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Michael J. Hamilburg was born on June 15, 1933, in Beverly Hills, California. He was the sole son of literary agent Mitchell J. Hamilburg (1900–1968) and Beabe Rafsky Hamilburg (1906–1993), who worked as a seamstress in Warner Bros.' wardrobe department during the 1930s.
After graduating from University High School, Michael attended Menlo College. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and following his discharge, he joined his father's agency, eventually assuming leadership of the Mitchell J. Hamilburg Agency after his father's passing.
Under Michael's direction, the agency's literary division grew to represent notable figures such as his cousin, novelist Clifford Irving (his mother's first cousin), Senator George Mitchell, Senator Edmund Muskie, White House Press Secretary George Reedy, musician and poet Jim Morrison of The Doors, baseball icon Jackie Robinson, and columnist Jack Anderson. While he represented former prosecutor and author Vincent Bugliosi, Michael declined to represent 1960s cult leader Charles Manson. Nevertheless, he did represent Mel Weinberg, a swindler-turned-informant whose story was portrayed in David O. Russell’s 2013 film "American Hustle," with Weinberg serving as a technical consultant.
Michael Hamilburg also served as an associate producer on the 1974 film The Yakuza. He contributed to organizing other film projects including Von Ryan's Express (1965), Shaft (1971), and Billionaire Boys Club (2018).
He was co-executive producer of the 1994 movie White Mile, centered on a whitewater rafting competition and starring Alan Alda, Peter Gallagher, and Robert Loggia. The film earned nominations for two Golden Globes and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special.
Michael maintained a friendship spanning over 40 years with Jim Preminger, nephew of Otto Preminger and son of talent agent Ingo Preminger. The two were collaborating on a project until shortly before Jim's passing.
Michael J. Hamilburg died on January 1, 2016, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease at his home in Los Angeles. He was 82 years old. He is survived by his wife, Susan, and two daughters, Georgia and Lucy.
