A Hampton icon has passed, leaving a strong feeling of loss but an even larger bank of memories. For many of us in Hampton it is fair to say, “Gordon, we hardly knew you”. His early life in New York City and on Long Island brought benefits to his last home in Hampton. Gordon Hansen unpacked a plethora of skills when he arrived, all with an ever-present sense of humor and humility. He was truly a citizen of the year from beginning to end.
Gordon was born in 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from high school as valedictorian. His passion for theatre began in youth and carried throughout his lifetime. A successful businessman, Gordon ran an agency and traveled often to Germany, South America and Mexico. There was never a problem relating to a new culture and language. His acting talents helped him to fit into any place at any time. As the link between manufacturer’s here and buyers abroad, he excelled in expediting business across many borders and continued this effort even after leaving the city.
Gordon served in the US Army during the Korean War. His tour of duty brought him to the front lines on Christmas Eve and he never forgot scraping snow off his holiday dinner with a shovel. He was assigned guard duty and clearly remembers the intense cold, dark nights and not knowing where the borders or the enemy were. Many years later, Gordon gave a Memorial Day Address and his memories provide a glimpse of the hidden side of this very complex man. He was a patriot in the best of ways, looking for peace and hoping to help his comrades survive. At another Memorial Day event, he read the whole of the Gettysburg Address, calling it the “finest speech” ever made by an American. He urged those who were silent to speak in order to ensure that government by the people was the core of this country. In 2016, Gordon was Grand Marshall of the Memorial Day Parade. He survived to model the faith of all the American values he prized.
Gordon and Angelika married in 1977 and moved to Hampton in 1982. They left behind a five acre horse farm on Long Island and settled into a grand old house on Main Street, suitable for living life to its fullest. When the couple was asked to write about “how” they arrived in Hampton, Angelika described the long search and the difficult decision to move to the country. Gordon defined “how” literally. The “why” or “how come” was supplanted by his picture of a loaded car carrying one sedated dog, one cat, and two caged birds. As he explained, the definition of a word is a matter of perspective.
The beat of the city was always present, but he found a way to be part of the rural town he moved to with his wife. Juan Arriola notes his years of interaction with him as follows: “Gordon had such a strong sense of civic duty. He was involved in all aspects of village life. Chairman, director, moderator, emcee, host, you name it – Gordon was “A Man for All Seasons.” And throughout, he shared that wonderful sense of humor – all the way to the end.”
The ability to direct, produce and act in theatre is the skill that truly enriched his life and that of many others. A brief synopsis is in order but the full record of his accomplishments exceeds the pages of this newsletter. In the ’60’s Gordon assisted in the reopening of the Brooklyn Central YMCA Theatre and launched a Mobile Touring Company, performing in the New York area. Members of the touring group had day jobs and added hours to their schedule to get on the bus and perform after the daily job was over. He won two Best Director Awards at Flagg Court Playhouse in Brooklyn and acted in many roles at Manhattan’s West 41st Street Theatre. His performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe received an award from the association of Long Island Theatres.
His love of theater made it inevitable that he would someday live next door to Jim Ryan who also combined prosaic skills with a love of acting. The house on Main Street hosted many events and holidays teaming Gordon and Angelika as providers of food for body and mind, encouraging conversation suitable for the capitals of the world.
When interviewed after moving to Hampton, Gordon was asked about reentering the world of theatre. He noted that it was a jump not unlike recovering from a drinking problem. In 1985, Gordon acted in I Ought to Be in Pictures by Neil Simon and received a “Good Job” card from the author. Gordon presided as Director of Over the River and Through The Woods, the opening production of the Windham Theater Guild in 2003. He also directed productions for the Little Theatre of Manchester and received an award for Lend Me a Tenor.
Fred Curry noted in an interview years past that Westport had Paul Newman but Hampton had Gordon Hansen. And so it was. The Willimantic Chronicle wrote of Gordon’s ambition to make Hampton a town where the whole community would be a stage. In addition to works from Chekhov to Capote, Gordon produced Christmas plays and instituted a young people’s play reading group. Anne Curry remembers this part of her life with great pleasure. She also shared one of Gordon’s “tricks” to keep performances fresh! Anne related the following memory: “Usually, after a grueling schedule of rehearsals and the final week before opening, performers were somewhat shaky. During one scheduled curtain raising, Gordon called me aside five minutes before I went on stage. With a twinkle in his eye, Gordon asked me to change the inflection of my first speech, to forget what had been rehearsed and give it a new point of stress. I did it.” She still remembers looking out at Gordon and seeing him smile. The play was fresh and wonderful and so was Anne.
In a remarkable change of character, Gordon portrayed Scrooge in A Christmas Carol during one holiday season. An incredible performance of Chekov’s The Boor, presented on a stage constructed in Scott and Kaye Johnson’s barn, was better than anything seen on Broadway. Magnificent acting, production, costumes, and audience were brought together that month. Christmas plays were also performed at the Community Center featuring local Hamptonians in roles that seemed made for them alone. Gordon gave his all, including sleepless nights, and in return, everyone else involved went without sleep to ensure perfection.
Gordon served as Chair of the town’s Republican Party for over a decade. Kathi Newcombe, who later served as GOP Chair, wrote “Gordon Hansen always had a passion for the theatre, for good food and drink, for the Republican Party, and for life in general. He brought a unique energy to the Republican Town Committee. I greatly enjoyed working with him – his presence will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.”
His interest in education and young people extended from Hampton Elementary to Parish Hill. As Chairman of the Board of Education during eight difficult years, Gordon placed the children’s success above other considerations and he was willing to challenge the past in order to improve the future. “As a new member of the Board of Education,” Kathy Donahue said. “Gordon was a mentor and became a good friend. His advocacy for both the students and the taxpayers included many trips to Hartford for full funding of state mandates.”
“Direct and straight forward, Gordon was a master communicator and director. A man committed to neighborhood and world improvement through military and public service, he was a true mentor for all citizens to follow. Some of my favorite conversations were hosted in Gordon and Angelica’s home,” Allan Cahill recalled. “On a warm evening many summers ago, my wife Renee handed me the phone – ‘Gordon Hanson here. I’m with Morris Burr. We decided you need to run for Selectman’. How could anyone say no?”
Looking at a lifetime is an awesome assignment and especially so for Gordon Hansen. He was one of a kind, not easily captured in words although perhaps a play could be fashioned someday. He was many things to many people but always the Leading Man to his wife of many years. We all will have memories. Gordon wore a coat of many colors, all of them bright and true. We will remember him well.
Jean Romano