Ross Martin

Actor

Gródek Jagiellonski, Lwowskie, Poland [now Horodok, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine]

March 22, 1920

Biography

Ross Martin (born Martin Rosenblatt, March 22, 1920 – July 3, 1981) was an American radio, voice, stage, film, and television actor. Martin was best known for portraying Artemus Gordon on the CBS Western series The Wild Wild West (1965 – 1969). He also provided the voice of Doctor Paul Williams in 1972's Sealab 2020, additional characters in 1973's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, and additional characters in 1978's Jana of the Jungle. Born in Grodek, Poland, Ross Martin grew up on New York City's Lower East Side. He spoke Yiddish, Polish, and Russian before even learning English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian to his repertoire. Despite academic training (and receiving honors) in business, instruction, and law, Martin chose a career of acting. His first film was the George Pal production Conquest of Space (1955). Soon after, he caught the eye of Blake Edwards, who cast him in varied roles, including the title character's sidekick Andamo in Mr. Lucky (1959–1960), a menacing killer in Experiment in Terror (1962), and a scheming baron in The Great Race (1965).