David Hampton (1964-2003) was an African-American con artist who gained infamy in the 1980s after bilking a group of wealthy Manhattanites out of thousands of dollars by convincing them he was Sidney Poitier's son. His story became the inspiration for a play and later a movie, titled Six Degrees of Separation. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Al Capone. ... DOCS logo. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... “NY” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short, (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Sir Sidney Poitier KBE, (IPA pronunciation: ) (born February 20, 1927), is an Academy Award-winning Bahamian American actor, film director, and activist. ... Six Degrees of Separation is a 1993 film based on the John Guare play, starring Stockard Channing, Donald Sutherland and Will Smith. ...

Background

Hampton, the eldest son of an attorney in Buffalo, moved to New York City in 1981 and stumbled upon his now-famous ruse in 1983, when he and a friend were trying to get into Studio 54. Unable to gain entry, Hampton's friend decided to pose as Gregory Peck's son, while Hampton assumed the identity of Sidney Poitier's son. They were ushered in as celebrities. Hampton began employing the persona of "David Poitier" to cadge free meals in restaurants. He also persuaded at least a dozen people into letting him stay with them in their homes or to give him money, including Melanie Griffith; Gary Sinise; Calvin Klein; John Jay Iselin, the president of WNET; Osborn Elliot, the dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; and a Manhattan urologist. He told some of them that he was a friend of their children, some that he had just missed his plane to Los Angeles and that all his luggage was on it, some that his belongings had been stolen. Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The original Studio 54 logo. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Sir Sidney Poitier KBE, (IPA pronunciation: ) (born February 20, 1927), is an Academy Award-winning Bahamian American actor, film director, and activist. ... Melanie Griffith (born August 9, 1957 in New York City) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John Jay Iselin, great-great-great-great-son of John Jay, [1] currently serves as president of the Marconi fellowship foundation at Columbia University[2]. He also is an adjunct faculty member of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism [3] Until 2000, Iselin served as President of The Cooper... The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is the only journalism school in the Ivy League; it awards the Pulitzer Prize and duPont-Columbia Award; co-sponsors the National Magazine Award and publishes the Columbia Journalism Review. ... Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and of the male reproductive system. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ...

In October 1983, Hampton was arrested and convicted for his frauds and was ordered to pay restitution of $4,490 to his various victims. He was also banned from New York City. After he refused to comply with these terms, he was sentenced to a term of 18 months to 4 years in prison. A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something. ...

Six Degrees of Separation

Playwright John Guare became interested in Hampton's story through his friendship with two of his duped hosts — Osborn and Inger Elliott, who were outraged to find "David Poitier" in bed with another man the morning after they let him into their home. "Six Degrees of Separation" opened at Lincoln Center in May 1990, and became a long-running success. A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or drama. ... John Guare (pronounced gwâr, born 5 February 1938) is an American playwright. ...

Hampton attempted to turn the play's success to his own advantage, giving interviews to the press, gate-crashing a producers' party, and beginning a campaign of harassment against Guare that included phone calls and death threats, prompting Guare to apply for a restraining order in April 1991, which was unsuccessful. In the fall of 1991, Hampton filed a $100 million lawsuit, claiming that the play had stolen the copyright on his persona and his story. His lawsuit was eventually dismissed.

Even after being caught as a con-artist, Hampton had continued his life of crime. He had duped a play co-ordinator by claiming he was the actor playing David Hampton in the successful play Six Degrees of Separation, but when caught, he denied knowing the play co-ordinator. A New York bank manager once claimed he was con-ned by Hampton when he went on a date with him by $15 000 and 2 suits, he later claimed it was the best date has ever been on.

Death

David Hampton died of AIDS-related complications in 2003. He was in a Manhattan hospital being treated for his ill-ness.

External Links

New York Times articles

• Suspect in Hoax is Arrested Here in Rendezvous (October 19, 1983) [[1]]
• Teen-Ager Who Posed As Poitier 'Son' Guilty, (November 20, 1983) [[2]]
• Impersonator Wants To Portray Still Others, This Time, Onstage (July 31, 1990) [[3]]
• HEADLINERS; Playing Himself (August 5, 1990) [[4]]
• CHRONICLE: "DAVID HAMPTON told a judge yesterday that he was cleaning up his life.", (March 26, 1991) [[5]]
• About New York; He Conned the Society Crowd but Died Alone, (July 19, 2003) [[6]]