Season 5

1. "Wall Buddy" - Skips
2. "A Skips in Time" - Skips, Walks
3. "Survival Skills" - Skips
4. "Terror Tales of the Park III" - Skips, Killer Scarecrow
5. "Bank Shot" - Skips, Captain
6. "The Thanksgiving Special" - Skips, Benson's Dad, Thanksgiving Reenactor
7. "New Year's Kiss" - Skips
8. "Dodge This" - Skips
9. "Journey to the Bottom of the Crash Pit" - Skips, Carlock King, Carlock #5
10. "Saving Time" - Skips
11. "Guitar of Rock" - Skips, Ronnie, Bouncer
12. "Skips' Story" - Skips, Walks
13. "Return of Mordecai and the Rigbys" - Skips
14. "Bad Portrait" - Skips
15. "I Like You Hi" - Skips
16. "Expert or Liar" - Skips
17. "Catching the Wave" - Skips
18. "Gold Watch" - Skips
19. "Take the Cake" - Skips
20. "Skips in the Saddle" - Skips
21. "Thomas Fights Back" - Skips
22. "Bachelor Party! Zingo!!" - Skips
23. "Tent Trouble" - Skips

Season 6

1. "New Bro on Campus" - Skips
2. "Terror Tales of the Park IV" - Skips
3. "The End of Muscle Man" - Skips
4. "Lift With Your Back" - Skips
5. "The Real Thomas" - Skips
6. "Park Managers Lunch" - Skips
7. "Married and Broke" - Skips
8. "Benson's Suit" - Skips
9. "Gamers Never Say Die" - Skips
10. "Men in Uniform" - Skips
11. "Brilliant Century Duck Crisis Special" - Skips, Baby Duck 4, Jones
12. "Lunch Break" - Skips, Rep 2

Personal life

He resides in Malibu, California, with his wife Marilou York, who was his dental hygienist. They wed in a private civil ceremony. The couple married on December 17, 1978. They live with their dog. Together Mark and Marilou have three children: Nathan Elias (born June 25, 1979), an artist, Griffin (born March 4, 1983), a painter, and Chelsea (born July 27, 1988). Hamill's voice acting agency is Danis, Panaro & Nist. He also has two brothers and four sisters, being Terry, Jan, Jeanie, William, Jr. (a physician), Kim, and Patrick. Hamill also enjoys reading comic books, collecting things such as toys and playing water sports in his free time, and is also interested in puppets and magic.

External links

• Wikipedia article on Mark Hamill
• Mark Hamill's Instagram
• Mark Hamill's Twitter