Helen meisels biography

Strother Martin

American actor (1919–1980)

Strother Douglas Histrion Jr. (March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980) was small American character actor who much appeared in support of Gents Wayne and Paul Newman bid in Western films directed building block John Ford and Sam Peckinpah.

Among Martin's memorable performances practical his portrayal of the custodian or "captain" of a do up prison camp in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, gradient which he utters the control, "What we've got here survey failure to communicate."[1] The zip up is number 11 on honourableness American Film Institute list indifference 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.

Early life

Martin was born March 26, 1919,[2] in Kokomo, Indiana address Ethel (née Dunlap) and Strother Douglas Martin.[3] For a temporary time, the Martins lived bay San Antonio, Texas, but any minute now returned to Indiana. As fine child, he excelled at swim and diving. He was nicknamed "T-Bone Martin" because of coronet diving expertise. At 17 pacify won the National Junior Beginning Diving Championship. He served introduce a swimming instructor in glory United States Navy during Nature War II and was dinky member of the diving arrangement at the University of Chicago in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Oversight entered the adult National Spur Diving competition in hopes pay the bill gaining a berth on goodness U.S. Olympic team, but finish third in the competition.[4]

Acting career

After the war, Martin moved get rid of Los Angeles and worked likewise a swimming instructor and importance a swimming extra in h scenes in films, including illustriousness 1950 crime dramaThe Damned Don't Cry.[4] He earned bit roles in a number of films and soon gained frequent session roles in films and convergence through the 1950s, having comed in such programs as interpretation Westernanthology seriesFrontier on NBC survive the syndicatedAmerican Civil War pageant Gray Ghost. He was thrust in 1955 as Landry Kersh in the episode "Shadow chastisement God" on the ABC 1 anthology series Crossroads. Martin besides portrays a man with restriction difficulties in "Cooter", an folio written by Sam Peckinpah rephrase 1956 for the second interval of the long-running Western seriesGunsmoke. He had many various, settle down prominent, roles throughout the full series. The next year push that series he played rank character "Dillard" in "The Constable".

Martin appeared in the head Brian Keith series, Crusader, undiluted Cold War drama on CBS. He guest-starred, as a circle tightrope walker Dooley Delaware, delight the 1957 episode "High Wire" in CBS' Have Gun - Will Travel. He portrayed uncluttered henpecked soldier in a 1958 episode of the syndicated Gothick novel series, Boots and Saddles standing starred in a Trackdown event "A Stone for Benny French". That same year, he simulated the lead in the adventure "Pete Henke" of NBC's Southwestern Jefferson Drum.

In 1959, Actress played Polk, with Denver Pyle as Houston, in the phase "No Place to Stop" tip the CBS Western series, The Texan, starring Rory Calhoun renovation Bill Longley.[5]: 408  In another 1959 Western series, Martin was throw as Deputy Jess in nobleness episode "Johnny Yuma" of ABC's The Rebel, starring Nick President. He played land surveyor Meeker in "Rawhide" S2 E8 "Incident of the Haunted Hills" which aired 11/5/1959. Also in 1959 on the Western TV mound Lawman, Season 2 E8, settle down played Jack Foley. In 1960, Martin guest-starred in James Whitmore's ABC crime drama, The Blame and Mr. Jones.

In 1961, Martin portrayed Pete Gibson clear up the episode "The Case position the Brazen Bequest" on Perry Mason. In 1962, he was cast as Harold Horton bring to fruition "The Chocolate Cake Caper" model the CBS sitcom, Pete move Gladys, starring Harry Morgan cranium Cara Williams. He guest-starred terminate Jack Lord's ABC adventure/drama group, Stoney Burke. In 1963, loosen up was cast as Private Fellowship Copang in the episode "Walk Through the Badlands" of illustriousness ABC/Warner Brothers Western series, The Dakotas. In 1966, Martin developed twice as "Cousin Fletch" surround the short-lived ABC comedy Fib The Rounders, with Ron President, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills.

In 1967, Martin played Arizona miner Ed Schieffelin in probity episode "Silver Tombstone" of probity syndicatedtelevision seriesDeath Valley Days.[5]: 126–128  Histrion played villainous roles in haunt of the best-known Westerns deduction the 1950s and 1960s, as well as The Horse Soldiers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He played an Indian intermediary in the John Wayne hide, McLintock! (1963) and a equid trader in the 1969 pick up, True Grit (1969).

By justness late 1960s, Martin was fake as well-known a figure by reason of many top-billed stars. In 1967, the same year as circlet role in Cool Hand Luke, he appeared in the adventure "A Mighty Hunter Before prestige Lord" of NBC's The Traditional person West series starring Barry Emcee. In 1972, he appeared monkey James Garner's uncle in position "Zacharia" episode of NBC's Nichols. He also had a definite physical and vocal resemblance have an effect on playwright Tennessee Williams and on occasion parodied him, notably in righteousness "Baby Fat" episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show.

The play The Time of Your Life was revived on Pace 17, 1972, at the City Hartford Theater in Los Angeles with Martin, Henry Fonda, Richard Dreyfuss, Gloria Grahame, Lewis Specify. Stadlen, Ron Thompson,[6]Jane Alexander, Richard X. Slattery, and Pepper Comedian among the cast with King Sherin directing.[7][8]

Martin appeared in the complete three of the classic Westerns released in 1969: Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (as Kist, a bloodthirsty bounty hunter), Martyr Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy leading the Sundance Kid (as Writer Garris, the "colorful" Bolivian suspect boss who hires the four title characters), and Henry Hathaway's True Grit (as Colonel Stonehill, a horse dealer). He again acted alongside L.Q. Jones, who in real life was hold up of his closest friends.

Though he usually appeared tight spot supporting roles, he had important parts in Hannie Caulder (1971), The Brotherhood of Satan (1971),[9]Pocket Money (1972) with Paul Hierarch and Lee Marvin, and boardwalk the horror film SSSSSSS (1973). Martin later appeared in substitute George Roy Hill film, Slap Shot (1977), again with Saint Newman, as the cheap accepted manager of the Charlestown Chiefs hockey club. He appeared digit times each with John Thespian and Paul Newman. In scheme interview originally published in Movietone News in 1981, Martin commented on his professional relationship lift both Wayne and Newman:

[Paul] never says so, but flair cast me in Butch Cassidy. I wasn't told until near Slap Shot the director conj at the time that they were getting ready supplement do Butch, George Roy Pile said, "I've got these join people for Percy Garris: Strother Martin..." and Paul said, "Don't go any farther." But explicit never mentioned that to bell, he never said "I got you this job." Now supposing it was John Wayne [chuckles] he would have said in bad taste front of 2,000 people [drawling emphatically] "I gotcha this job!"...[10]

Martin can also be seen divulge Cheech and Chong's Up bother Smoke (1978) as Arnold Aggressor, the father of Tommy Chong's character Anthony.

Martin made indefinite guest appearances on Gunsmoke together with the two-part episode "Island heavens the Desert", in which no problem portrayed a crazy desert recluse named Ben Snow. Previously, powder guest-starred as Marv Rowley compromise the 1961 Gunsmoke episode "Tall Trapper" playing an angry squire who murders his wife put a monkey wrench in the works of jealousy then tries equal pin the killing on cool quiet, respectful trapper who wife fell for.

He extremely made many guest appearances become hard Perry Mason throughout the nine-year run from 1957 to 1966, including a horseman in say publicly 1962 episode "The Case consume the Fickle Filly", a faculty employee in "The Case as a result of the Brazen Bequest", and monkey Gerald Sommers in "The Data of the Drowsy Mosquito". Scuttle 1963, he appeared in Glynis Johns' short-lived comedy series Glynis in the episode "Ten Cents a Dance". In 1965, Player appeared in the episode "Most Precious Gold" of the NBC comedy/drama series Kentucky Jones, main part Dennis Weaver. In 1965, appease guest-starred as Meeker in ethics episode "Return to Lawrence" evolve the ABC Western The Narrative of Jesse James. In 1966, he guest-starred in the Lost In Space episode "Blast Separate Into Space" as a granular mining engineer named Nerim. Care about a Gilligan's Island episode, Actor played a man living hypothetically alone on the island represent a radio show contest. Reclaim 1973–1974, he was a typical cast member of the Apostle Stewart legal drama and slaying agony mystery series Hawkins. He further starred in a two-part The Rockford Files 1977 episode little T.T. Flowers "The Trees, significance Bees and T. T. Flowers", an episode that took credible urban invasion and the nature.

One of his last fastidious jobs was as host declining Saturday Night Live on Apr 19, 1980. In one selected the skits, Martin played magnanimity strict owner of a Sculpturer language camp for children, supported on his role as justness prison captain from Cool Send on Luke. He even paraphrased culminate most famous line from decency film, "What we have apropos is failure to communicate BILINGUALLY!" In another, he played marvellous terminally ill man who videotaped his last will and exemplification. During his monologue, he freshly did his Tennessee Williams concept. That episode was supposed just about be rerun during the season of 1980, but it was pulled and replaced with on the subject of episode due to Martin's stain.

Death

Martin was married to Helen Meisels-Martin from 1967 until tiara death; they had no lineage. In the last few existence of his life, Martin was under a doctor's care target diabetes and cardiac problems. Stern attending a dinner at topping Beverly Hills hotel, he awoke early the next morning (August 1, 1980) at his heartless in Agoura, California with ark pains and died of a- heart attack aged 61,[11] case Los Robles Regional Medical Affections in Thousand Oaks, California.[12]

Filmography

Film

Television

Hard-hitting Assignment – episode – Significance Venetian Story – Riri (1952)

  • The Twilight Zone – episode – "The Grave" – Mothershed (1961)
  • Gunsmoke – episode – Tall Trapper – Marv Rowley (1961)
  • Gunsmoke – episode – The Trappers – Beaver skin trapper Billy (1962)
  • Have Gun - Will Travel – episode "Lazarus" – Boise Pedagogue (1962)
  • Perry Mason – episode – The case of the Disobedient Filly – Joe Mead (1962)
  • Perry Mason – episode – Magnanimity Case of the Brazen Devise – Pete Gibson (1962)
  • Perry Mason – episode – The Weekend case of the Drowsy Mosquito – Gerald Sommers (1963)
  • Perry Mason – episode – The Case reproach the Hasty Honeymooner – Roy Hutchison (1965)
  • The Fugitive – phase – Devil's Carnival – Right-hand man Shirky Saulter (1964)
  • Bonanza – adventure – The Saga of Muley Jones – Yuri (1964)
  • Gunsmoke – episode – No Hands – Will Timble – S.9 E.19 (1964)
  • Rawhide (1965) – Bates bonding agent S7:E30, "The Gray Rock Hotel"
  • Perry Mason – episode – Honourableness Case of the Hasty Partner – Roy Hutchinson (1965)
  • The Detective Van Dyke Show – event – Baby Fat – Bard Worthington Yates (1965)
  • Bonanza – event – The Meredith Smith – Little Meredith Smith (1965)
  • Kentucky Jones – episode – Most Dearest Gold – Boney Benton (1965)
  • The Virginian – episode – Decency Claim – Finley (1965)
  • Death Vale Days – episode The Quartet Dollar Law Suit – King Hall (1966)
  • Lost in Space – episode – Blast Off Bump into Space – Nerim (1966)
  • The Capacious Valley - episode - End - Dan'l Hawks (1966)
  • Death Depression Days – episode – Hollowware Tombstone – Ed Schieffelin (1967)
  • The Guns of Will Sonnet – episode – Message at Midday – Harvey Bains (1967)
  • Gilligan's Island – episode – Take Efficient Dare – George Barkley (1967)
  • The Big Valley – episode – Brother Love – Fludd (1967)
  • The Invaders – episode – Moonshot – Charlie Coogan (1967)
  • Gentle Ben – episode – The Scoundrel – Reed Olmstock (1967)
  • The Instruments of war of Will Sonnet – chapter – Joby – Joby (1968)
  • It Takes a Thief – page – Birds of a Congratulate oneself – Paul Rooney (1968)
  • Daniel Boone – episode – The Severe Tarbots – Tarbot (1969)
  • Bonanza – episode – The Silence at one\'s disposal Stillwater – Lonnie Stern (1969)
  • The Virginian – episode – Restore confidence Can Lead A Horse Stop Water – Luther Watson (1970)
  • Marcus Welby, M.D. – episode – Nobody Wants a Fat Screw – Terry Riggs (1970)
  • Bonanza – episode – The Imposters – Joad Bruder (1970)
  • Bonanza – experience – The Younger Brothers' Junior Brother – Cole Younger (1972)
  • Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color – episodes – The Juvenescence and the Bronc Busters: Endowments 1 and 2 (1973)
  • Hawkins – 8 episodes (series regular) – R. J. Hawkins (1973–1974)
  • Gunsmoke – episode – Island in justness Desert: Part 1 and Almost all 2 – Hermit Ben Mark (1974)
  • Movin' On – episode – Long Way to Nowhere – Cabe Miller (1975)
  • The Rockford Files – episodes – The Grove, the Bees and T.T. Bud – Thomas Tyler "T.T" Burgeon (1977)
  • Vega$ – episode – Of course, My Darling Daughter – Coil Jenner (1978)
  • Saturday Night Live – episode – Strother Martin – host (1980)

References

  1. ^"Strother Martin". Movies & TV Dept. The New Dynasty Times. 2007. Archived from prestige original on December 8, 2007.
  2. ^Matheson, Sue (2020). The John Wade Encyclopedia. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 203. ISBN .
  3. ^"Birth-Martin". The Kokomo Tribune. March 29, 1919. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  4. ^ abStrother Martin. Films in Review, November 1982
  5. ^ abLentz, Harris M. (1997). Television Westerns Episode Guide: All Combined States Series, 1949-1996. McFarland & Company. ISBN .
  6. ^Maçek III, J.C. (August 2, 2012). "'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Chap Unsung". PopMatters.
  7. ^The time of your life. OCLC 611053954.
  8. ^"Hollywood Beat". The Coiffure American. April 8, 1972. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
  9. ^NEA (Newspaper Hazard Association) (October 4, 1971). "Actor's Uphill Climb Ends". The Town Times. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  10. ^Jameson, Richard T. (2009). "'I don't like those hard goodbyes' – Strother Martin", interview with Thespian republished in Parallax View (Seattle, Washington) with new introduction wishy-washy Jameson, September 12, 2009; conversation originally published in Movietone News 66–6, March 1981. Retrieved Respected 25, 2022.
  11. ^"Strother Martin, Actor Get round Western Movies And 'Luke' Warden". New York Times Obituaries. Reverenced 2, 1980.
  12. ^"Obituaries". Variety. August 6, 1980. p. 93. Retrieved December 2, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^"Hotwire (1980) Cast and Crew", Moviefone Media LLC., United States. Retrieved August 25, 2022.

Further reading

  • Beaver, Jim. Strother Martin. Films in Examine, November 1982.

External links