James Graham Hamilton McOwat (born 27 November 1944) is a British stage and television actor who was the 15th President of Equity, the actors' trade union, between 2008 and 2010. Formerly vice-president for ten years, Hamilton has been involved in Equity's ruling Council since 1976, during his acting career in plays and musicals in the West End. He is known chiefly for his portrayal of Fagin in Oliver! After working in the West End, he played the villain in over twenty-one pantomimes, appearing at theatres throughout the UK. He was the architect of Equity's Annual Conference and its Rules that replaced the union's inadequate Annual General Meeting in 1995. In 2007, he was awarded Honorary Life Membership of Equity by its governing Council for distinguished service to the union.
Early Life
Graham Hamilton was born on 27 November 1944 in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He was educated at Giggleswick School in North Yorkshire, where he was taught English and directed in school plays by Russell Harty when the television presenter and chat-show host was a schoolmaster there. He trained as an actor at Rose Bruford College in London from 1963 to 1966.