Martin Kove (; born March 6, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as John Kreese, the main antagonist of The Karate Kid (1984). Kove reprised the role in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and the television series Cobra Kai (2018–2025). He was a regular on the television series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988), portraying Police Detective Victor Isbecki. Kove also appeared in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
Early life Martin Kove was adopted into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York in 1947. His mother was a bookkeeper while his father worked in a hardware store. Kove has stated that his love for acting began during a fourth grade field trip to a play called "The Golden Goose." He stated: "That's when I got that feeling that you get on stage that this is for me." Kove attended Valley Stream Central High School before attending ITT Technical Institute – Maumee Campus.
Career
Kove then attended Queensborough Community College. However, their Drama department was very limited, so he would go around to different universities that had good drama departments and would audition for their plays despite not being enrolled at the schools producing them, sometimes getting the role and other times getting figured out. Kove worked only in community theater until he was 23, and subsequently accepted into the NYU School of the Arts. In 1971, Kove got a call to be a stand-in for Sean Connery in The Anderson Tapes. Upon meeting, he asked Connery whether he should build up a portfolio or continue with schooling. Connery responded: "Young man, if you can do the classics, you can do anything, why bother going back to school?"
Kove took Connery’s advice and quit school and his job working as a substitute math teacher at the Ward Melville High School, moving to Los Angeles to pursue his career in acting. From there, Kove continued to build up his portfolio with smaller roles in films such as Women in Revolt, Savages and Cops and Robbers. By 1975, with a number of movies and television spots under his belt, Kove joined the cast of Capone where he played Peter "Goosey" Gunsenburg also appearing in Death Race 2000. He got his first reoccurring role in the 1977 show Code R but it only lasted one season. From 1982 to 1988, Kove appeared in the main cast of Cagney & Lacey as New York City Detective Victor Isbecki.
In 1984, Kove appeared in the hit film The Karate Kid as Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese, whose fighting instruction of showing "no mercy" and to "sweep the leg" during the film's karate tournament entered the American zeitgeist. After playing a traitorous helicopter pilot in the 1985 film Rambo: First Blood Part II, he returned as Kreese for the 1986 sequel The Karate Kid Part II and the 1989 sequel The Karate Kid Part III. While shooting the car window punching scene for Part II, Kove actually had punched through the glass himself due to the special effects failing.
During the 1990s, Kove continued to appear in numerous films and TV shows such as TimeLock, Frank and Jesse, Project Shawdowchaser also starting in the war film Firehawk. He reprised his Cagney & Lacey role in four television films from 1994 to 1996. He made multiple appearances in the television shows Hard Time on Planet Earth, Renegade and Diagnosis Murder. In his only directorial effort, Kove directed a season 3 episode of Silk Stalkings entitled "These Stalkings are Too Hot" in 1994.
Kove studied Okinawa-te karate under prominent black belt Gordon Doversola Shihan. He has also trained in Kendo and Taekwondo and later on earned his black belt in Okinawa-te karate.
Kove continued making multiple appearances in films and television during the 2000s. He also appeared in the 2007 music video for the song "Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings as a caricature of himself and John Kreese from The Karate Kid.
In 2017, Kove appeared in an episode of The Goldbergs as master John, in reference to his role in The Karate Kid. The following year, Kove returned to the character of Kreese for the YouTube Premium web series Cobra Kai, a continuation of The Karate Kid franchise set 34 years after the original film. The series debuted on May 2, 2018, and was met with critical success. The show was renewed for a second season, which was published on April 24, 2019. In June 2020, Netflix purchased the series, producing a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth season.
In 2019, Kove parodied his Karate Kid character in a QuickBooks commercial, in which a kinder, gentler Kreese runs a "Koala Kai" dojo of preteen students who are encouraged to "support the leg" and to show "more mercy." Kove received praise for his role in the short film The Roommates taking home best supporting actor at the 2020 Oceanside International Film Festival. He also played a lead role in the 2019 film VFW and made an appearance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Kove was one of the celebrities competing on season 30 of Dancing with the Stars in 2021. He and his professional dance partner, Britt Stewart, were the first couple to be eliminated. In January 2022 Kove and his two children started a podcast which ran until June of that same year. He starred in the 2023 western film Far Haven and the 2024 film Fight Another day.
In May of 2025 the Tennessee General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 677, celebrating Kove for his role in promoting martial arts via Cobra Kai and related projects.
Personal life
Kove is the father of twins, born in 1990. One of the twins, Jesse Kove, portrayed the young man who bullies the younger version of his father's character, John Kreese, in flashbacks for seasons 3 and 4 of Cobra Kai. He owns a 11-acre ranch near Nashville, Tennessee.
Kove has stated that he enjoys playing golf and riding horseback in his spare time, while also having a love for classic films such as old westerns. Kove works out and meditates regularly and still trains in karate; he has credited the sport for helping him maintain his focus, discipline and longevity.
In 2021, Kove participated in the "No Mercy on Stroke" (NMOS) campaign launched by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) to raise public awareness about stroke symptoms and the importance of rapid response.
In March 2025, Kove announced that he partnered with La Casa Grande Cigars to start his own cigar line titled "The Prodigal Son", which was officially released in stores later that year in August.
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes 1971 Little Murders Unknown Uncredited Women in Revolt Marty 1972 Savages Archie The Last House on the Left Deputy Harry 1973 Cops and Robbers Ambulance Attendant The Road Movie Weigh Station Cop 1974 The Groove Tube Butz Beer 1975 The Wild Party Editor Capone Peter "Goosey" Gusenberg Death Race 2000 Nero "The Hero" White Line Fever Clem 1976 The Four Deuces "Smokey" Ross 1977 Mr. Billion Texas Gambler Uncredited The White Buffalo Jack McCall 1979 Seven Skip 1980 Laboratory Gerard, Subject 32D 1982 Blood Tide Neil Grice 1984 The Karate Kid Sensei John Kreese 1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II Michael Reed Ericson 1986 The Karate Kid Part II Sensei John Kreese 1987 Steele Justice John Steele 1989 The Karate Kid Part III Sensei John Kreese President's Target Sam Nicholson 1991 White Light Sean Craig 1992 Project Shadowchaser DeSilva Direct-to-video Shootfighter: Fight to the Death Mr. Lee 1993 Firehawk Stewart Direct-to-video Lightning in a Bottle Duane Furber The Outfit Agent Baker To Be the Best Rick Kulhane 1994 Wyatt Earp Ed Ross Endangered DeVoe Savage Land Jabal Frank and Jesse Unknown Uncredited Future Shock Dr. Langdon Death Match Paul Landis 1995 Renegade: Fighting Cage Mitch Raines Direct-to-video Grizzly Mountain Marshal Jackson Final Equinox Torman Without Mercy Wolf Larsen Baby Face Nelson John Dillinger 1996 Timelock Admiral Danny Teegs Mercenary Mr. Phoenix Direct-to-video Judge and Jury Michael Silvano 1997 Top of the World Carl Sliding Home Samuel J. Weber 1998 The Waterfront James Ricks Hyacinth J.B. Walker Joseph's Gift Thompsonn 2000 Nowhere Land Hank Strip 'n Run Crow Bad Guys The Commander A Drug Called Pornography Narrator Voice 2001 Final Payback Captain Peter James Black Scorpion Returns Jack Ames Direct-to-video Under Heavy Fire Father Brazinski Extreme Horror Packard Con Games Timothy Redick Direct-to-video Savage Season Frank 2002 Shattered Lies Tom Reynolds Crocodile 2: Death Swamp Roland American Gun Theodore Huntley Trance Robert Leoni Curse of the Forty-Niner Caleb Sting of the Black Scorpion Jack Ames Direct-to-video 2003 Devil's Knight Zeff 2004 Illusion Infinity Taxi Driver Hollywood, It's a Dog's Life The Clown 2005 Glass Trap Corrigan Miracle at Sage Street Jess Deleted Scene(s) 2006 Seven Mummies Kile A-List Red Carpet Star Crooked Jake Lawlor Max Havoc: Ring of Fire Lieutenant Reynolds Fallen Angel's Daniels Exit 38 Reese Direct-to-video 2007 No More King's: Sweep the Leg Sensei Kreese Music Video Messages DCI Collins Revamped Detective Reeger Direct-to-video The Dead Sleep Easy Bob DePugh Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter Detective Karpov 2008 Beyond the Ring Uncle Patrick Man of a Thousand Faces J. Carroll Naish Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves Sheriff Jones 2009 Immortally Yours Steven Miles Middle Men Senator Ballistica Riley 2010 Dante's Inferno: Abandon All Hope Speaker: 8th Circle - The Sowers of Discord Bare Knuckles Sonny Cool The Ascent Lewis 2011 Carmen's Kiss Drayton Memphis Rising: Elvis Returns Highway Patrol The Great Fight John Cooper Dark Games Detective Dave Reinhart Savage Jack Lund The Life Zone Randy Graves Silent but Deadly Hodge 2013 Reality Terror Night Othello Lazarus I'm in Love with a Church Girl Terry Edgemond Friend Request Captain Meyers Jet Set John 2014 Falcon Song Caspian Eternity: The Movie Barry Goldfield Sr. Red Sky Navy Intel Commander Tapped Out Principal Vanhorne Stuff It Big Hank Short Film Number Runner Bingo Brown Direct-to-video Snapshot Jack Adams Rice Girl Captain Ron Williams The Extendables Aye Lewis As Night Comes Projectionist Tumbleweed: A True Story Silver Bush 2015 The End John Doe Short film The Dog Who Saved Summer Vernon Hardin Mannen Clements Sr. Running Forever Carson The Shadow Will Troncalli Short film 2016 Beyond the Gates James Star Wild Bill Hickok: Swift Justice Rayord Traded Cavendish Jokers Wild Graham Palace Six Gun Savior The Mentor Assassin X Frank Hospital Arrest Boss Nigel 2017 Garlic and Gunpowder Agent Tracey Price For Freedom Ayotollah Khalkhali Fake News Vice President John Phillips Bring Me A Dream Sheriff Jack Miller 2018 Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords Galaron Ellen Bond Secret Agent Colonel Rachmann Short film Show No Mercy Frank Warning: No Trespassing Marty the CIA agent Paint It Red Scabs 2019 The Savant John Sonsay Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Sheriff on Bounty Law VFW Lou Clayton A Karate Christmas Miracle Sam D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach Nicholas Bare Knuckle Brawler Mike Calderon 2020 Elvis From Outer Space State Trooper Finding Sara Lemley Max Reload and the Nether Blasters Gramps Jenkins Day 13 Magnus A Wrestling Christmas Miracle Warden Jeffries 2021 3 Tickets to Paradise Felix 2023 Far Haven Ambrose Masse 2024 Fight Another Day Fischer Queen of the Ring Al Haft Dark Night of the Soul Dad The Cobra Kai Movie Himself Short film 2025 Killing Mary Sue Knox 2026 The Dink Mitch
Television