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Martin Balsam

Martin Balsam

48 movies on Netflix

Biography

Martin Balsam was an American actor known for character roles in film, theater, and television. Born in the Bronx, he trained at The New School's Dramatic Workshop under Erwin Piscator and joined the Actors Studio. After World War II service in the Army Air Forces, he returned to the New York stage, winning a Tony for You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running. His film debut was in On the Waterfront (1954), and he gained notice as Juror #1 in 12 Angry Men (1957). He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for A Thousand Clowns (1965). Other films included Psycho (1960), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Catch-22 (1970), and All the President's Men (1976). On television, he appeared on Dr. Kildare and Archie Bunker's Place, and he was nominated for BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Emmy Awards.

76years old at death

  • Born The Bronx
  • Died Rome
  • Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
  • Martin Henry Balsam (birth name)

Movie Career

Films
48
Career span
40 years1954 to 1994

Genres

First and latest

Photos

  • Martin Balsam, photo 1 of 3
  • Martin Balsam, photo 2 of 3
  • Martin Balsam, photo 3 of 3

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  1. Early training

    Elia Kazan picked Balsam in early 1948 for the newly formed Actors Studio. Balsam acted steadily in Broadway and off-Broadway plays, work he kept up well into his film career.

  2. First role

    Balsam's film debut was an uncredited part in On the Waterfront (1954), directed by his Actors Studio colleague Elia Kazan, playing a Port Authority official investigating mob ties to the waterfront unions.

  3. A role that slipped away

    Balsam played Dr. Rudy Wells in the 1973 TV movie pilot for The Six Million Dollar Man but did not return for the series.

  4. Languages

    Balsam began acting in Italian films in 1960 with Everybody Go Home, and his lines in those movies were dubbed into Italian while he looped his own English dialogue for export versions.

Martin Balsam movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. 12 Angry Men1957 Crime, Dramaas Juror 1

    IMDb rating 9.01.0M votes

  2. Psycho1960 Horror, Mystery, Thrilleras Det. Milton Arbogast

    IMDb rating 8.5794K votes

  3. Breakfast at Tiffany's1961as O.J. Berman

    IMDb rating 7.5206K votes

  4. All the President's Men1976as Howard Simons

    IMDb rating 7.9139K votes

  5. Murder on the Orient Express1974as Bianchi

    IMDb rating 7.275K votes

  6. Tora! Tora! Tora!1970as Admiral Kimmel

    IMDb rating 7.540K votes

  7. Cape Fear1991as Judge

    IMDb rating 7.3250K votes

  8. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974as Harold Longman aka Green

    IMDb rating 7.642K votes

Most often with

Sidney Lumet directed three of these films, Michael Winner three and Fred Coe two. Rudy Bond appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Rudy Bond, 5 films togetherSee the 5 films with Rudy BondCharles Bronson, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Charles BronsonRobert Mitchum, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Robert MitchumSean Connery, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Sean ConneryRichard Widmark, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Richard WidmarkJack Warden, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Jack WardenSidney LumetDirector, 3 filmsSee the 3 films by Sidney LumetMichael WinnerDirector, 3 filmsSee the 3 films by Michael WinnerFred CoeDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Fred Coe

Films together

Box office

What Martin Balsam's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$722 million

23 of the 48 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 48 films: 23 worldwide figure; 6 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 15 figure not found.

  • 23Worldwide figure
  • 6US gross only
  • 4Never in cinemas
  • 15Figure not found

Top grosser

Cape Fear1991as Judge$182 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 77% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Cape Fear1991as Judge
    $182M25.2% of the total
  2. 2
    Cape Fear1962as Police Chief Mark Dutton
    $103M14.3% of the total
  3. 3
    All the President's Men1976as Howard Simons
    $71M9.8% of the total
  4. 4
    Psycho1960as Det. Milton Arbogast
    $50M6.9% of the total
  5. 5
    The Carpetbaggers1964as Bernard B. Norman
    $40M5.5% of the total
  6. 6
    St. Elmo's Fire1985as Mr. Beamish
    $38M5.2% of the total
  7. 7
    Tora! Tora! Tora!1970as Admiral Kimmel
    $37M5.1% of the total
  8. 8
    Murder on the Orient Express1974as Bianchi
    $36M4.9% of the total
Little Big Man (1970), $31.6 millionCatch-22 (1970), $24.9 millionThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), $18.7 millionThe Delta Force (1986), $17.8 millionDeath Wish 3 (1985), $16.1 millionHombre (1967), $12.0 millionOn the Waterfront (1954), $9.6 millionBreakfast at Tiffany's (1961), $9.5 millionTwo-Minute Warning (1976), $6.7 millionThe Anderson Tapes (1971), $5.0 million12 Angry Men (1957), $4.4 millionThe Sentinel (1977), $4.0 millionMarjorie Morningstar (1958), $3.0 millionAl Capone (1959), $2.5 millionP.I. Private Investigations (1987), $100,000

$166 millionfrom the other 15 films with a worldwide figure, 23% of the total

Awards

Three awards and honors from 1964 to 1968, two of them major.

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Martin Balsam's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Academy Awards
1966Best Supporting ActorA Thousand ClownsWon
Tony Awards
1968Best Actor in a PlayWon
Other honors
1964National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting ActorThe CarpetbaggersWon

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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