Harry Hamlin: A Look Back on the 'LA Law' Actor's Early Days + Career

Perhaps most well-known for his role of Michael Kuzak in the famed legal drama LA Law, Harry Hamlin achieved heartthrob status as a young actor in the 80s and has maintained it ever since. He made his on-screen debut in the 1976 television movie The Taming of the Shrew, followed by Movie Movie and a lead role in the series Studs Lonigan.

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However, it was 1981's Clash of the Titans that put him on the map for his role as Perseus, son of Zeus. Another noteworthy film of his career came in 1982, titled Making Love, where he played a gay character.

"People come up and thank me for making the film and say they were affected by it and that it helped them come out or it helped them talk to their parents about their sexuality," Hamlin told PEOPLE in 2022. "Very rarely does one have an opportunity to have that kind of effect out there in the zeitgeist."

By 1986, he began a long run on LA Law until 1991. By the time he made his debut on the legal drama, Hamlin was a certified dreamboat, even earning the highly coveted title of PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive in 1987.

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After LA Law, Hamlin could be seen across various TV movies such as Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View (1992), Poisoned by Love: The Kern County Murders (1993), and In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness (1994), to name a few.

The end of the 90s brought Hamlin television roles in series like Movie Stars, Veronica Mars, and later into the 2000s, roles in Army Wives, Shameless and Mad Men.

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Today, Hamlin keeps busy, his most recent roles being in Mayfair Witches and 80 for Brady in 2023. Here, take a look at some dashing photos of the actor during his time as a young star.

Harry Hamlin young

1981: Harry Hamlin playing the part of Perseus

Harry Hamlin shined in his breakout role in 1981.

1982: A bold career move

Harry Hamlin played a gay character in the 1982 film, Making Love.

"I think it had been offered to pretty much everybody in town and everyone had turned it down because they thought it might be damaging to their careers."

"I didn't see it that way," the actor told PEOPLE. "I was looking for something serious and something meaningful, rather than doing a movie about vampire bats invading a small town in the Midwest, which is the type of fare I was being offered at the time."

1984: The actor sports a tousled, curly look

Harry Hamlin looks adorable in a suit and tie with his wavy locks flowing in this 1984 snapshot.

1991: Harry Hamlin enjoys the great outdoors

Harry is photographed at his home on Mulholland Drive in 1991.

1993: Father and son

The actor embraces his son Dimitri in this 1993 photograph — and Hamlin manages to look effortlessly cool in a tank top and shades.

1994: When Harry met Lisa

Harry poses alongside his wife, Lisa Rinna, known for her work as a soap opera actress, as well as for her time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

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1997: Wedding bells

Harry and Lisa tied the knot in 1997 and have been happily married ever since.

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