BARNEY MARTIN

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'Barney Martin' (March 3 1923 – March 21 2005) was an American actor. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, he returned to his native New York City and served as a police officer. He got his start as a comedian while still a police officer, writing jokes for his deputy commissioners' speeches.
Entering show business in the 1950s as a writer for Steve Allen, he was discovered by Mel Brooks in 1968, who cast him in ''The Producers''. He went on to act in dozens of films, including the role of Liza Minnelli's unemployed father in ''Arthur'' (1981). On television, he was often seen as one of Oscar's and Felix's poker regulars in ''The Odd Couple.''
In 1975, Martin originated the role of Amos Hart in ''Chicago''. He appeared in many more musicals during his career, most notably ''South Pacific'', ''The Fantasticks'' and ''How Now, Dow Jones''.
Most of Martin's work has been in television, where he has had a long career as a character actor. He is best-known for playing Morty Seinfeld, father of Jerry, on the popular sitcom ''Seinfeld''.
Martin once commented that many Jewish ''Seinfeld'' fans told him how much his character reminded them of their father. Martin in fact was Irish Catholic.
On March 21, 2005, he died of just a few weeks after his 82nd birthday of lung cancer in Studio City, Los Angeles, California.

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