Martin Kove

Biography

Martin Kove is an American actor known primarily for the role of John Kreese, the ruthless Cobra Kai sensei in The Karate Kid (1984). Born in Brooklyn, he entered the NYU School of the Arts after spending his early years in community theater. A stand-in job for Sean Connery on The Anderson Tapes led Kove to leave school and settle in Los Angeles. He had small parts in films including Women in Revolt, Savages, and Cops and Robbers, then appeared in Capone (1975) and Death Race 2000 (1975). From 1982 to 1988 he was a regular on Cagney & Lacey as Detective Victor Isbecki. After playing a helicopter pilot in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), he returned to Kreese in The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). Kove later appeared in VFW (2019) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and reprised Kreese in the series Cobra Kai, which drew critical success.

80years old

Turns 81 on March 6in 153 days

Born March 6, 1946Brooklyn
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20

Movie Career

Films: 39
Career span: 54 years1971 to 2025

Genres

Action51%, 20 films
Thriller28%, 11 films
Horror26%, 10 films
Comedy23%, 9 films
Drama23%, 9 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Own stunts
Kove trained in Okinawa-te karate with Gordon Doversola Shihan, and he also studied Kendo and Taekwondo. He went on to receive his black belt in Okinawa-te karate.
Own stunts
Kove returned as Kreese in The Karate Kid Part II, the 1986 sequel. During the car window punching scene in that film, the special effects failed, so he punched through the glass himself.
Behind the camera
Kove directed one episode of Silk Stalkings, the season 3 installment called "These Stalkings are Too Hot," which aired in 1994. It was his only directorial effort.
First role
In 1971, Kove was asked to stand in for Sean Connery in The Anderson Tapes. When Kove asked Connery if he should keep up his schooling, Connery told him that if he could do the classics, he could do anything.
A change of course
Kove followed Connery's advice and left both school and his substitute math teaching job at Ward Melville High School, then moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Martin Kove movies on Netflix

Killing Mary Sue2025IMDb rating 5.1as Knox
Queen of the Ring2025IMDb rating 6.4as Al Haft
A Taste of Love2024IMDb rating 5.9as Glenn
Fight Another Day2024IMDb rating 4.6as Fischer
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story2021IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Day 132020IMDb rating 3.9as Magnus Torvald
VFW2019IMDb rating 6.1as Lou Clayton
2 Lava 2 Lantula!2016IMDb rating 4.2as Colonel Jester
Joker's Poltergeist2016IMDb rating 1.9as Rand Place
Traded2016IMDb rating 4.8as Cavendish
Red Sky2014IMDb rating 4.1as Navy Intel Commander
Rice Girl2014IMDb rating 3.6as Captain Ron Williams
Tapped Out2014IMDb rating 5.3as Principal Vanhorne
The Extendables2014IMDb rating 3.5as Aye Lewis
I'm in Love with a Church Girl2013IMDb rating 4.2as Terry Edgemond
Silent but Deadly2012IMDb rating 4.9as Hodge
Middle Men2009IMDb rating 6.8as US Senator
Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance2008IMDb rating 6.0as Sheriff Jones
ReVamped2007IMDb rating 3.1as Detective Reeger
Glass Trap2005IMDb rating 3.3as Corrigan
Alien Lockdown2004IMDb rating 3.7as Anslow
Crocodile 2: Death Roll2002IMDb rating 3.8as Roland
Curse of the Forty-Niner2002IMDb rating 3.7as Caleb
Assault on Death Mountain1999IMDb rating 3.8as Andy Powers
Top of the World1997IMDb rating 4.7as Carl
Mercenary1996IMDb rating 5.1as Phoenix
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death1993IMDb rating 5.5as Mr. Lee
Project: Shadowchaser1992IMDb rating 4.5as Desilva
The Karate Kid, Part III1989IMDb rating 5.4as Kreese
The Karate Kid, Part II1986IMDb rating 6.2as Kreese
Rambo: First Blood Part II1985IMDb rating 6.5as Ericson
The Karate Kid1984IMDb rating 7.4as Kreese
Blood Tide1982IMDb rating 4.5as Neil Grice
The White Buffalo1977IMDb rating 6.2as Jack McCall
Capone1975IMDb rating 5.7as Pete Gusenberg
Death Race 20001975IMDb rating 6.2as Nero the Hero
White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1as Clem
The Last House on the Left1972IMDb rating 5.8as Deputy
Little Murders1971IMDb rating 6.8as Checkpoint Police Officer

Best known for

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

Top

The Karate Kid1984 Action, Drama, Familyas Kreese
IMDb rating 7.4275K votes
Rambo: First Blood Part II1985 Action, Adventure, Thrilleras Ericson
IMDb rating 6.5198K votes
The Karate Kid, Part III1989as Kreese
IMDb rating 5.479K votes
Death Race 20001975as Nero the Hero
IMDb rating 6.233K votes
VFW2019as Lou Clayton
IMDb rating 6.110K votes
The Karate Kid, Part II1986as Kreese
IMDb rating 6.2111K votes
The Last House on the Left1972as Deputy
IMDb rating 5.843K votes
Crocodile 2: Death Roll2002as Roland
IMDb rating 3.82.4K votes

Most often with

John G. Avildsen directed three of these films. Pat Morita 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.

Top

Pat Morita

Ralph Macchio

Sylvester Stallone

Ed Lauter

William Zabka

Dick Miller

John G. AvildsenDirector, 3 films

Films together

Pat Morita5 films together, 1984 to 2021
Pat Morita's page
- More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story2021IMDb rating 7.4Kove as HimselfMorita as Self / Various
- Rice Girl2014IMDb rating 3.6Kove as Captain Ron WilliamsMorita as Peter Ong
- The Karate Kid, Part III1989IMDb rating 5.4Kove as KreeseMorita as Mr. Miyagi
- The Karate Kid, Part II1986IMDb rating 6.2Kove as KreeseMorita as Miyagi
- The Karate Kid1984IMDb rating 7.4Kove as KreeseMorita as Miyagi
Ralph Macchio4 films together, 1984 to 2021
Ralph Macchio's page
- More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story2021IMDb rating 7.4Kove as HimselfMacchio as Himself
- The Karate Kid, Part III1989IMDb rating 5.4Kove as KreeseMacchio as Daniel
- The Karate Kid, Part II1986IMDb rating 6.2Kove as KreeseMacchio as Daniel
- The Karate Kid1984IMDb rating 7.4Kove as KreeseMacchio as Daniel
Sylvester Stallone3 films together, 1975 to 1985
Sylvester Stallone's page
- Rambo: First Blood Part II1985IMDb rating 6.5Kove as EricsonStallone as Rambo
- Capone1975IMDb rating 5.7Kove as Pete GusenbergStallone as Frank Nitti
- Death Race 20001975IMDb rating 6.2Kove as Nero the HeroStallone as Machine Gun Joe Viterbo
Ed Lauter3 films together, 1977 to 1997
Ed Lauter's page
- Top of the World1997IMDb rating 4.7Kove as CarlLauter as Mel Ridgefield
- Mercenary1996IMDb rating 5.1Kove as PhoenixLauter as Jack Cochran
- The White Buffalo1977IMDb rating 6.2Kove as Jack McCallLauter as Captain Tom Custer
William Zabka3 films together, 1984 to 2021
William Zabka's page
- More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story2021IMDb rating 7.4Kove as HimselfZabka as Himself
- Shootfighter: Fight to the Death1993IMDb rating 5.5Kove as Mr. LeeZabka as Ruben
- The Karate Kid1984IMDb rating 7.4Kove as KreeseZabka as Johnny
Dick Miller2 films together, 1975
Dick Miller's page
- Capone1975IMDb rating 5.7Kove as Pete GusenbergMiller as Joe Pryor
- White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1Kove as ClemMiller as Birdie
John G. AvildsenDirector, 3 films, 1984 to 1989
All films by John G. Avildsen
- The Karate Kid, Part III1989IMDb rating 5.4Kove as Kreese
- The Karate Kid, Part II1986IMDb rating 6.2Kove as Kreese
- The Karate Kid1984IMDb rating 7.4Kove as Kreese
Also two films together14 more actors
- Vernon WellsReVamped (2007) and Curse of the Forty-Niner (2002)
- Slim PickensThe White Buffalo (1977) and White Line Fever (1975)
- Fred WilliamsonVFW (2019) and ReVamped (2007)
- Tommy ChongMore Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story (2021) and Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance (2008)
- George CheungShootfighter: Fight to the Death (1993) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- John Phillip LawRailroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance (2008) and Curse of the Forty-Niner (2002)
- Edward AlbertRailroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance (2008) and Shootfighter: Fight to the Death (1993)
- Sierra McCormickKilling Mary Sue (2025) and VFW (2019)
- Sean KananMore Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story (2021) and The Karate Kid, Part III (1989)
- Julia NicksonMore Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story (2021) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- Randee HellerThe Karate Kid, Part III (1989) and The Karate Kid (1984)
- Jesse KoveKilling Mary Sue (2025) and A Taste of Love (2024)
- Pat E. JohnsonThe Karate Kid, Part III (1989) and The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)
- Ron ThomasMore Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story (2021) and The Karate Kid (1984)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.