Strother Martin

Strother Martin, (March 26, 1919 - August 1, 1980) was an American character actor in numerous films and television programs. Martin is perhaps best known as the prison "captain" in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, where he uttered the classic line, "What we have here is ... failure to communicate." He also frequently acted alongside L.Q. Jones, who in real life was one of his closest friends, actors Paul Newman and John Wayne, and director Sam Peckinpah.

Related Topics:
March 26 - 1919 - August 1 - 1980 - American - Character actor - Film - Television - Cool Hand Luke - L.Q. Jones - Paul Newman - John Wayne - Sam Peckinpah

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Born in Kokomo, Indiana, Martin excelled at swimming and diving, and served as a swimming instructor in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, Martin moved to Los Angeles and worked as a swimming instructor in films, eventually earning bit roles in a number of films. Martin's distinctive, reedy voice and menacing demeanor made him ideal for villainous roles in many of the best known Westerns of the 1960s and 1970s.

Related Topics:
Kokomo, Indiana - Swimming - Diving - U.S. Navy - World War II - Los Angeles - Villainous - Westerns - 1960s - 1970s

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Interestingly, Martin appeared in all three of the classic Westerns released in 1969: Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (as Coffer, a bloodthirsty bounty hunter); George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (as Percy Garris, the Bolivian mine boss who hires the two title characters); and Henry Hathaway's True Grit (as Colonel Stonehill, a horse wrangler). Though he usually appeared in supporting roles, he had major parts in Hannie Caulder, The Brotherhood of Satan (both 1971), and SSSSSSS (1973).

Related Topics:
Sam Peckinpah - The Wild Bunch - George Roy Hill - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Henry Hathaway - True Grit - Hannie Caulder - The Brotherhood of Satan - SSSSSSS

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Strother Martin can also be seen in Cheech and Chong's "Up In Smoke" (1978) as Tommy Chong's dad.

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Martin died of a heart attack in 1980 at the age of 61.

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