Wissenswertes

Frequently co-starred with L.Q. Jones, who in real life was one of his closest friends.

Did an episode of the Dick van Dyke Show (1961) called "Baby Fat" in which he portrayed a playwright based on Tennessee Williams in 1965. Fifteen years later while hosting Saturday Night Live (1975), he admitted during the monologue that because of that part, many times he was actually mistaken for the famous playwright.

Cast alongside Paul Newman in Der silberne Kelch (1954), Ein Fall für Harper (1966), Der Unbeugsame (1967), Butch Cassidy und Sundance Kid (1969), Zwei glücklose Cowboys (1972) and Schlappschuß (1977).

Although he often played scruffy, low-life, violent, somewhat crazed villains, in real life he was an avid gardener and an aficionado of classical music.

In 1936, he won the National Junior Springboard Division Championship at age 17. He never won the adult championship, finishing second in 1944 and third in 1946. Although he barely missed making the 1948 Olympic Team, he did gain access to Hollywood by giving swimming lessons to Marion Davies at San Simeon and the children of Charles Chaplin. He was hired as a swimming extra in films between 1948-50, including Im Solde des Satans (1950).

Bitten by a snake during filming of Sssssnake Kobra (1973)

Appeared in six movies with John Wayne: Der letzte Befehl (1959), Der Mann der Liberty Valance erschoss (1962), MacLintock (1963), Die vier Söhne der Katie Elder (1965), Der Marshal (1969) and Mit Dynamit und frommen Sprüchen (1975).

The name Strother is old Teutonic for "river".

Once described the characters he played in westerns as "prairie scum".

During the 1950s and 1960s he was active in Arthur Kennedy's Stage Society, along with Gary Cooper, Akim Tamiroff, Jeff Corey, Tony Curtis, Mildred Dunnock, Anthony Quinn and Patricia Neal.

He collaborated with friend and filmmaker J.D. Feigelson on dialog in the screenplay for the cult film Die Nacht der Vogelscheuche (1981). Feigelson was writing the film to star Strother, but before it could be set for production he passed away. Charles Durning replaced Martin in the lead role of Otis P. Hazelrigg. One of the memorable lines in the film was Martin's contribution: "He's thirty-three years old, Mrs. Ritter, he's physically mature".

He has appeared in eight films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Asphalt-Dschungel (1950), Ein neuer Stern am Himmel (1954), Rattennest (1955), Der Mann der Liberty Valance erschoss (1962), Der Unbeugsame (1967), The Wild Bunch - Sie kannten kein Gesetz (1969), Butch Cassidy und Sundance Kid (1969) and Cheech & Chong - Viel Rauch um nichts (1978).

In 1970, the First Annual Strother Martin Film Festival was held at Chico State College in Chico, CA.

Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, CA, in the Court of Remembrance, #G62420.

The press dubbed him "The Andy Devine for the Age of Anxiety" and "A Gabby Hayes without Honor.".

Played a character named Stoner in two unrelated movies: Sssssnake Kobra (1973) and Cheech & Chong - Viel Rauch um nichts (1978).

His manner of speaking, tone, etc., was imitated by Ken Curtis on Rauchende Colts (1955). Curtis' style of acting before that role was very low-key. Martin had appeared in a handful of "Gunsmoke" episodes before Curtis got the role replacing Dennis Weaver.

Appeared in the three most-acclaimed westerns of 1969: The Wild Bunch - Sie kannten kein Gesetz (1969), Butch Cassidy und Sundance Kid (1969) and Der Marshal (1969).

He was a swimming instructor before becoming an actor and became well-known in Hollywood by teaching the children of film stars, executives, etc., how to swim. From that, he became an uncredited technical adviser on various film featuring the swimming star Esther Williams, and small acting roles followed.

Interviewed in "Bad at the Bijou" by William R. Horner (McFarland, 1982).

Served in the US Navy from 1942-46, according to the site Navy.weservedtogether. He was stationed in San Diego, CA, at the HQ of the Recruit Training Command (RTC) as cadre/facility staff. His rating was SP(A), an athletic instructor (someone has to teach sailors how to swim). His highest rank was Petty Officer Third Class. He was awarded the American Campaign and WWII Victory medals.

No relation to Dewey Martin although erroneously claimed as such in some sources.

Martin's voice can be heard on Guns N' Roses' song "Civil War", from the album "Use Your Illusion II". His speech in Der Unbeugsame (1967) ("What we've got here is failure to communicate") serves as the intro to the song. Part of that speech can also be heard on another GNR song, "Madagascar", from the album "Chinese Democracy".

He was the first host of Saturday Night Live (1975) to die.