Performer, singer, songwriter and Smurf voice over actor Hamilton Camp (aka Bob Camp and Hamid Hamilton Camp) died on Oct. 2, 2005, after a fall outside his Hancock Park home in Los Angeles, at the age of 70. The cause of death is still being determined, said his son, Hamilton Camp Jr.
Probably best known for his role as the handyman, Andrew Hummell, on the short-lived 1967 sitcom, HE AND SHE, which starred Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, Camp appeared in hundreds of TV shows, including guest roles on ER, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, MASH, THE MARY TYLER MORE SHOW, CHEERS, WKRP IN CINCINNATI, HILLSTREET BLUES, STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE and Titus.
He performed the voices of Harmony Smurf and Greedy Smurf in the long-running, hit animated series, THE SMURFS.
Camp was born Oct. 30, 1934, in London. After World War II, he moved to Canada and then to Long Beach with his mother and sister.
He began his career at age 12 in the motion picture, BEDLAM, with Boris Karloff. His extensive list of motion picture credits include DICK TRACY, HEAVEN CAN WAIT, ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN, MEATBALLS 2, S.O.B., EATING RAOUL, BIRD, UNDER FIRE and HARD FOUR.
In the field of improv comedy, Camp was one of the early Second City players as well as a member of the original cast of The Committee in San Francisco and Sills and Company in Los Angeles. He also appeared regularly in theater on Broadway and around the U.S.
Singer/songwriter, in 1961 he collaborated as Bob Camp with Bob Gibson on the folk album, Gate of Horn. In addition to subsequent albums with Gibson, Camp cut several solo albums for Elektra and Warner Bros in the 60s and 70s. He had a new solo album, Mardis Band in 1999 completed a CD, "Sweet Joy," about the fragility of life and his love for Rasjadah, his wife of 40 years, who died in 2002. The CD will be released in November.
In addition to his son, Camp is survived by three other sons, two daughters and 13 grandchildren, all of whom live in the Los Angeles area. Plans for his memorial service will be posted on his website, www.hamiltoncamp.com.
