--- name: "Martin Balsam" canonical: "https://film.one/person/martin-balsam" fi1m_id: "martin-balsam" imdb_id: "nm0000842" tmdb_id: 1936 wikidata_id: "Q312107" roles: ["Actor"] born: "4 November 1919" died: "13 February 1996" reviewed_on_fi1m: 9 average_fi1m_score: 81 average_as: "actor" average_over: 8 updated: "2026-10-04T21:35:05.091289+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Martin Balsam ## Identity Martin Balsam - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/martin-balsam - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** martin-balsam - **IMDb ID:** nm0000842 - **TMDB ID:** 1936 - **Wikidata ID:** Q312107 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Balsam, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312107, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000842/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1936 Actor. Born 4 November 1919 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. Died 13 February 1996. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 4 November 1919, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA - **Died:** 13 February 1996 - **Active:** 1957–1991 - **Also known as:** Martin Henry Balsam, Мартин Болсам - **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 8 acting, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Dustin Hoffman](https://film.one/person/dustin-hoffman.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 81, as actor, over 8 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 90 (2), 1960s 81 (4), 1970s 81 (2), 1990s 71 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 83 to 75 across 5 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 8 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 7, Thriller 4, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Western 2 - **Screen time:** 16 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $454m across 7 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Balsam, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312107, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000842/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1936 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Cape Fear*](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md) (82), [*Hombre*](https://film.one/film/hombre.md) (77), [*Cape Fear*](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md) (71) - **Disney+:** [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) (91) - **AMC+:** [*Psycho*](https://film.one/film/psycho.md) (90) - **Apple TV:** [*Little Big Man*](https://film.one/film/little-big-man.md) (72) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Martin Balsam > Martin Balsam makes authority look ordinary, which is why we tend to believe it. We rate him most highly in an ensemble, where his quiet reactions give other actors something credible to push against. Martin Balsam can be surrounded by actors making their points and still look as though he is listening. His breakthrough role was Juror 1 in Sidney Lumet's *12 Angry Men* (1957), and the tense group suits his unforced way of working. We were gripped by the deliberations because Balsam and the ensemble make the effort of listening feel urgent. The writing sometimes arranges the disagreements too neatly, but he helps keep the people credible even when we can see how the scene has been constructed. That reliability is useful to Alfred Hitchcock in *Psycho* (1960), where Balsam plays Milton Arbogast. His professional manner gives the film a steady presence alongside Anthony Perkins's unsettling performance. We value his contribution for much the same reason we value his jury work: he seems accustomed to having a job to do, and does not need to advertise it. Hitchcock's shocks are precisely made, but the actors have to persuade us to believe in the people before those shocks can frighten us. Supporting parts filled much of the work that followed through the 1960s and 1970s. In *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), his Arnold Burns allows humour and vulnerability into that familiar authority, a useful reminder that steadiness need not mean solemnity. In *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974), he plays Green, another part in an ensemble thriller. His explanation of the Method was brief: “All it really means is to relate, to react.” We can see why Lumet's ensemble suits him: somebody else's speech does not mean his work has stopped. Repeated casting as authority figures can make us think we know what he will do before he does it. Start with *12 Angry Men*, and pay as much attention to the listening as to the speeches. ## Biography Martin Balsam was an American character actor. He was born in the Bronx, New York City, on 4 November 1919 and died in Rome, Italy, on 13 February 1996. Balsam began his career on the New York stage and was an early member of the Actors Studio. He appeared in numerous films, including an uncredited role in *On the Waterfront* (1954), Juror #1 in *12 Angry Men* (1957), Milton Arbogast in *Psycho* (1960), O.J. Berman in *Breakfast at Tiffany's* (1961), Signor Bianchi in *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), Howard Simons in *All the President's Men* (1976), and Mr. Merriweather in *Little Big Man* (1970). He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in *A Thousand Clowns* (1965). On television, he played Murray Klein in the sitcom *Archie Bunker's Place* (1979–1983). He also received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for *You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running* (1968). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (9) ### Performed in (8) — the average rests on these - *Cape Fear* (1991), Fi1m 71, as Judge — [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md) - *All the President's Men* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Howard Simons — [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *Little Big Man* (1970), Fi1m 72, as Mr. Merriweather — [page](https://film.one/film/little-big-man.md) - *Hombre* (1967), Fi1m 77, as Henry Mendez — [page](https://film.one/film/hombre.md) - *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), Fi1m 76, as Arnold — [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md) - *Cape Fear* (1962), Fi1m 82, as Police Chief Mark Dutton — [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md) - *Psycho* (1960), Fi1m 90, as Milton Arbogast — [page](https://film.one/film/psycho.md) - *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91, as Juror 1 — [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *On the Waterfront* (1954), Fi1m 89, as Gillette (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md) ## Complete filmography (155) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Legend of the Spirit Dog* (1997), as Gramps - *O. Henry's Christmas* (1996), Actor - *Unknown Soldier* (1995), as Priest - *The Silence of the Hams* (1994), as Det. Martin Balsam - *La Classe américaine* (1993), as Callaghan (archive footage) - *The Sands of Time* (1992), as Father Sorendo - *Cape Fear* (1991), as Judge — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md) - *The Last Match* (1990), as Lawyer - *Two Evil Eyes* (1990), as Mr. Pym - *Oceano* (1989), series, as Don Matias Quintero - *Midnight Caller* (1988), series, as Gil Solarski - *The Brother from Space* (1988), as Frather Howard - *The Child Saver* (1988), as Sidney Rosenberg - *Once Again* (1987), as Gerald - *Kids Like These* (1987), as Grandpa - *P.I. Private Investigations* (1987), as Cliff Dowling - *Brothers in Blood* (1987), Actor - *Whatever it Takes* (1986), as Hap Perchicksky - *The Delta Force* (1986), as Ben Kaplan - *Second Serve* (1986), as Dr. Beck - *Death Wish 3* (1985), as Bennett Cross - *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as Rockne S. O'Bannon (segment "Personal Demons"), Prof. Donald Knowles (segment "Voices in the Earth") - *Murder in Space* (1985), as Alexander Rostov - *St. Elmo's Fire* (1985), as Mr. Beamish - *Space* (1985), series, as Senator Glancey - *Innocent Prey* (1984), as Sheriff Virgil Baker - *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Edgar Carmody - *The Goodbye People* (1984), as Max Silverman - *The Octopus* (1984), series, as Frank Carrisi - *I Want to Live* (1983), as Jack Brady - *Little Gloria... Happy at Last* (1982), series, as Nathan Burkan - *Hotel* (1982), series, Actor - *Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady* (1982), Actor - *People vs. Jean Harris* (1981), as Joel Aurnou - *The Salamander* (1981), as Captain Steffanelli - *The Warning* (1980), as Questore Martorana - *There Goes The Bride* (1980), as Elmer Babcock - *The Love Tapes* (1980), as David Franklin - *Cuba* (1979), as Gen. Bello - *Aunt Mary* (1979), as Harry Strasberg - *Archie Bunker's Place* (1979), series, as Murray Klein - *The House on Garibaldi Street* (1979), as Isser Harel - *Gardenia* (1979), as Salluzzo - *The Seeding of Sarah Burns* (1979), as Dr. Samuel Melman - *The Horror Show* (1979), as (archive footage) - *The Millionaire* (1978), as Arthur Haines - *Rainbow* (1978), as Louis B. Mayer - *Siege* (1978), as Henry Fancher - *Blood and Diamonds* (1978), as Rizzo - *Eyes Behind the Stars* (1978), as Inspector Jim Grant - *The Storyteller* (1977), as Ira Davidoff - *Contract on Cherry Street* (1977), as Ernie Weinberg - *Silver Bears* (1977), as Joe Fiore - *The Sentinel* (1977), as Prof. Ruzinsky - *Raid on Entebbe* (1976), as Daniel Cooper - *Two-Minute Warning* (1976), as Sam McKeever - *Death Rage* (1976), as Commissario - *Meet Him and Die* (1976), as Giulianelli - *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), series, as Hyam Zgierski - *All the President's Men* (1976), as Howard Simons — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case* (1976), as Edward J. Reilly - *Season for Assassins* (1975), as Commissioner Katroni - *Mitchell* (1975), as James Arthur Cummings - *Cry, Onion!* (1975), as Petrus Lamb - *Death Among Friends* (1975), as Ham Russell Buckner - *Smiling Maniacs* (1975), as Carlo Goja - *Miles To Go Before I Sleep* (1975), as Ben Montgomery - *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), as Signor Bianchi - *Trapped Beneath the Sea* (1974), as T.C. Hollister - *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974), as Green - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Ray Kaufman — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams* (1973), as Harry Walden - *The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War* (1973), as Dr. Rudy Wells (uncredited) (archive footage) - *The Counsellor* (1973), as Don Antonio Macaluso - *The Stone Killer* (1973), as Al Vescari - *La colonna infame* (1973), Actor - *Police Story* (1973), series, Actor - *The Six Million Dollar Man* (1973), as Dr. Rudy Wells - *A Brand New Life* (1973), as Jim Douglas - *Night of Terror* (1972), as Capt. Caleb Sark - *The Man* (1972), as Jim Talley - *The Hassled Hooker* (1972), as District Attorney Turrisi - *Chronicle of a Homicide* (1972), as Giudice Aldo Sola - *The Anderson Tapes* (1971), as Haskins - *Confessions of a Police Captain* (1971), as Commissario Bonavia - *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Jack - *Little Big Man* (1970), as Mr. Merriweather — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/little-big-man.md) - *The Enemy Before Us* (1970), as Angie - *The Old Man Who Cried Wolf* (1970), as Stanley Pulska - *Catch-22* (1970), as Col. Cathcart - *Hunters Are for Killing* (1970), as Wade Hamilton - *Tora! Tora! Tora!* (1970), as Admiral Husband E. Kimmel - *The Good Guys and the Bad Guys* (1969), as Mayor Wilker - *Me, Natalie* (1969), as Uncle Harold - *Trilogy* (1969), as Ivor Belli - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Herb Witmer - *Around the World of Mike Todd* (1968), as Michael Todd (voice) - *Hombre* (1967), as Henry Mendez — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/hombre.md) - *CBS Playhouse* (1966), series, as Jesse Rothenberg - *After the Fox* (1966), as Harry - *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), as Arnold — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md) - *The Bedford Incident* (1965), as Lieut Cmdr. Chester Potter, M.D., U.S.N. - *Harlow* (1965), as Everett Redman - *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Albert Sully - *12 O'Clock High* (1964), series, as Army Doctor (uncredited) - *The Carpetbaggers* (1964), as Bernard B. Norman - *Seven Days in May* (1964), as Paul Girard - *Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?* (1963), as Sanford Kaufman - *Espionage* (1963), series, as Richard Carey - *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Andrew Newmark — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md) - *Arrest and Trial* (1963), series, as Leo Valera - *Conquered City* (1962), as Joseph Feinberg - *The Eleventh Hour* (1962), series, Actor - *Cape Fear* (1962), as Police Chief Mark Dutton — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md) - *Breakfast at Tiffany's* (1961), as O.J. Berman - *The New Breed* (1961), series, as Frank Eberhardt - *Target: The Corruptors!* (1961), series, Actor - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Ned Lacey, Benny Orloff, Dr. Milton Orloff, Dr. Carl Noyes - *Cain's Hundred* (1961), series, as Jack Garsell - *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Floyd Harker, Bernard Maxwell, District Attorney - *Ada* (1961), as Steve Jackson - *Everybody Go Home!* (1960), as Sergente Quintino Fornaciari - *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor - *Psycho* (1960), as Milton Arbogast — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/psycho.md) - *Winterset* (1959), as Garth - *The Untouchables* (1959), series, as Arnold Justin - *The Twilight Zone* (1959), series, as Danny Weiss, Martin Lombard Senescu — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md) - *Middle of the Night* (1959), as Jack Englander - *Al Capone* (1959), as Mac Keeley, reporter - *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Father Fabian - *Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse* (1958), series, Actor - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Arnold Fleischman, Joseph Creeley, Captain Russel Barris, Caldwell Wyatt - *Bomber's Moon* (1958), as Captain Joe Reardon - *Marjorie Morningstar* (1958), as Dr. David Harris - *Time Limit* (1957), as Sgt. Baker - *Decoy* (1957), series, as Nick Santos - *Have Gun, Will Travel* (1957), series, as Marshal Jim Brock - *12 Angry Men* (1957), as Juror 1 — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) - *The Defender (Studio One)* (1957), as Francis Toohey - *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Sam Butler - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Eldon Marsh, Leonard Thompson - *A Man Is Ten Feet Tall* (1955), as Charlie Malick - *The Greatest Gift* (1954), series, Actor - *On the Waterfront* (1954), as Gillette (uncredited) — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md) - *Inner Sanctum* (1954), series, Actor - *Valiant Lady* (1953), series, Actor - *The Living Bible* (1952), as Townsman - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Garth, Strasberg - *The Living Christ* (1951), series, as Townsman - *Concerning a Woman of Sin* (1949), Actor - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Ed Coyne, Francis Toohey - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as Mike Galloway, Charlie Malick - *Actors Studio* (1948), series, as soldier - *Winged Victory* (1944), as Bit Part (uncredited) - *The Time Element*, as Dr. Arnold Gillespie ## Gallery - ![Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971)](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-68e48957266e.png) Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971) — Damiano Damiani (director) / Claudio Ragona (cinematographer), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Balsam_Confessione_di_un_commissario.png/1280px-Balsam_Confessione_di_un_commissario.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Screenshot from trailer for the American drama film The Carpetbaggers (1964).](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-ad684518e988.jpg) Screenshot from trailer for the American drama film The Carpetbaggers (1964). — Paramount Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Carpetbaggers-trailer.jpg/1280px-Carpetbaggers-trailer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971)](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-9ed9dc99faf8.png) Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971) — Damiano Damiani (director) / Claudio Ragona (cinematographer), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Confessione_di_un_commissario_Martin_Balsam.png/1280px-Confessione_di_un_commissario_Martin_Balsam.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971)](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-905839ecf919.png) Scena dal film Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971) — Damiano Damiani (director) / Claudio Ragona (cinematographer), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Confessione_di_un_commissario_di_polizia_al_procuratore_della_repubblica.png/1280px-Confessione_di_un_commissario_di_polizia_al_procuratore_della_repubblica.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Martin Balsam](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-a87e5d8adc5f.jpg) Martin Balsam — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Balsam](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-b28cad92636b.jpg) Martin Balsam — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Balsam](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-14bd7b6eb783.jpg) Martin Balsam — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Balsam](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-4b42766e4e4a.jpg) Martin Balsam — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Balsam](https://film.one/media/person/59197/gallery-183056e5ac82.jpg) Martin Balsam — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won - 1966: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *A Thousand Clowns* ### BAFTA Film Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated - 1977: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (nominated), for *All the President's Men* - 1976: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (nominated), for *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* ### Golden Globes — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1974: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams* ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1977: Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (nominated), for *Raid on Entebbe* ### Other awards — 2 won - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1968: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won) - National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor 1964: National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor (won), for *The Carpetbaggers* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/martin-balsam