Strother Martin Movies
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Strother Martin was the National Junior Springboard Diving Champion when he came to Hollywood as a swimming coach in the late 1940s. He stuck around Lala-land to play a few movie bits and extra roles before finally receiving a role of substance in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). Lean and limber in his early day, Martin was frequently cast in parts which called upon his athletic prowess (e.g. a drawling big-league ball player in 1951's Rhubarb). As his face grew more pocked and his body more paunched with each advancing year, Martin put his reedy, whiny voice and sinister squint to excellent use as a villain, most often in westerns. It took him nearly 20 years to matriculate from character actor to character star. In 1967, Martin skyrocketed to fame as the sadistic prison-farm captain in Cool Hand Luke: his character's signature line, "What we have here is a failure t' communicate," became a national catchphrase. While he continued accepting secondary roles for the rest of his career, Martin was awarded top billing in two sleazy but likeable programmers, Brotherhood of Satan (1971) and Ssssssss (1973). A veteran of scores of television shows, Strother Martin was seen on a weekly basis as Aaron Donager in Hotel De Paree (1959) and as star Jimmy Stewart's country cousin in Hawkins (1973). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1980
This 1980 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Strother Martin and features musical guest the Specials. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Strother Martin, The Specials, (more)
- 1979
The elderly residents of a nursing home tire of being oppressed and stage a revolution in this made-for-television comedy. Following the ensuing riot they rush out and commandeer a passing train to go out for a few final adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harold Gould, Strother Martin, (more)
Nikola Tesla (here played by Petar Bozovic) was a famous 19th century Yugoslavian inventor. The film recounts Tesla's development of the alternating electric current, first under the dictatorial thumb of Thomas Edison (Dennis Patrick), then on his own. Tesla develops a harmonious working relationship with George Westinghouse (Strother Martin), who indulges the inventor his eccentricities and gives him the credit he deserves, something the tyrannical Edison refused to do. Orson Welles appears briefly as J. P. Morgan in this Yugoslavian biopic, originally released as Tajna Nikole Tesle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orson Welles, Strother Martin, (more)
- 1978
This fun film is based upon the classic O. Henry tale about a bratty kid who kidnappers find to be more than they can handle, so they're happy to de-kidnap him. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1978
Steel Cowboy is one of an overabundance of "trucker" films (made for both TV and theaters) inflicted upon the public in the mid- to late-'70s. James Brolin stars as an independent trucker weighed down with financial difficulties. When first we meet him, he is in danger of losing both his rig and his wife (Jennifer Warren). In desperation, Brolin agrees to haul a cargo of hijacked cattle. The inescapable musical score is evocatively rendered by Juice Newton and The Silver Spur. Steel Cowboy pulled into America's TV screens on December 6, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Jim (James Garner) infiltrates a sanitarium called Horizon's Crest to rescue T.T. Flowers (Strother Martin), who is being victimized by evil land developer Jack Muellard (Scott Brady). But though Muellard is temporarily stopped in his tracks, T.T. still isn't out of the woods yet--and in fact, the poor fellow may be "legally" murdered by a police SWAT team. This episode marks the spectacular demise of Jim Rockford's beloved Firebird 100! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Oscar-winning character actor Strother Martin makes a return visit to Baretta, this time in the role of an embittered doctor named Shaner. Having given up on humanity, Shaner has become a professional bounty hunter. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) finds himself in the uncomfortable position of preventing Doc Shaner from killing a scuzzy drug pusher who caused the death of a wealthy banker's daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1977
In the first episode of a two-part story, Rocky's somewhat eccentric friend T.T. Flowers (Strother Martin) has been forced off his "Freedom" property, declared mentally incomptetent, and placed in a sanitarium called Horizon's Crest. It's all the handiwork of crooked land developer Jack Muellard (Scott Brady), who unfortunately has gained the confidence of T.T.'s daughter Cathy (Karen Machon) and son-in-law Sherman (Alex Rocco). Realizing that he will never be able to persuade the authorities that T.T. has been victimized, Jim (James Garner) must handle the situation all by himself--beginning with a daring "break-in/break-out" at Horizon's Crest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
A pre-One Day at a Time Mackenzie Phillips guest stars as Mindy, a runaway teenager. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) manages to catch up to Mindy and to handcuff himself to the girl. Anxious to return to headquarters, Baretta and Mindy clamber into a police squad car and ask the uniformed drivers for a lift. Unfortunately, the two "cops" at the wheel turn out to be a pair of homicidal holdup men (played by Strother Martin and Gary Busey). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Edward Grover, (more)
- 1975
This half-hour sequel to the famous O. Henry tale The Ransom of Red Chief finds our hero, the little boy who pretends to be a legendary American Indian named Red Chief, using his powers of deception to outwit a group of con artists. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- 1975
One of Our Own stars George Peppard as Dr. Jake Goodwin, the chief neurosurgeon of an inordinately busy hospital. As he makes his rounds, Goodwin becomes involved in a vast array of medical cases, solving virtually every problem he's confronted with. It looks, however, as though he's going to have tough sledding with the film's Major Crisis: A seriously injured doctor, and the two colleagues who battle over how to save his life. Originally telecast in May of 1975, One of Our Own was obviously conceived as a pilot for a George Peppard weekly series. But when that series premiered in September 1975, it had sprouted the new title of Doctor's Hospital (as opposed, perhaps, to Lawyer's Hospital). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Candidate for Murder stars Jimmy Stewart as folksy private detective Hawkins. Paul Burke costars as Hawkins' client, the campaign manager for a charismatic politician (John Ericson). A TV reporter who had threatened to release a damaging story about the politico has been murdered, and Burke is the Numero Uno suspect. Diana Hyland costars as the candidate's fiercely protective wife. Candidate for Murder originated as the March 5, 1974 episode of the Hawkins TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Murder on the 13th Floor is a 90-minute episode of the Jimmy Stewart TV series Hawkins. Detective Hawkins (Stewart) tries to clear the murder-suspect son (Andrew Parks) of an old flame (Teresa Wright). The boy was found at the scene of the crime just minutes after the victim breathed his last. Love those new, untested plotlines! Murder on the 13th Floor originally aired February 5, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Murder in Movieland was the first episode in the Hawkins TV series of 1973-74. Jimmy Stewart stars as Billy Jim Hawkins, a country lawyer who plays detective. Hawkins arrives in Hollywood to defend the husband of a movie star on a murder charge. The suspect has confessed--to clubbing another man to death, but not to the crime at hand. Sheree North and Cameron Mitchell guest in this 90-minute mystery, originally seen on October 2, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Blood Feud is a 90-minute episode of the TV series Hawkins. Folksy lawyer/detective Hawkins (Jimmy Stewart) is faced with a murder in his own family. The killing was apparently the outgrowth of a century-old feud between the Hawkinses and their unfriendly neighbors. Lew Ayres guest stars as a rural historian who provides a vital clue to the investigating Hawkins. Blood Feud was first broadcast December 4, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Also known as Death and the Maiden, Hawkins on Murder introduced Jimmy Stewart to the TV-detective genre as folksy sleuth Billy Jim Hawkins (this TV movie was produced by MGM, the studio which gave Stewart his start in the 1930s). Hawkins travels from his West Virginia hometown to investigate a triple murder in Los Angeles. Along for the ride is Strother Martin as Hawkins' somewhat slow cousin/assistant, who would continue in this role when the Hawkins series premiered on a regular basis in the fall of 1973. The Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills provided some of the more lavish backgrounds for this rambling mystery yarn. On the whole, Hawkins on Murder is better than the series that followed, which fell prey to banality and repetition early on. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Written and directed by Bonanza star Michael Landon, "The Younger Brothers' Younger Brother" is one of the series' zaniest episodes. It all begins when Hoss Cartwright is mistaken for one of the notorious Younger Brothers, who have recently resumed their criminal activities after a 12-year prison term. Thrown in jail, Hoss must depend upon Ben and Joe to bail him out-only to end up sharing a cell with his father and brother when they, too, are mistaken for Youngers. Meanwhile, the real Younger boys, led by Cole Younger (Strother Martin), demonstrate the monumental stupidity that landed them in the slammer in the first place. "The Younger Brothers' Younger Brother" first aired on March 12, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1971
Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) investigate a series of baffling thefts at a fancy riding school run by a washed-up cowboy star (Rod Cameron). Elsewhere, the two cops bust up a drug ring, and confront the problem of a young girl who has been hoodwinked into driving the getaway car at a robbery. The guest cast includes Oscar winner Strother Martin, former Petticoat Junction leading lady Linda Kaye Henning, and future Emegency! star Randolph Mantooth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Oscar winner Strother Martin is cast as Joad Bruder, the father of jailed stagecoach robber Randy Bruder (Anthony Colti). Aware that Joad is holding the Ponderosa money that was stolen by Randy, Joe and Hoss hatch another of their hare-brained schemes to retrieve the loot. Heading to Pineville, the Cartwright boy pose as two members of Randy's gang-a ruse that threatens to burn and crash when the wife of one of the gang members shows up unexpectedly. Originally shown on December 13, 1970, "The Impostors" was written by Robert Vincent Wright. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
After the intense bloodshed of The Wild Bunch (1969), this comic western fable took the opposite approach to director Sam Peckinpah's continuing examination of the end of the West. Left for dead by a couple of lizard-slaughtering desperados in the middle of the desert, prospector Cable Hogue (Jason Robards) is saved by his unexpected discovery of water "where there wasn't any." Hogue turns the water hole, felicitously located near a stagecoach route, into a thriving business, creating a rest stop for a never-ending series of parched travelers. On his occasional trips to the closest town, he meets chipper prostitute Hildy (Stella Stevens), who joins him in his oasis, completing Hogue's little paradise. But even though Hogue may be able to succeed and avenge himself against his original attackers, there is one thing that he cannot stop: progress. Completed before The Wild Bunch was released, and replete with comical and even musical interludes, Peckinpah's gently picaresque telling of Hogue's rise and fall stands in distinct contrast to the visual violence of its predecessor. The underlying message about the cost of modernity, however, equals The Wild Bunch in seriousness. The callous randomness of Hogue's fate is as shocking as the Bunch's final blaze of glory; as in Robert Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller from the same period, a tool of "civilization" provokes a most uncivilized end for an Old West dreamer. Although the film was as light-hearted in approach as the 1969 smash hit revisionist western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Warner Bros. mishandled the release and it did barely any business; Peckinpah returned to his trademark gore in his next film, the controversial Straw Dogs (1971). Still, The Ballad of Cable Hogue is less an anomaly for a master of violence than an ironically charming chapter in Peckinpah's career-long elegy to the western. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Robards, Jr., Stella Stevens, (more)
- 1969
This 90-minute episode of TV's Name of the Game guest-stars Darren McGavin as roving reporter Sam Hardy. Sam's boss, Crime magazine publisher Glenn Howard (Gene Barry), sends Hardy and magazine researcher Peggy Maxwell (Susan St. James) on a dangerous fact-finding mission. Their quarry is American missile scientist Harry Roarke (James Whitmore). While it appears as though Harry has defected to Cuba, he may very well be hiding out in the States, in fear for his life. Goodbye Harry originally aired October 24, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Sheriff Austin (Pat Hingle) of Stillwater jails Candy on the basis of highly suspicious eyewitness testimony. Not only does Austin refuse to tell Candy that he's suspected of robbery and murder, but he also refuses to inform the Cartwrights of their top hand's whereabouts. Why is the Sheriff behaving in this fashion, and how long will it be before the situation devolves into tragedy? Strother Martin appears as Lonnie, while Jackie Gleason Show semi-regular Frank Marth is seen as Barnum. Written by Preston Wood, "The Silence at Stillwater" originally aired on September 28, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
Paul Newman was nominated for an Oscar and George Kennedy received one for his work in this allegorical prison drama. Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) is sentenced to a stretch on a southern chain gang after he's arrested for drunkenly decapitating parking meters. While the avowed ambition of the captain (Strother Martin) is for each prisoner to "get their mind right," it soon becomes obvious that Luke is not about to kowtow to anybody. When challenged to a fistfight by fellow inmate Dragline (George Kennedy), Luke simply refuses to give up, even though he's brutally beaten. Luke knows how to win at poker, even with bad cards, by using his smarts and playing it cool. Luke also figures out a way for the men to get their work done in half the usual time, giving them the afternoon off. Finally, when Luke finds out his mother has died, he plots his escape; when he's caught, he simply escapes again. Soon, Luke becomes a symbol of hope and resilience to the other men in the prison camp -- and a symbol of rebelliousness that must be stamped out to the guards and the captain. Along with stellar performances by Newman, Kennedy, and Martin, Cool Hand Luke features a superb supporting cast, including Ralph Waite, Harry Dean Stanton, Dennis Hopper, Wayne Rogers, and Joe Don Baker as members of the chain gang. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, George Kennedy, (more)
