Veronica Hamel (born November 20, 1943) is an American actress and model. She was nominated five times for an Emmy Award for her role as attorney Joyce Davenport in the TV police drama Hill Street Blues.
Biography The daughter of a Philadelphia carpenter and a housewife, Hamel graduated from Temple University. She worked as a secretary for a company that manufactured ironing board covers. She began a fashion modeling career after being discovered by Eileen Ford. In her first film role, she played a model in 1971's Klute, followed by roles in the disaster films Beyond the Poseidon Adventure and When Time Ran Out.
She was the model in the final cigarette commercial televised in the U.S. (for Virginia Slims, aired at 11:59 pm on January 1, 1971, on The Tonight Show). Such advertisements had been banned after passage of the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act. Hamel had also been a model in print advertisements for tobacco products inlcuding Virginia Slims and Pall Mall Gold.wclynx.com
Hamel started appearing in TV series in 1975. She was considered for the role of Kelly Garrett on Charlie's Angels, but reportedly declined the role. Producer Aaron Spelling cast Jaclyn Smith, instead. Hamel is best remembered for playing Joyce Davenport, the dedicated public defender, who also happened to be the love interest of police captain Frank Furillo, on the long-running TV series Hill Street Blues from 1981 to 1987. She was a five-time Emmy nominee for that role.
Hamel was cast in a leading role in Alan Alda's 1988 film A New Life as his doctor and love interest. She played Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Grodin's character in the movie Taking Care of Business in 1990. She was named on Us magazine's "Best Dressed" list for 1983.
In 2002, she also appeared on Hill Street Blues creator Steven Bochco's legal drama Philly. In the late 2000s, Hamel had a recurring role in the NBC television series Third Watch and appeared as Margo Shephard, Jack's mother, in the ABC series Lost.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1971KluteModelUncredited1976CannonballLinda MaxwellApple PieArtist1979Beyond the Poseidon AdventureSuzanne Constantine1980When Time Ran OutNikki Spangler1988Kay Hutton1990Taking Care of BusinessElizabeth Barnes1998The Last LeprechaunLaura Duvann2002Determination of DeathVirginia 'Ginny' Halloran
Television Year Title Role Notes1975KojakElenora"How Cruel the Frost, How Bright the Stars"1976Rosemary"Peeper Two"SwitchNabilla"Round Up the Usual Suspects"Starsky & HutchMarianne Tustin"Tap Dancing Her Way Right Back into Your Hearts"Sandy Lederer / Marcy Brownell"A Bad Deal in the Valley", "Return to the 38th Parallel"1977FamilyVicki Webber"Change of Heart"79 Park AvenueLaura KoshkoTV miniseriesHelenTV film1978Starsky & HutchVanessa"Hutchinson for Murder One"Ski Lift to DeathAndrea MasonTV filmJanet Wilde"The Intimate Friends of Janet Wilde"1979DallasLeanne Rees"Call Girl"HelenTV film1980EischiedShannon Marshall"Powder Burn"Sheila DodgeTV film1981Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the DollsJennifer NorthTV film1981–1987Hill Street BluesJoyce DavenportMain role1983SessionsLee / Randy ChurchillTV film1985Kane & AbelKate KaneTV miniseries1989Twist of FateDeborah"Part II"1990She Said NoElizabeth 'Beth' EarlyTV film1991Stop at NothingNettie ForbesTV filmDeadly MedicineKathleen HollandTV film1992Baby SnatcherBianca HudsonTV film1993Nora FreemontTV filmKitty DoddsTV film1994Stalker: Shadow of ObsessionRebecca KendallTV filmDr. Paula SpencerTV film1995SecretsEtta BerterTV filmHere Come the MunstersLily MunsterTV film1996In the Blink of an EyeMicki DickoffTV filmTalk to MeSadieTV film1997Home InvasionGeorgia PatchettTV filmStranger in My HomeJenniferTV film1998Touched by an AngelJudge Dolores Chaphin"The Wind Beneath My Wings"2001Myrna Roberts"Mother's Day"Dr. Diana Thayer"Flesh and Blood"2001–02PhillyJudge Marjorie BrennanRecurring role2002–03Third WatchBeth Taylor"Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Days", "The Price of Nobility", "My Opening Farewell"2004–2010LostMargo Shephard"White Rabbit", "There's No Place Like Home: Part 1", "Lighthouse"2008Bone EaterCommissioner HayesTV film
References
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