Hammond was born in Melbourne, Florida, the son of Margaret and Max Hammond.[1] He played baseball in high school and at Brevard Community College. In high school, he was a teammate of San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy.[5] He went on to attend the University of Florida, where he graduated in 1978 with a degree in advertising and a 2.1 GPA.[5] He credits UF theater professor David Shelton for encouraging his work.[5] After completing college, Hammond moved to New York City where he worked as a waiter, studied at HB Studio, did roles in theater productions, performed one set at a comedy club at age 26, and then returned to Florida, where he became a voiceover artist in the Orlando area.[5]