Ross Martin(1920-1981)
- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Born in Grodek, Poland, Ross Martin grew up on New York City's Lower
East Side. He spoke Yiddish, Polish, and Russian before even learning
English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian to his amazing
repertoire.
Despite academic training (and receiving honors in) business,
instruction, and law, M. Martin chose a career of acting. His first
film was the George Pal production Conquest of Space (1955). Soon after, he caught the eye
of Blake Edwards who cast him in a number of widely varied roles, culminating
with a fantastic part in The Great Race (1965).
Ross somehow managed a series in between, the short-lived Mr. Lucky (1959). With
the release of The Great Race (1965), CBS cast him in what was to become his most
famous part, Secret Service agent Artemus Gordon in The Wild Wild West (1965), opposite
Robert Conrad. Perhaps the show's cancellation in 1969 was for the best - he
suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 1968.
Afraid to take the risk of having a lead actor with a heart condition,
the networks snubbed him with regards to a lead role, yet he appeared
as a guest star in an amazing number of programs, not all dramatic
masterpieces. Yet Ross loved to act, and took every role which came his
way. Ross Martin collapsed while playing tennis, the heart condition
finally taking its toll on July 3rd, 1981.
East Side. He spoke Yiddish, Polish, and Russian before even learning
English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian to his amazing
repertoire.
Despite academic training (and receiving honors in) business,
instruction, and law, M. Martin chose a career of acting. His first
film was the George Pal production Conquest of Space (1955). Soon after, he caught the eye
of Blake Edwards who cast him in a number of widely varied roles, culminating
with a fantastic part in The Great Race (1965).
Ross somehow managed a series in between, the short-lived Mr. Lucky (1959). With
the release of The Great Race (1965), CBS cast him in what was to become his most
famous part, Secret Service agent Artemus Gordon in The Wild Wild West (1965), opposite
Robert Conrad. Perhaps the show's cancellation in 1969 was for the best - he
suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 1968.
Afraid to take the risk of having a lead actor with a heart condition,
the networks snubbed him with regards to a lead role, yet he appeared
as a guest star in an amazing number of programs, not all dramatic
masterpieces. Yet Ross loved to act, and took every role which came his
way. Ross Martin collapsed while playing tennis, the heart condition
finally taking its toll on July 3rd, 1981.