Kiel Martin
| Kiel Martin | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Kiel Urban Mueller July 26, 1944 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died |
December 28, 1990 (aged 46) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1956-1990 |
| Spouse(s) |
Claudia Martin (1969–71; divorced); 1 child Christina Montoya (1978-80; divorced) Joanne La Pomaroa (1982-84; divorced)[1] |
| Children | 1 |
Kiel Urban Mueller (July 26, 1944 – December 28, 1990), known professionally as Kiel Martin, was an American actor best known for his role as Detective John "J.D." La Rue on the 1980s television drama Hill Street Blues.[2]
Early years
Martin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Miami.[3] A 1962 graduate of Hialeah High School, he was a drama student at Miami-Dade Junior College and acted in productions at the University of Miami.
When he was 18, he dubbed voices for "Mexican fairy-tale movies."[4]
Personal life
He was married three times; each one ending in divorce. His first marriage was to Claudia Martin (1944–2001), who was actor/crooner Dean Martin's daughter. They had one child, a daughter named Jesse. They were married from 1969-71.[5]
His second marriage was to Christina Montoya and lasted from 1977-80. His third marriage was to Joanne La Pomaroa and lasted from 1982-84.
Career
Martin's debut as a professional actor came in repertory theatre in Florida. In the 1960s, he moved to New York and worked as a musician, a dockworker, and a stand-up comedian. After signing a contract with Universal Studios in 1967, he broke 15 bones in a motorcycle accident, requiring two years' recuperation.[3]
Martin appeared in Moonrunners, which was the basis for the television series The Dukes of Hazzard.
In addition to Hill Street Blues, Martin made guest appearances on various television shows between the late 1960s through the 1980s, including The Love Boat, The Virginian, Father Dowling Mysteries, and Murder, She Wrote. He starred in the short-lived 1987 Fox sitcom Second Chance[6] until its revamping as Boys Will Be Boys resulted in his character being dropped. He also was a regular on The Edge of Night.[3]
Death
Martin died of lung cancer at age 46 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California.[3][7]
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | La caperucita roja | The Ferocious Wolf | English version, Voice, Uncredited |
| 1961 | Caperucita y sus tres amigos | English version, Voice, Uncredited | |
| 1962 | Caperucita y Pulgarcito contra los monstruos | English version, Voice, Uncredited | |
| 1969 | The Undefeated | Union Runner | |
| 1971 | The Panic in Needle Park | Chico | |
| 1972 | Trick Baby | White Folks | |
| 1973 | Lolly-Madonna XXX | Ludie Gutshall | |
| 1975 | Moonrunners | Bobby Lee Hagg | |
| 1982 | Human Highway | Construction Worker | |
| 1989 | Lluvia de otoño | ||
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1968 | Dragnet | Walter Marshall | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The Catcher | Wes Watkins | TV movie |
| 1975 | The Log of the Black Pearl | Christopher Sand | TV movie |
| 1981 | Child Bride of Short Creek | Bob Kalish | TV movie |
| 1987 | Convicted: A Mother's Story | Van | TV movie |
| 1987 | If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium | Zane Drinkwater | TV movie |
| 1989 | Miami Vice | Paul Cutter | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen | Max Mulgrew | (TV movie |
| 1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Danny Snow | 1 episode, (final appearance) |
References
- ↑ "Kiel Martin". www.nndb.com.
- ↑ Obituary Variety, January 7, 1991.
- 1 2 3 4 "Actor Kiel Martin Dies at 46". The Washington Post. January 2, 1991. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ↑ Kelley, Bill (October 31, 1987). "`Second Chance` For Kiel Martin". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ↑ Lisanti, Tom (2003). Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties. McFarland. p. 285. ISBN 9780786471652. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 939. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ↑ "Kiel Martin, 46, Actor Who Played Sleazy Cop on `Hill Street Blues'". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. January 2, 1991. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
