Barney Martin
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2013) |
Barney Martin | |
---|---|
![]() Martin in theTony Randall Show(1977) | |
Born | New York City, U.S. | March 3, 1923
Died | March 21, 2005 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 82)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1956–2000 |
Barney Martin(March 3, 1923 – March 21, 2005) was an American actor, best known for playingMorty Seinfeld,father ofJerry,on the sitcomSeinfeld(1991-1998). He also played supporting roles inMel Brooks'sThe Producers(1967), and theDudley MoorecomedyArthur(1981). He originated the role of Amos Hart (Mr. Cellophane) in the 1976Broadwayproduction ofChicago.
Early life
[edit]Barney Martin was born inNew York Cityon March 3, 1923.[1]He served in theU.S. Army Air Forceas anavigatorduring theSecond World Warand worked as aNYPDofficer for twenty years, working his way up todetective.He got his start as a comedian while still apolice officer,providingdeputy commissionerswith humorous presentations.[2]
Martin once commented that manyJewishSeinfeldfans told him how much his character reminded them of their fathers. Martin himself was from anIrish Catholicfamily.[3]
Career
[edit]Entering show business as a stand-in forJackie GleasoninThe Honeymoonersin 1955–56 and as a part-time writer forSteve Allenin the 1950s, he was discovered byMel Brooks,who cast him inThe Producers.The next year, he played the role of Hank inCharly.He went on to act in dozens of films, including the role ofLiza Minnelli's unemployed father in the hit 1981 filmArthurand its 1988 sequel,Arthur 2: On the Rocks.
On television, he appeared in two episodes ofThe Odd Couple,once in a very early episode as an irate fellow juror infuriated with Felix Unger's pesty personality and four years later as a fellow subway train passenger. Shortly after, Martin co-starred with Tony Randall for two seasons inThe Tony Randall Showas court reporter Jack Terwilliger.[1]Throughout the run of this show, he had second billing only to Randall himself. In 1979, he was cast as the title character in Norman Lear's final TV series concept,McGurk: A Dog's Life.Martin was cast to play a character similar to Lear's earlier creation,Archie Bunker,but played as a dog. Only the pilot was completed. In 1990, he co-starred withValerie BertinelliandMatthew Perryin theCBSsitcomSydney.In 1987, he appeared in the pilot episode of21 Jump StreetasJohnny Depp's partner. In 1993, Martin played the recurring role of "Pete Peters" on theDon Ricklessit-comDaddy Dearest.
In 1975, Martin originated the role of Amos Hart in the Broadway musicalChicago,in which he introduced the song "Mr. Cellophane". He appeared in many more musicals during his career, most notablySouth Pacific,The Fantasticks,andHow Now, Dow Jones.[1]Much of Martin's work has been in television, where he had a long career as acharacter actor.He played a gangster called the "Cheese Man" in aGolden Girlsepisode. He played a love interest for Thelma Harper in the Hawaii episode ofMama's Family,and he played the father of Frank Fontana onMurphy Brown.He appeared in an episode ofFull Houseas Ranger Roy, the host of a popular kids' TV show. In 1981, he portrayed Ralph Marolla, father of Liza Minnelli's character in the filmArthurand the following year appeared onBarney Millerin the episode "Obituary".[4]
In 1991, Martin was cast as the fictional father of Jerry Seinfeld,Morty Seinfeldin the sitcomSeinfeld.His first appearance was in Season 2's "The Pony Remark".Martin replacedPhil Bruns,who first portrayed the character in Season 1's "The Stake Out".Although he was the second actor to portray Jerry's dad in the show, he is the one most associated with the role, as Bruns only appeared in one episode. Martin took on the role upon showrunners Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld deciding they wanted the character of Morty Seinfeld to be harsher, as they thought Bruns was too laid-back for the character.[5]He retained this role until the series ended in 1998.
Death
[edit]Martin died ofbladder canceron March 21, 2005, inStudio City, Los Angeles,California, at age 82. He wascremated,and his ashes were returned to his family.[6]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1956 | The Wrong Man | Juror | Uncredited |
1959 | Odds Against Tomorrow | Car Accident Driver | Uncredited |
1961 | The Young Doctors | Bus Driver | Uncredited |
1963 | Love with the Proper Stranger | Sidney | Uncredited |
1967 | The Producers | Göring | |
1968 | Charly | Hank | |
1970 | Lola | Doorman, Efficient but Fat | |
1978 | Movie Movie | Motorcycle Cop | (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933" ) |
1979 | Hot Stuff | Kiley | |
1981 | Arthur | Ralph Marolla | |
1988 | Arthur 2: On the Rocks | Ralph Marolla | |
1989 | Deadly Weapon | Mayor Bigelow | |
1992 | Hero | Court Official | Uncredited |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1955 | The Phil Silvers Show | Police Officer | Episode: "The Boxer" |
1957 | To Tell the Truth | Imposter Portraying Jack Bothwell (Freckles from "Our Gang" ) | Episode: Aired Nov 26, 1957 |
1958 | I've Got A Secret | Himself, a contestant in a laughing competition | Episode: Aired April 2, 1958 |
1961 | Naked City | Bartender | Episode: "Landscape with Dead Figures" |
1963 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Rupert Harney | Season 2 Episode 5: "Blood Bargain" |
1963 | Car 54, Where Are You? | Friar Charlie Donovan | Episode: "See you at the Bar Mitzvah" |
1970-74 | The Odd Couple | Man #3 / Mr. Moss | 2 episodes |
1976-78 | The Tony Randall Show | Jack Terwillinger | 38 episodes |
1978 | Happy Days | G.W. Burch | Episode: "Fonzie for the Defense" |
1982 | Benson | Frank Cooper | 2 episodes |
1983-86 | Trapper John, M.D. | Fella / Herbert Mitchell | 2 episodes |
1983 | Hill Street Blues | Ben Seltzer | 2 episodes |
1984 | Night Court | Bum | Episode: "The Former Harry Stone" |
1984 | St. Elsewhere | Mr. Duffy | 2 episodes |
1985 | The Twilight Zone | Marty | Episode: "Dealer's Choice" |
1985 | Diff'rent Strokes | Bill Perkins | Episode: "Blue Collar Drummond" |
1986 | Highway To Heaven | Barney | Episode: "A Night to Remember" |
1986 | Punky Brewster | Dr. Evans | 2 episodes |
1987 | 21 Jump Street | Edison Coulter / Charlie Donegan | 2 episodes |
1987-89 | Murder, She Wrote | Lieutenant Timothy Hanratty | 2 episodes |
1988 | Mama's Family | Billy Field | |
1989 | Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog | Rudy Phillips | Television movie |
1991 | Full House | Ranger Roy | Episode: "The Legend of Ranger Joe" |
1991 | Golden Girls | Karl "Cheeseman" Moran | Episode: "Witness" |
1991-92 | Life Goes On | Stan Baker | 5 episodes |
1991–98 | Seinfeld | Morty Seinfeld | 20 episodes |
1993 | Daddy Dearest | Pete Peters | 13 episodes |
1993 | The Wonder Years | Old Kevin | 1 episode |
2000–01 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Ambassador Major | Voice; 2 Episodes |
Theatre
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1962 | All American | Various roles | Winter Garden Theatre,Broadway |
1967 | How Now, Dow Jones | Bradbury | Lunt-Fontanne Theater,Broadway |
1974 | All Over Town | Detective Peterson | Booth Theatre,Broadway |
1975 | Chicago | Amos Hart | 46th Street Theatre,Broadway |
1980 | The Roast | Sid Ball | Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway |
References
[edit]- ^abc"Barney Martin, 82, Actor on 'Seinfeld,' Is Dead".The New York Times.Associated Press.March 25, 2005.RetrievedAugust 13,2018.
- ^"Barney Martin".Variety.March 24, 2005.RetrievedJuly 26,2024.
- ^Connor, Tracy (March 25, 2005)."Seinfeld's Dad on TV Dies at 82".New York Daily News.Archived fromthe originalon August 15, 2009.
- ^"Barney Martin, 82; Veteran Actor Played Father on 'Seinfeld'".Los Angeles Times.March 24, 2005.
- ^Seinfeld Seasons 1 & 2: Notes about Nothing – "The Stake Out"(DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
- ^Wilson, Scott (August 22, 2016).Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons.Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). McFarland. p. 481.ISBN978-0-7864-7992-4.
https:// imdb /title/tt0536385/
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1923 births
- 2005 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century American male singers
- 20th-century American singers
- American male film actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- American male television actors
- American people of Irish descent
- American police detectives
- Catholics from New York (state)
- Deaths from bladder cancer in California
- Military personnel from New York City
- Military personnel from New York (state)
- New York City Police Department officers
- Male actors from Queens, New York
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II