Lois Hamilton was an American model, author, actress, artist and aviator who appeared in many magazines, films and TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s. She was known for her roles in The Cannonball Run, Stripes, Summer Rental and The Dukes of Hazzard. She was also a skilled pilot and a talented sculptor and painter. However, behind her glamorous and adventurous life, she struggled with depression and addiction. On December 23, 1999, she committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills in a hotel room in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was 56 years old.
Early Life and Career
Lois Hamilton was born Lois Irene Yanessa on October 14, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied at Temple University in her native Philadelphia before attending the University of Florence in Florence, Italy, where she received degrees in psychology and fine arts. Her looks brought an opportunity with the Ford Modeling Agency where she became one of its top models during the 1970s. Hamilton graced the covers of many magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Fortune, Mademoiselle, Vogue Italia, Prevue, Neue Revue Illustrierte, Newsweek, Paris Match, Hello!, Redbook, Ladies’ Home Journal, Glamour, Time, and many others. Some of her ad campaigns included Chanel, Clairol, Halston, Pucci, and Hermès; in all, she appeared in over 150 commercials worldwide during her career.
She moved to Hollywood, where she made a successful transition from model to actress. Within a year, she landed more TV stints than any other actress at her agency. She worked with such notables as Ivan Reitman, Neil Simon, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford, Ned Beatty, Burt Reynolds, John Candy, John Larroquette, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Bill Murray, Jane Fonda, Dean Martin, Carl Reiner, David Carradine, Sammy Davis Jr., Steve Guttenberg and Thomas R. Bond II to name a few. Under the name Lois Hamilton or Lois Areno (her mother’s maiden name), she appeared in Stripes and several Hollywood films as well as on television shows including many popular series such as Card Sharks (as a model), The Dukes of Hazzard (as Mary Lou Pringle) and Three’s Company (as Lana Shields).
Passion for Flying and Art
When she was not involved in a feature film or television project, she took to the skies, where she was a licensed private pilot. She logged over 600 hours in the air and was an accomplished aerobatic pilot, flying her 1936 German biplane. She also participated in air shows and races, and once flew under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Hamilton was also an accomplished sculptor, painter and writer. She exhibited her bronze sculptures and oil paintings in many one-woman shows in Los Angeles. She also wrote a book titled Angels Don’t Die: My Father’s Gift of Faith, which chronicled her near-death experience after a car accident in 1984 that left her with severe injuries and a broken neck. She claimed that she saw angels and heard God’s voice during her coma, and that her father, who had died when she was young, helped her recover.
Depression and Suicide
Despite her achievements and talents, Hamilton suffered from depression and addiction to alcohol and drugs. She had several failed relationships and marriages, and felt lonely and unhappy. She also faced legal troubles after being arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles in 1998. She fled the country rather than face a prison term for the charge.
On December 23, 1999, Hamilton locked herself in her hotel room at the Sheraton Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Apparently depressed over her lingering injuries from the car accident earlier in the year, she took a fatal overdose of sleeping pills. She left a note saying that she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered over the ocean. She was found dead by hotel staff the next day. She was interred in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California.
Legacy
Lois Hamilton was a multifaceted star who left behind a legacy of beauty, talent and courage. She touched many lives with her acting, modeling, flying and art. She also inspired many people with her faith and resilience. She is remembered as a woman who lived life to the fullest, but also as a woman who struggled with inner demons and ultimately succumbed to them.
