Who is Veronica Hamel?
Veronica Hamel was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, on 20 November 1943 – her zodiac sign is Scorpio, and she holds American nationality. She’s an actress, film producer and a former model, who has been credited with appearing in more than 50 movies and TV series, while she’s perhaps still known best for her portrayal of one of the lead characters, Joyce Davenport, in the critically acclaimed mystery crime series “Hill Street Blues”. Created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, it also starred Daniel J. Travanti and Michael Warren, and follows the lives of several police officers; the series aired from 1981 to 1987, and won 85 awards, including 26 Primetime Emmys, while it was nominated for 109 other awards.
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Early life and education
Veronica was raised in Philadelphia by her parents; her mother was a housewife, and her father was a carpenter. She hasn’t mentioned having any siblings, and is thus believed to be an only child.
She grew-up being focused on her studies, as both her parents urged her to pursue a college degree. Veronica attended a local high school at which she was physically highly active, playing soccer for the school’s team and practicing gymnastics. Upon matriculating in 1961, she enrolled at Temple University, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965.
Veronica then found a job at a local company, and in 1968 launched her modelling career, after having been scouted by Eileen Cecile Ford, the late American model agent.
Roles in movies
Veronica launched her acting career in 1971, with her portrayal of Model in the popular mystery crime thriller “Klute”, directed by Alan J. Pakula, and which starred Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and Charles Cioffi. It follows a police detective who’s trying to locate a missing man, and the movie won 10 awards, including a Best Actress Oscar for Jane Fonda, while it was nominated for five other awards. A couple of Veronica’s other notable performances in the ‘70s were in the 1975 comedy “Apple Pie”, the 1976 action crime comedy “Cannonball!” and the 1977 drama “The Gathering”.
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After over 10 years of appearing in mediocre movies, Veronica was cast to star as Elizabeth in the hit 1990 comedy “Taking Care of Business”, directed by Arthur Hiller, and which also starred Jim Belushi and Charles Grodin; the film follows a convict who’s posing as his friend, who’s an advertising executive. Veronica was then invited to appear in a couple of other successful movies, including the 1991 thriller drama “Stop at Nothing”, the 1994 thriller “Shadow of Obsession” and the 1994 drama “A Child’s Cry for Help”.
In 1995, she portrayed the lead character Lily Munster, in the science fiction horror comedy “Here Come the Munsters”, directed by Robert Ginty, and which also starred Edward Hermann and Robert Morse; the movie follows The Munsters who have come to America to find their relative Norman Hyde, who has become Brent Jekyll, and is running for congress.
Veronica has since appeared in only a couple of movies – her most recent roles have been in the 2001 crime drama “Determination of Death”, and the 2007 science fiction horror “Bone Eater”.
Roles in TV series
She made her debut TV series appearance in the 1975 episode “How Cruel the Frost, How Bright the Stars” of the action crime drama “Kojak”, and the remainder of the ‘70s saw her make a guest appearance in an episode of various series, including the crime drama “Joe Forrester”, the comedy “The Bob Newhart Show”, and the action crime drama “Switch”.
She gained recognition in 1981, when cast to play the lead character, Jennifer North in both episodes of the drama mini-series “Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls”; it also starred Catherine Hicks and Lisa Hartman, and follows three women who have come to New York City to work in show business.
Veronica appeared in only two other series in the ‘80s: the dramas “Kane & Abel” and “Twist of Fate”.
Her following TV series role came in 1998, when she portrayed Judge Dolores Chaphin in the 1998 episode “The Wind Beneath My Wings” of the family fantasy drama “Touched by an Angel”, and Veronica was then cast to make a guest appearance in an episode of both the mystery crime drama “The Division”, and the mystery action drama “The Fugitive”.
Most recently, between 2004 and 2010, she played Margo Shephard in the critically acclaimed adventure fantasy drama “Lost”, created by J. J. Abrams and Jeffrey Lieber, and which starred Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway and Yunjin Kim. The series follows several people who have survived a plane crash, and have found themselves stranded on a tropical island; it won 123 awards, including 10 Primetime Emmys, while it was nominated for 397 other awards.
Although Veronica hasn’t appeared in any movies or TV series in the past decade, she hasn’t officially retired from acting.
Other credits
Veronica produced the 1991 thriller movie “Deadly Medicine”, and the 1992 drama film “Baby Snatcher”.
She could have been seen featured in a couple of documentaries, including the 2000 movie “Entertainment Tonight Presents: Hill Street Blues – Behind the Badge”, and the 2002 TV special “20 Years of Must See TV”.
Veronica has made a guest appearance in various talk-shows, including “Tomorrow Coast to Coast”, “Hour Magazine” and “The Duck Factory”.
Awards and nominations
Veronica won a 1985 Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series, for her performance in “Hill Street Blues”.
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She was also nominated for five Primetime Emmys between 1981 and 1985, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, all for her performance in “Hill Street Blues”.
Love life and relationships
Veronica prefers to keep the details of her love life to herself, but it’s still widely known that she was a married woman. In 1971, she exchanged vows with Michael Irving, a popular American actor who has appeared in close to 20 movies and TV series, and is probably still known best for his portrayal of Jayson in the crime series “Lou Grant”, which aired from 1977 to 1982.
Michael and Veronica divorced in 1981 for unknown reasons, but there are rumors circulating the internet claiming that one of them wanted to have children, and the other wanted to focus on their career, which led to their separation, followed by a divorce half a year later.
Veronica hasn’t spoken of any other men whom she has perhaps been with, so as of November 2021 she seems to be single, was once married and doesn’t have children.
Hobbies and other interests
Veronica was a huge fan of travelling, and her acting career has taken her to all the US states, as well as to many European and Asian countries; she rarely travels nowadays, as she prefers to stay at her home in Philadelphia.
She was physically highly active in her 20s and 30s, mostly because it was important for her career to stay fit. Veronica had several training sessions at the gym every week, and also enjoyed doing yoga.
Summer is her favorite season, mostly because she likes to sun tan at the beach.
She’s a huge lover of animals, and has had various pet dogs and cats.
Veronica enjoys watching movies late at night, and her favorite actor and actress are Clint Eastwood and Natalie Portman, while a couple of her favorite movies include “The Bridges of Madison County”, “Gran Torino” and “Leon: The Professional”.
Age, height and net worth
Veronica’s age is 77. She has long black hair and blue eyes, her height is 5ft 8ins (1.73m) and she weighs around 140lbs (65kgs).
As of November 2021, her net worth has been estimated at over $4 million.
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