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).
Martin Balsam Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Martin Balsam reflects a strong mix of popular and critically appreciated roles. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Martin Balsam's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 60% of Martin Balsam's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Kids Like These, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Martin Balsam Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Martin Balsam's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Martin Balsam has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | All About 'The Birds' | Self (archive footage) | Hit | 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 → |
| 1986 | The Delta Force | Ben Kaplan | Average | 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 | 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 | Super 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".