Our Daily Dead

LA Times
Barney Martin, a film, television and stage actor who became known to millions of TV viewers in the 1990s as Jerry Seinfeld’s dad on the popular “Seinfeld” show, has died. He was 82.

Martin died Monday of cancer at his home in Studio City.

Martin was a New York City police detective who used humor to spice up speeches for deputy commissioners when he started in show business by writing on the side in the 1950s for “Name That Tune” and “The Steve Allen Show.” He began acting in the 1960s, and Mel Brooks cast him in the “The Producers” in 1968. In 1981, he played Liza Minnelli’s father in “Arthur.”

Martin also appeared several times on Broadway, including the role of murderer Roxie Hart’s husband, Amos, in the original production of the Bob Fosse musical “Chicago,” in 1975. Martin introduced the song “Mr. Cellophane.”

Although Martin was the third actor to play Seinfeld’s father, he is the one most identified with the role of the Florida retiree, Morty. He once said that Morty’s job as a father was to save his son money.
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