Photo: Stefanianj / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Martin Balsam is the kind of actor who makes you realize how much a great supporting performance holds a film together — the guy was never the marquee name, but the moment he walked on screen you felt the whole thing get more real. Born and raised in the Bronx, trained at the Actors Studio alongside some of the most intense talents of his generation, he built a career that was essentially a masterclass in craft over glamour. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1966 and a Tony for Best Actor in 1968, which tells you everything: the man could do it all, stage and screen, without breaking a sweat. He passed away in February 1996, and honestly the movies lost one of those reliable, irreplaceable presences that you only fully appreciate once they're gone.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Martin Balsam
- Name (Japanese)
- マーティン・バルサム
- Reading
- まーてぃん・ばるさむ
- Born
- November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Goat
- Origin
- The Bronx, New York, United States
- Occupation
- character actor / stage actor / film actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
- High school
- DeWitt Clinton High School
Awards & achievements
- 1966 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- 1968 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- 1964 National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Martin Balsam born?
November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996.
Where is Martin Balsam from?
Martin Balsam is from The Bronx, New York, United States.
What does Martin Balsam do?
Martin Balsam works as character actor, stage actor, film actor, television actor, actor.
Character actor — see all → · Stage actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.