Martin Balsam
ActingAbout Martin Balsam
Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American character actor. He is best known for a number of film roles, including detective Milton Arbogast in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), Arnold Burns in A Thousand Clowns (1965), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Juror #1 in 12 Angry Men (1957), and Mr. Green in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), as well as for his role as Murray Klein in the television sitcom Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983).
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Martin Balsam reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Martin Balsam's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 60% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Martin Balsam remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Kids Like These, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Martin Balsam Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Martin Balsam's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Martin Balsam.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | All About 'The Birds' | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Unknown Soldier | Priest | Average | Similar → |
| 1993 | La Classe américaine | Callaghan (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Cape Fear | Judge | Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Two Evil Eyes | Mr. Pym | Average | Similar → |
| 1987 | Kids Like These | Grandpa | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Death Wish 3 | Bennett Cross | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | St. Elmo's Fire | Mr. Beamish | Average | Similar → |
| 1982 | Night of 100 Stars | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | Aunt Mary | Harry Strasberg | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | The Seeding of Sarah Burns | Dr. Samuel Melman | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | Siege | Henry Fancher | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | Blood and Diamonds | Rizzo | Hit | Similar → |
| 1977 | Contract on Cherry Street | Ernie Weinberg | Average | Similar → |
| 1977 | The Sentinel | Prof. Ruzinsky | Average | Similar → |
| 1976 | Two-Minute Warning | Sam McKeever | Average | Similar → |
| 1976 | All the President's Men | Howard Simons | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case | Edward J. Reilly | Average | Similar → |
| 1975 | Miles To Go Before I Sleep | Ben Montgomery | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | Murder on the Orient Express | Signor Bianchi | Hit | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Green | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War | Dr. Rudy Wells (uncredited) (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Stone Killer | Al Vescari | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Dr. Rudy Wells | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | The Man | Jim Talley | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Anderson Tapes | Haskins | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | Confessions of a Police Captain | Commissario Bonavia | Hit | Similar → |
| 1970 | Little Big Man | Mr. Merriweather | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1970 | The Old Man Who Cried Wolf | Stanley Pulska | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | Catch-22 | Col. Cathcart | Hit | Similar → |
| 1970 | Tora! Tora! Tora! | Admiral Husband E. Kimmel | Hit | Similar → |
| 1969 | Trilogy | Ivor Belli | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | Hombre | Henry Mendez | Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | After the Fox | Harry | Average | Similar → |
| 1965 | A Thousand Clowns | Arnold | Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | The Bedford Incident | Lieut Cmdr. Chester Potter, M.D., U.S.N. | Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | Seven Days in May | Paul Girard | Hit | Similar → |
| 1962 | Cape Fear | Police Chief Mark Dutton | Hit | Similar → |
| 1961 | Breakfast at Tiffany's | O.J. Berman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1961 | Ada | Steve Jackson | Average | Similar → |
| 1960 | Everybody Go Home! | Sergente Quintino Fornaciari | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | Psycho | Milton Arbogast | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Middle of the Night | Jack Englander | Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Al Capone | Mac Keeley, reporter | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | Marjorie Morningstar | Dr. David Harris | Average | Similar → |
| 1957 | Time Limit | Sgt. Baker | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | 12 Angry Men | Juror 1 | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | The Defender (Studio One) | Francis Toohey | Hit | Similar → |
| 1954 | On the Waterfront | Gillette (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | The Living Bible | Townsman | Average | Similar → |
Martin Balsam - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Martin Balsam?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Martin Balsam is "Kids Like These" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Martin Balsam acted in?
Martin Balsam has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Martin Balsam?
Other notable films include "12 Angry Men", "Psycho", and "On the Waterfront".