Harry Hamlin, 71, says he changed his college major from architecture to acting after taking psychedelic drug

Harry Hamlin might have never pursued an acting career if he hadn’t taken a road trip to “one of the most magical places on Earth” before starting college in the early 1970s.

The 71-year-old actor told People magazine that he initially intended to study architecture at UC Berkeley, but his plans changed after taking a psychedelic drug given to him by a Hell’s Angel during a trip to a redwood forest outside of San Francisco.

“I began to see things in a different way and my curiosity was sort of turbo-charged,” the “Mad Men” alum recalled.

Harry Hamlin’s college plans changed after he accepted a psychedelic drug from a Hell’s Angel.
(Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Two days before registration for architecture classes at the university opened, Hamlin was invited on a road trip to La Honda, California. 

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The former “L.A. Law” star remembered that he and his friends spent the night at a hidden compound with tree houses.

The group was gathered around a campfire when they were approached by a Hell’s Angel who asked to borrow a wrench. The man used the wrench to open up a pipe in one of the tree houses and took out a “pile of blue pills,” which turned out to be psychedelics.

The biker gave Hamlin and each of his friends a blue pill to thank them for their help. Afterward, the California native missed the first day of registration.

“By the time I got there, a guy said classes had filled up but if I hot-footed it over to the drama department, I might be able to satisfy my requirements,” he explained.

The actor, who is pictured in 1979, said he took a "blue pill" during a road trip to "one of the most magical places on earth" before starting college in the early 1970s.
(Getty )

“I ended up in Acting 101,” Hamlin added. “I never got back to the architecture school.”

Hamlin later transferred to Yale University where he graduated with bachelor of arts degrees in drama and psychology in 1974.

He later launched a successful career in acting which now spans almost five decades. Over the course of his career, Hamlin won a Primetime Emmy Award and has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards.

“I think the key to longevity is to always pursue the next impossible task as an actor because you can never be an expert in this,” Hamlin told People. “There’s always another challenge.”

The “Clash of the Titans” star explained that he enjoys taking risks with his acting projects. While pursuing an M.F.A. in acting at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, he appeared naked on stage while starring in a production of “Equus.”

“They didn’t have us rehearse taking our clothes off so the first time we took our clothes off was actually the first night on stage together,” he remembered. “It was trial by fire.”

Hamlin added, “To have that experience as your first professional experience, nothing is going to scare you after that.”

The Emmy Award winner’s acting career now spans over five decades.
(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)

In 1976, the actor starred in a television production of William Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew.” He has also performed in stage productions of “Henry V,” “Hamlet” and “Macbeth.”

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In his interview with People, he revealed that he takes acting classes every Saturday, where he is studying “King Lear.”

“My lifelong pursuit has been to try and untangle the Shakespearean roles that I’ve done and want to continue to do,” Hamlin said.

“The thing about Shakespeare is it’s a big mystery and every play is a big mystery and you’ve got to figure out the key to get in — and unlock the mystery.”

“I’m just getting into Lear so to deconstruct this, and get to the point where I know what I’m doing with it, will probably take six months,” he added.

 “And then you have to memorize the play and then you spend another six months trying to figure out how to do it right.”

Hamlin will next be seen in the new AMC series “Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches,” which will premiere on Jan. 8. He is also starring alongside Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Jimmy O. Yang, Lily Tomlin and Tom Brady in the upcoming movie “80 for Brady.” The comedy is set to be released in theaters on Feb. 3.

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