| Martin Balsam Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 6½ in |
| Weight | 67 kg |
| Date of Birth | November 4, 1919 |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Date of Death | February 13, 1996 |
Martin Balsam was an American actor who is best remembered for giving phenomenal performances in films like Psycho (1960), On the Waterfront (1954), 12 Angry Men (1957), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), A Thousand Clowns (1965), All the President’s Men (1976), Little Big Man (1970), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), The Carpetbaggers (1964), etc.
Born Name
Martin Henry Balsam
Nick Name
The Bronx Barrymore
Age
He was born on November 4, 1919.
Died
Balsam passed away from a stroke on February 13, 1996, at the age of 76 years in Rome, Italy.
Sun Sign
Scorpio
Born Place
New York City, New York, United States
Nationality
Education
He completed his high school education at DeWitt Clinton High School in 1938.
Additionally, he studied acting under the renowned German director Erwin Piscator at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School located in New York.
Occupation
Actor
Family
- Father – Albert Balsam (Manufacturer of Women’s Sportswear)
- Mother – Lillian Weinstein
- Siblings – He had 2 younger siblings.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 6½ in or 169 cm
Weight
67 kg or 147.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Martin Balsam had dated –
- Pearl Somner ​(1951-1954)​ – His first marriage was to actress Pearl Somner and it lasted from 1951 to 1954.
- Joyce Van Patten ​(1955-1962)​ – Actress Joyce Van Patten and Martin began dating in 1955. They got married 2 years later on August 18, 1957. The couple became parents to a daughter named Talia Balsam (b. March 5, 1959), but headed for divorce not long after in 1962.
- Irene Miller ​(1963-1987) – The Murder on the Orient Express (1974) star wed Irene Miller in 1963. Their marriage produced a son named Adam Balsam and a daughter named Zoe Balsam before ending in divorce in 1987.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He had Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
Hair Color
Black
However, his hair had turned ‘Gray’ due to his advancing age.
Eye Color
Hazel
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Short height
Martin Balsam Facts
- He was a veteran of the famous Actors Studio located in New York. In spite of his success, Martin frequently returned to the Actors Studio, especially during his later years.
- Martin had originally voiced the character of HAL-9000 in Stanley Kubrick‘s magnum Opus, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). However, Kubrick felt that his voice was ‘too colloquially American’ for the computer and replaced him with Douglas Rain.
- From his distinguished filmography, 6 films have been included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being ‘culturally, historically or aesthetically’ significant. They are On the Waterfront (1954),12 Angry Men (1957), Psycho (1960), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Little Big Man (1970), and All the President’s Men (1976).
- Martin and his ex-wife Joyce Van Patten came together to play an onscreen married couple in St. Elmo’s Fire (1985).
- Four of his films were nominated for ‘Best Picture’ Oscars: On the Waterfront (1954), 12 Angry Men (1957), A Thousand Clowns (1965), and All the President’s Men (1976). Out of them, only the former ended up winning the award.
- Among his many accolades was winning a Tony Award for ‘Best Actor in a Play’ in 1968 for his performance in Robert Anderson’s You Know I Can’t Hear You When the Water’s Running (1968). Furthermore, Martin also won the Academy Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ in 1966 for his performance in A Thousand Clowns (1965).
Featured Image by Unknown / Wikimedia / Public Domain
