Barney Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barney Martin
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Martin in the Tony Randall Show (1977)
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| Born | March 3, 1923 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | March 21, 2005 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1956–2000 |
Barney Martin (born March 3, 1923 – died March 21, 2005) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing Morty Seinfeld, the funny dad of Jerry on the popular TV show Seinfeld. He also had important roles in movies like Mel Brooks's The Producers (1967) and the comedy Arthur (1981) with Dudley Moore. Barney Martin was also the first actor to play Amos Hart in the 1976 Broadway musical Chicago.
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Early Life
Barney Martin was born in New York City. Before he became an actor, he served in the U.S. Army Air Force as a navigator during World War II. After the war, he worked as a NYPD officer for twenty years, eventually becoming a detective.
He started his journey into comedy while still a police officer. He would give funny presentations to his bosses, which showed off his talent for making people laugh.
Acting Career
Barney Martin began his show business career in the 1950s. He worked as a stand-in for famous comedian Jackie Gleason on The Honeymooners. He also wrote jokes for TV host Steve Allen.
He was discovered by director Mel Brooks, who gave him a role in the movie The Producers. The next year, he played Hank in the movie Charly. He went on to act in many films, including playing Liza Minnelli's dad in the hit movie Arthur (1981) and its sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988).
On television, Barney Martin appeared in many shows. He co-starred with Tony Randall for two seasons in The Tony Randall Show, playing a court reporter named Jack Terwilliger. He was the second most important actor on that show, right after Tony Randall himself.
In 1990, he got the role that made him most famous: Morty Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld's dad, in the TV show Seinfeld. He first appeared in the second season episode "The Pony Remark". Another actor, Phil Bruns, had played Morty in one episode of the first season. However, the show's creators, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, wanted Morty to be a bit tougher. They felt Phil Bruns was too relaxed for the character, so Barney Martin took over the role. He played Morty Seinfeld until the show ended in 1998.
Barney Martin also had a successful career in musical theater. In 1975, he was the first actor to play Amos Hart in the Broadway musical Chicago. In this role, he introduced the famous song "Mr. Cellophane." He also appeared in other musicals like South Pacific and The Fantasticks. He was known as a "character actor," meaning he was great at playing many different kinds of interesting characters.
Later Life and Death
Barney Martin continued acting until 2000. He passed away on March 21, 2005, in Studio City, Los Angeles, California. He was 82 years old and died from bladder cancer.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Barney Martin appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout his career. Here are some of his notable roles:
- The Producers (1967)
- Charly (1968)
- Arthur (1981) and Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)
- The Tony Randall Show (1976-1978)
- 21 Jump Street (1987)
- Full House (1991)
- Golden Girls (1991)
- Seinfeld (1991-1998)
Selected Theatre Roles
Barney Martin also performed in several Broadway musicals:
- How Now, Dow Jones (1967)
- Chicago (1975) – where he originated the role of Amos Hart.
See also
In Spanish: Barney Martin para niños
