John Francis McMartin (August 21, 1929 – July 6, 2016) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, and acted on Broadway for more than 50 years. He won a Theatre World Award in 1960 and was nominated for a Tony for his role in Sweet Charity in 1966. On television, McMartin appeared on the soap opera As the World Turns, and the TV shows East Side West Side, Beauty and the Beast, The Golden Girls,The Bob Newhart Show, and Murder, She Wrote. He also had film roles in All the President's Men (1976), Blow Out, and Legal Eagles.
Life and career McMartin was born in Warsaw, Indiana, on August 21, 1929,Some sources inaccurately cite the date as November 18, 1929. and raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Army and became a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division. He attended Columbia College Chicago, but did not graduate and later attended college in New York. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, opposite Eileen Brennan and Elmarie Wendel. He won a Theatre World Award for his role as Corporal Billy Jester, and married one of the show's producers, Cynthia Baer, in 1960; they divorced in 1971.
McMartin's first Broadway appearance was as Forrest Noble in The Conquering Hero in 1961, which was followed by Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole. He created the role of Oscar in Sweet Charity in 1966, opposite Gwen Verdon,Kaufmann, Stanley. "Theater: Show That Wants to Be Loved; 'Sweet Charity' Opens at Refurbished Palace" The New York Times (abstract), January 31, 1966, p. 22 garnering a Tony nomination, and played the role again in the 1969 film opposite Shirley MacLaine.Canby, Vincent. The New York Times movie review, Sweet Charity, April 2, 1969 He was reportedly cast in Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1962, but his role was cut before the show opened.
McMartin later starred in the original Broadway production of Sondheim's Follies opposite Alexis Smith in 1971 as Benjamin Stone, introducing the ballad "The Road You Didn't Take"."'Follies' listing, Broadway 1971", sondheimguide.com; accessed August 26, 2012 His association with Sondheim continued, as he appeared in A Little Night Music as Frederick at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, in 1991."1990-91 SEASON; A Little Night Music, April 18-June 30, 1991" centertheatregroup.org, accessed August 26, 2012Willis, John. "Ahmanson Theatre" Theatre World 1990–1991, Vol. 47 (books.google.com), Hal Leonard Corporation, 1992, , p. 121 The reviewer for the Orange County Register wrote that McMartin was "aggressively deadpan as her rediscovered old flame".O'Connor, Thomas. "REVIEW;'Night Music' makes its way to Doolittle", Orange County Register (California), April 19, 1991, SHOW; p. 18.
He appeared in the first Broadway revival of Into the Woods in 2002, in the dual role of the Narrator and the Mysterious Man.Gans, Andrew. , Playbill, May 23, 2002"'Into the Woods', 2002 Broadway Revival Production", sondheimguide.com, accessed August 26, 2012Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review; Sondheim Reprise Puts Music Ahead of the Journey", The New York Times (abstract), May 1, 2002 (Late Edition), Section E; Column 2; Arts/Cultural Desk; p. 1
Other Broadway roles include the Narrator in Happy New Year, Ben in A Little Family Business (adapted by Jay Presson Allen, 1982), Donner in Tom Stoppard's Artist Descending a Staircase, Cap'n Andy in Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat (1994),Lefkowitz, David. "John McMartin Returning to 'Show Boat' Nov. 5" Playbill, October 28, 1996 and Uncle Willie in Cole Porter's High Society (1998).Haun, Harry. "Uncle Of The Bride: John McMartin in 'High Society'" Playbill, May 21, 1998 He also had a role as the American Revolutionary naval hero John Paul Jones in the unsuccessful Loesser/Spewack musical Pleasures and Palaces, which closed in Detroit. In regional theater, he originated the role of Benteen in the Folger Theater Group's 1979 production of Custer at the Kennedy Center.
McMartin was a leading member of the New Phoenix Repertory Company during its three Broadway seasons in the early 1970s, appearing onstage in Eugene O'Neill's The Great God Brown (opposite Katherine Helmond), Molière's Dom Juan, and Luigi Pirandello's The Rules of the Game.
McMartin played Anton Schell opposite Chita Rivera in Kander and Ebb's musical The Visit at the Goodman Theatre. He created the roles of J.V. "Major" Bouvier and Norman Vincent Peale in Grey Gardens, opposite Mary Louise Wilson and Christine Ebersole. He played Thomas Jefferson in the original cast of John Guare's A Free Man of Color at Lincoln Center (2010–11), and Elisha Whitney in the 2011 Broadway revival of Anything Goes, opposite Jessica Walter.Jones, Kenneth., Playbill, September 19, 2011.
On television, McMartin appeared on the soap opera As the World Turns as Ed Rice. He was later in the CBS drama East Side West Side and the first two seasons of Beauty and the Beast (1987) as Charles Chandler, father of Catherine (Linda Hamilton). He also appeared in The Golden Girls (Season 2) as Frank Leahy who, unbeknownst to Dorothy (Bea Arthur) who is romantically attracted to him, is a priest. He appeared as the Rev. Dr. Dan Bradford on The Bob Newhart Show in "Somebody Down Here Likes Me". He appeared on Cheers in "The Visiting Lecher". He appeared as radio personality Fletcher Grey on Frasier. He appeared in four episodes of Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared as Shirley Jones's love interest in The Partridge Family episode "When Mother Gets Married".
McMartin's film roles include the foreign editor in All the President's Men (1976), a senator in Brubaker (1980), a political advisor in Blow Out (1981), and millionaire Mr. Forrester in Legal Eagles (1986).
Death McMartin died of cancer in Manhattan on July 6, 2016, aged 86. He was survived by his longtime partner, actress Charlotte Moore, artistic director of the Irish Repertory Theatre; and by his two daughters from his marriage to Cynthia Baer.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1965 A Thousand Clowns The Man in the Office 1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? The Mayor 1969 Sweet Charity Oscar 1976 All the President's Men Foreign Editor 1977 Thieves Gordon 1980 Brubaker Senator Charles Hite 1981 Blow Out Lawrence Henry 1981 Pennies From Heaven Mr. Warner 1986 Dream Lover Martin 1986 Legal Eagles Robert Forrester 1986 Native Son Mr. Dalton 1987 Who's That Girl Simon Worthington 1989 Little Sweetheart Uncle David 1990 A Shock to the System George Brewster 1998 Three Businessmen Liverpool Businessman 2000 The Dish U.S. Ambassador Howard 2004 Kinsey Huntington Hartford 2007 No Reservations Mr. Peterson
Television Year Title Role Notes1956 As the World Turns Ed Rice 1958 Armstrong Circle Theatre Performer Episode: "The Invisible Mark"1961 Frontiers of Faith Man Episode: "Let Us Build a Tower"1963 The DuPont Show of the Week Bill Wilks Episode: "Ride with Terror"1963 Ride with Terror Bill Wilks Television movie1964 East Side West Side Mike Miller 3 episodes1964 The Doctors and the Nurses William Devon Episode: "A Postcard from Yucatan"1964 Mr. Broadway Robertson Episode: "Try to Find a Spy"1965 Profiles in Courage Tumulty Episode: "Woodrow Wilson"1965 A Flame in the Wind Ted 2 episodes1968 Premiere John Higher / Professor Josh Enders 2 episodes1969 Judd, for the Defense Don Townsend Episode: "Visitation"1969 Medical Center Dan Caldwell Episode: "A Life Is Waiting"1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. John Ambrose Episode: "Fun and Games and John Ambrose"1970 Ritual of Evil Edward Bolander Television movie1970 The Partridge Family Larry Metcalfe Episode: "When Mother Gets Married"1970 Insight Chipper Episode: "Chipper"1971 Hawaii Five-O Ron Nicholson 2 episodes1971 Love, American Style Peter Ferguson Episode: "Love and the Duel/Love and the Note/Love and the Young Unmarrieds"1971 God Bless Mr. Ferguson Performer Television movie1973 The Bob Newhart Show Reverend Daniel Bradford Episode: "Somebody Down Here Likes Me"1974 Harry O Jordan Briggs Episode: "The Admiral's Lady"1975 Cannon Senator Arlen Andrews Episode: "Nightmare"1975 Fear on Trial Tom Murray Television movie1975–76 Phyllis Jerome Patterson 2 episodes1975–81 Great Performances Leone Gala / Teddy Wharton 2 episodes1976 Fay Dr. Walter Episode: "Fay and the Doctor"1976 The Rockford Files Timson Farrell Episode: "The Fourth Man"1976 The Fatal Weakness Paul Espenshade Television movie1976 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Barry Munroe Episode: "Mary Gets a Lawyer"1978 The Defection of Simas Kudirka Phillip Chadway Television movie1979 Dear Detective Performer Episode #1.41980 The Greatest Man in the World Ames Herbert Television movie1981 Hart to Hart Cole Morefeld Episode: "Murder Wrap"1982–84 American Playhouse Paul Melton / William Marbury 2 episodes1983 The Last Ninja Mr. Cosmo Television movie1984–86 Magnum, P.I. Jason Bryan / Bill Campbell 2 episodes1985–86 Falcon Crest Julian J. Roberts 8 episodes1985–91 Murder, She Wrote Various roles 4 episodes1986 Murrow Frank Stanton Television movie1986 Kay O'Brien Jack O'Brien Episode: "Don't Bother Kayo It's Chinatown"1987 The Golden Girls Father Frank Leahy Episode: "Forgive Me, Father"1987–89 Beauty and the Beast Charles Chandler 4 episodes1988 Lincoln Salmon P. Chase 2 episodes1988 Roots: The Gift Edmund Parker Sr. Television movie1989 Tattingers Frederick Lund Episode: "Broken Windows"1989 Day One Dr. Arthur Compton Television movie1989 Cheers Dr. Lawrence Crandell Episode: "The Visiting Lecher"1990–92 Coach Judge Watkins 2 episodes1991 Separate but Equal Governor James F. Byrnes Television miniseries1992 Empty Nest Reverend Chambers Episode: "The Son of a Preacherman"1992 Citizen Cohn Older Doctor Television movie1992 Sisters J.D. Fitzway Episode: "Portrait of the Artists"1992–2009 Law & Order Various roles 5 episodes1993 Ghostwriter Alan Charles Episode: "Who's Who – Part 3"1993 Bob Dr. O'Reilly Episode: "Better to How Loved and Flossed"1994 Frasier Fletcher Grey Episode: "And the Whimper Is..."1997–98 Touched by an Angel Earl Gray / Ed Greeley 2 episodes1999 Spin City Senator Joseph Grady Episode: "The Thanksgiving Show"2000 Oz Lars Nathan 2 episodes2001 Further Tales of the City Royal Reichenbach 3 episodes2015 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Grant Episode: "Kimmy Goes on a Date!"
Stage Broadway Year Title Role Venue 1961 The Conquering Hero Forrest Noble ANTA Washington Square Theatre 1961 Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole Captain Mal Malcolm Ambassador Theatre 1963 Children From Their Games Sidney Balzer Morosco Theatre 1963 A Rainy Day in Newark Edward L. Voorhees Belasco Theater 1966 Sweet Charity Oscar Palace Theatre 1971–72 Follies Benjamin Stone Winter Garden Theatre 1972–73 The Great God Brown Dion Anthony Lyceum Theatre 1972–73 Dom Juan Sganarelle 1973 Sondheim: A Musical Tribute Performer Benefit Concert, Shubert Theatre 1973–74 The Visit Anton Schill Ethel Barrymore Theatre 1973–74 Chemin de Fer Fedot 1974 Love for Love Foresight Helen Hayes Theatre 1974 The Rules of the Game Leone Gala 1980 Happy New Year Narrator Morosco Theater 1982 Solomon's Child Allan Little Theatre 1982 A Little Family Business Ben Martin Beck Theatre 1989 Artist Descending a Staircase Donner Helen Hayes Theatre 1994–97 Show Boat Cap'n Andy Gershwin Theatre 1998 High Society Uncle Willie St. James Theatre 2002 Into the Woods The Mysterious Man / The Narrator Broadhurst Theatre 2004 Passion Doctor Tambourri Special benefit concert 2006 Grey Gardens J.V. "Major" Bouvier Norman Vincent Peale Walter Kerr Theatre 2007 Is He Dead? Papa Leroux Lyceum Theatre 2009 Chance & Chemistry Performer Minskoff Theatre 2010 Sondheim! The Birthday Concert Performer New York Philharmonic 2010 A Free Man of Color Thomas Jefferson Vivian Beaumont Theatre 2011 Anything Goes Elisha Whitney Stephen Sondheim Theatre 2014 All the Way Richard Russell, Jr. Neil Simon Theatre