THE MAN WITH THE TAN

Hollywood meets Düsseldorf” might be the catchphrase here since American actor George Hamilton fell in love in the Rhine metropolis. Together with his domestic partner, the Düsseldorf orthopedist Dr. Barbara Sturm, the star relocated from Malibu Beach to Oberkassel - one of Düsseldorf's districts on the left side of the Rhine, where many artists and advertising professionals reside, and where Joseph Beuys had his studio. According to George Hamilton, the Rhinelanders are very nice people and the “mixture of village and metropolis” reminds him of “lovely England”. And with a bit of luck one might meet up with the Hollywood star, born in Memphis Tennessee in 1939, while he takes one of his regular long walks with his dog “Dodo” along the Rhine.
The actor, whose real name is George Stevens Hamilton IV, has appeared in around 80 Hollywood films, TV series and shows together with such great Hollywood stars including Natalie Wood, Lana Turner and Olivia de Havilland, as well as with numerous lesser-known beauties. His roles range from a young rival in love, to a villain, to Count Dracula and to Al Pacino’s tough lawyer in Francis Ford Coppola’s „The Godfather, Part 3“. Of course, he’ll always be remembered for his role as the cunning film producer Joel Abrigore in the "Denver Clan".

Just as scintillating as his film career has been his private life, including his relationship with Lynda Bird Johnson, the daughter of President Johnson, which exploded into a scandal, bringing the career of the aspiring actor to a standstill in the 1960s. He also made headlines with his friendship with former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos. Hamilton’s first wife Alana would later marry Rod Stewart.

Hamilton’s eyes have retained their special twinkle and his ever-tanned face still sports that famous sparkling-white smile. “The Man with the Tan” also had no problem selling men’s skin care products on the shopping channel. To mark his 70th birthday on August 12th, Hollywood honored the actor befittingly: with a star on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.