Shirley Hamilton
Shirley Hamilton is a family-owned Chicago-based talent agency, founded in 1962, representing experienced actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials, and Live Events across Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The company has announced its closure effective May 1, 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Shirley Hamilton does
Shirley Hamilton Inc. is a privately held, family-owned talent agency founded in 1962 in Chicago by Shirley Hamilton, recognized as the oldest talent agency in the city. The firm represents experienced actors and models for bookings across TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials, and Live Events, and is SAG-AFTRA and AEA franchised. Its core products center on On-Camera Talent Representation organized by geography (Chicago exclusive talent, New York, Los Angeles), Voiceover Talent Representation segmented by gender and age (Male, Female, Non-Binary, Young Voices), and specialty offerings such as Hand Models and Real Families and Couples.
The agency connects its roster of professional performers with casting directors, advertising agencies, film and TV producers, and print clients, primarily through direct agency-to-client relationships across the Midwest, New York, and Los Angeles markets. Go-to-market is relationship-driven rather than digitally scaled, supported by content marketing through the company blog and a curated online talent showcase. Revenue mechanics follow standard talent agency commission structures on bookings, though pricing is not publicly disclosed.
The company is co-owned and operated by founder Shirley Hamilton's daughters, Lynne Hamilton (Agency Director) and Laurie Hamilton (Print Agent), following the founder's passing in 2011. The firm has announced it will cease operations effective May 1, 2026, after 64 years, and will stop accepting new projects and new talent as of April 1, 2026. There is no evidence of external investment, parent company ownership, or planned succession/transfer.
Shirley Hamilton firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shirley Hamilton
- Legal name
- Shirley Hamilton Inc.
- Website
- https://shirleyhamiltontalent.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Shirley Hamilton is a family-owned Chicago-based talent agency, founded in 1962, representing experienced actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials, and Live Events across Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The company has announced its closure effective May 1, 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shirley Hamilton industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Talent Representation Services
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Talent Agency & Representation Services (HSACAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Full-Service Artist Management (MPAIAGAA), Talent Casting & Auditions (Casting Directors, Open Calls) (HSACAHAL)
Keywords
Where Shirley Hamilton is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shirley Hamilton business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Shirley Hamilton product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shirley Hamilton is a SAG-AFTRA and AEA franchised talent agency that represents experienced actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials and Live Events. The agency maintains curated talent rosters organized by gender identity, age groups, voice types, and geographic locations (Chicago, New York, Los Angeles), connecting casting directors, producers, and advertising agencies with professional performers. Founded in 1962 and recognized as the oldest talent agency in Chicago, the agency announced its closure effective May 1, 2026.
Product overview
Shirley Hamilton is a talent agency representing experienced actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials and Live Events. Founded in 1962, it is the oldest talent agency in Chicago, SAG-AFTRA and AEA franchised. The company provides talent representation services through its core product offerings: On-Camera Talent Representation serving Chicago (with exclusive talent), New York, and Los Angeles markets; Voiceover Talent Representation across Male, Female, Non-Binary, and Young Voice categories; and specialty offerings including Hand Models and Real Families and Couples. The agency connects performers with ad agencies, film and print producers, and casting directors nationwide. The company announced closure effective April 1, 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- On-Camera Talent Representation Representation of actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Print, Industrials and Live Events, serving clients nationwide through the Chicago headquarters and talent branches in New York and Los Angeles.
- Voiceover Talent Representation Representation of voiceover talent across categories including Male Voices, Female Voices, Non-Binary Voices, and Young Voices for commercial, animation, narration, video game, and other voice-over projects.
- Chicago Talent (Exclusive) Chicago-based talent roster organized by gender identity (Male, Female, Non-Binary) and age categories (Teens, Kids), serving the Midwest entertainment market from the agency headquarters.
- New York Talent
Companies that use Shirley Hamilton
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Shirley Hamilton technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shirley Hamilton partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Shirley Hamilton competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Agency for the Performing Arts (APA): Mid-sized full-service talent agency representing actors, writers, directors, and producers across film, television, theatre, and commercials. Closely comparable in business model, SAG-AFTRA franchise structure, and category breadth, sitting in the same mid-market tier rather than mega-agency tier.
- Stewart Talent: Chicago-based talent agency with offices in additional markets, representing actors, models, and voice talent for commercials, film, television, industrials, and live events. Most direct comparable given shared Chicago headquarters, overlapping category coverage, and similar mid-size operational scale.
- Hessler Casting + Talent: Regional franchised talent agency representing actors, models, and voice talent for film, commercials, industrial, and live events. Comparable mid-size franchise agency operating in a similar casting-and-representation niche with on-camera and specialty categories.
- Gray Talent Group: Chicago-based talent agency representing actors, writers, and directors for film, television, theatre, and commercials. Comparable in operating geography (Chicago), franchise status, and service breadth to mid-career professional talent.
- Big Fish Talent Agency: Chicago-based SAG-AFTRA franchised talent agency representing actors, models, and voice talent for commercial, industrial, print, and on-camera work. Comparable as another franchised Chicago agency competing for the same local casting pool and corporate clients.
Regional players
- Paonessa Talent Agency: New York-based franchised talent agency representing actors and models for commercial, print, industrial, and live event work. Comparable in franchise credentials and on-camera/print category focus, though operating primarily in the NY/Northeast market rather than Chicago.
Broad incumbents
- United Talent Agency (UTA): Major global talent and literary agency representing artists across film, television, theatre, voiceover, publishing, and digital. Directly comparable business model — franchised talent representation with multiple category divisions — but operating nationally and internationally.
- William Morris Endeavor (WME): One of the world's largest talent and literary agencies representing actors, directors, writers, and models globally. Comparable because it operates in the same core business of talent representation for TV, film, theatre, and live events that Shirley Hamilton serves, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
- Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Global full-service entertainment and sports agency representing actors, directors, writers, musicians, and athletes. Comparable on the same SAG-AFTRA franchised talent representation model and overlapping client base across TV, film, theatre, voiceover, and live events.
Emerging players
- DDo Talent Management: Boutique talent management firm representing actors and creatives across film, television, commercial, and digital. Comparable in representation-of-performers model and category breadth, but smaller and more digitally focused than Shirley Hamilton's traditional franchise model.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shirley Hamilton social profiles
Digital presenceShirley Hamilton financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shirley Hamilton leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Shirley Hamilton funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shirley Hamilton M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shirley Hamilton
What does Shirley Hamilton do?
Shirley Hamilton is a SAG-AFTRA and AEA franchised talent agency that represents experienced actors and models for TV, Film, Theatre, Voice-Over, Print, Industrials and Live Events. The agency maintains curated talent rosters organized by gender identity, age groups, voice types, and geographic locations (Chicago, New York, Los Angeles), connecting casting directors, producers, and advertising agencies with professional performers. Founded in 1962 and recognized as the oldest talent agency in Chicago, the agency announced its closure effective May 1, 2026.
Is Shirley Hamilton a public or private company?
Shirley Hamilton is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Shirley Hamilton founded?
Shirley Hamilton was founded in 1962. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Shirley Hamilton based?
Shirley Hamilton is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Shirley Hamilton's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Stewart Talent, Hessler Casting + Talent, Gray Talent Group and Big Fish Talent Agency. Paonessa Talent Agency is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are United Talent Agency (UTA), William Morris Endeavor (WME) and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). DDo Talent Management is listed as an emerging player.
Does Shirley Hamilton have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shirley Hamilton.
What industry is Shirley Hamilton in?
Shirley Hamilton's product category is Talent Representation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAHAK, Talent Agency & Representation Services, with a secondary code of MPAIAGAA, Full-Service Artist Management. Its NAICS code is 7114.