Strother Douglas Martin, Jr. was an American actor who gained fame for portraying supporting roles in films starring John Wayne and Paul Newman. An Indiana native, Martin was a prodigious swimmer and diver as a child and went on to serve in the United States Navy during the World War II. When the war ended, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he started working as a swimming instructor. Martin debuted as an actor in an uncredited role in the 1950 crime-drama ‘The Damned Don’t Cry’. He first credited film role was in the 1952 adventure film ‘Storm over Tibet’. He made his television debut in 1951, in an episode of ‘Stars Over Hollywood’. Over the course of his three-decade-long career, Martin accumulated over 170 film and TV credits. In 1974, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in CBS’ crime drama ‘Hawkins’.
