Martin Balsam was an American actor, best known for appearing in supporting roles in films such as ‘Psycho’ and ‘12 Angry Men.’ His role as ‘Arnold Burns’ in the film ‘A Thousand Clowns’ earned him an ‘Academy Award’ for the ‘Best Supporting Actor.’ Born and raised in New York City, Martin was inclined toward acting since his high-school years, when he performed in various plays. He carried forward his interest after school, too, but had to put his acting dreams to a halt due to the outbreak of the Second World War, in which he served as a radio operator. He made his ‘Broadway’ debut in the late 1940s and then shot to success in the early 1950s. Martin made his screen acting debut in 1949, with the series ‘Suspense.’ He then appeared in series such as ‘Danger’ and ‘The Living Christ Series.’ He appeared in many small roles in films and TV, but by the late 1950s, he had become a well-recognized actor. With a slew of successful films such as ‘Psycho,’ ’12 Angry Men,’ ‘Catch-22,’ and ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ Martin established himself as a successful character actor in Hollywood.