--- name: "Martin Kove" canonical: "https://film.one/person/martin-kove" fi1m_id: "martin-kove" imdb_id: "nm0184392" tmdb_id: 56117 wikidata_id: "Q508795" roles: ["Actor"] born: "6 March 1946" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 72 average_as: "actor" average_over: 6 updated: "2026-10-04T19:27:57.836555+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 Kove ## Identity Martin Kove - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/martin-kove - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** martin-kove - **IMDb ID:** nm0184392 - **TMDB ID:** 56117 - **Wikidata ID:** Q508795 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Kove, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q508795, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0184392/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56117 Actor. Born 6 March 1946 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 6 March 1946, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA - **Active:** 1982–present - **Also known as:** Marty Cove, Marty Kove - **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 6 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 75 (3), 2010s 74 (2), 2020s 59 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 72 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 5, Comedy 3, Action 2, Family 2, Sport 2, Action & Adventure 1 - **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $600m across 3 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Kove, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q508795, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0184392/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56117 ## Coming up - *Dinosaurs of the Wild West* (2027-05-31) ## Streaming the US now - **Netflix:** [*The Karate Kid*](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md) (81), [*Cobra Kai*](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md) (70), [*The Karate Kid Part II*](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid-part-ii.md) (62) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Cagney & Lacey*](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md) (81) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Martin Kove > Martin Kove makes folded arms look forbidding. We rate the cold, watchful authority he brings to Kreese, though repeated casting as tough men has sometimes left him with too little else to do. John Kreese folds his arms and watches his students; Martin Kove makes the stillness threatening. For *The Karate Kid* (1984), he developed that stance by watching the stunt coordinator during training sessions. We found him unnerving: the folded arms and cold delivery make every instruction sound like a warning. Yet our affection for the film rests chiefly on the teacher-pupil friendship played by Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. Kove supplies the harsh contrast that helps their kindness count, even when the teenage distractions make the film longer than it needs to be. His recurring Detective Victor Isbecki in *Cagney & Lacey* (1982–1988) gave that imposing presence a sustained place on television. Our enthusiasm for the programme belongs chiefly to Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless, whose characters' friendship keeps the routine cases worth watching. Kove's place in the ensemble matters, but the series also belongs to a period when he was repeatedly cast as heavies and unpleasant men. That sort of work uses his sternness efficiently and can leave the rest of the actor underemployed. Kreese brought a breakthrough and two sequel appearances, while *Rambo: First Blood Part II* (1985) cast him as Ericson alongside Sylvester Stallone. Action films and television guest roles continued through the 1990s and 2000s. The difficulty for an actor so readily cast as a tough authority figure is finding a part that asks what happens when that authority falters. *Cobra Kai* (2018–2025) offered the more interesting possibility: returning to Kreese with room for vulnerability and a history beyond his behaviour as a teacher. Alongside returning collaborators Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, Kove could do more than repeat the familiar severity. That is a useful extension of what he does, provided the added explanation does not soften everything that made the character disturbing. Start with *The Karate Kid* for the simplest demonstration of his strengths, and allow the longer television treatment to complicate it. ## Biography Martin Kove is an American actor. He is best known for his role as John Kreese in *The Karate Kid* (1984) and its sequels *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986) and *The Karate Kid Part III* (1989). He reprised the character in the series *Cobra Kai* (2018–2025). Kove was a regular cast member on the television series *Cagney & Lacey* (1982–1988), playing Detective Victor Isbecki. His other film credits include Ericson in *Rambo: First Blood Part II* (1985) and a role in *Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood* (2019). He has appeared in numerous other films and television series since the 1970s. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) - *The Dink* (2026), Fi1m 59, as Mitch — [page](https://film.one/film/the-dink.md) - *Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood* (2019), Fi1m 77, as 'Bounty Law' - Sheriff — [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood.md) - *Cobra Kai* (2018), Fi1m 70, as John Kreese — [page](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md) - *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986), Fi1m 62, as Kreese — [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid-part-ii.md) - *The Karate Kid* (1984), Fi1m 81, as Kreese — [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md) - *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), Fi1m 81, as Det. Victor Isbecki — [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md) ## Complete filmography (205) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Dinosaurs of the Wild West* (2027), series, Actor - *The Dink* (2026), as Mitch — Fi1m 59, [page](https://film.one/film/the-dink.md) - *Boris Is Dead* (2026), as Bobby - *Dante's Inferni* (2025), as Speaker – 8th Circle: Bertran De Born - *A Gunfighter's Deal* (2025), as Preacher - *Killing Mary Sue* (2025), as Knox - *Queen of the Ring* (2025), as Al Haft - *The Cobra Kai Movie* (2024), as Martin Kove - *Dark Night of the Soul* (2024), as Dad - *Fight Another Day* (2024), as Fischer - *A Taste of Love* (2024), as Glenn - *Far Haven* (2023), as Ambrose Masse - *Beyond the Bonsai* (2022), Actor - *3 Tickets to Paradise* (2021), as Felix - *A Wrestling Christmas Miracle* (2020), as Warden Jeffries - *Max Reload and the Nether Blasters* (2020), as Gramps Jenkins - *Elvis from Outer Space* (2020), as State Trooper - *Day 13* (2020), as Magnus Torvald - *Bring Me a Dream* (2020), as Sheriff Jack Miller - *All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite* (2019), series, as Martin Kove - *Bare Knuckle Brawler* (2019), as Mike Calderon - *VFW* (2019), as Lou Clayton - *D-Day* (2019), as Nikolai - *Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood* (2019), as 'Bounty Law' - Sheriff — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood.md) - *A Karate Christmas Miracle* (2019), as Graham Palace - *The Savant* (2019), as John Sonsay - *Warning - No Trespassing* (2018), as Marty the CIA agent - *Paint It Red* (2018), as Scabs - *Cobra Kai* (2018), series, as John Kreese — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md) - *Garlic and Gunpowder* (2018), as Agent Tracey - *Show No Mercy* (2018), as Frank - *Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords* (2018), as Galaron - *Fake News* (2017), as Vice President John Phillips - *Price for Freedom* (2017), as Ayatollah Khalkhali - *Joker's Poltergeist* (2017), as Graham Palace - *Hospital Arrest* (2016), as Boss Nigel - *2 Lava 2 Lantula!* (2016), as Colonel Jester - *The Chemist* (2016), as Frank - *Six Gun Savior* (2016), as The Mentor · Associate Producer - *Traded* (2016), as Cavendish - *Running Forever* (2015), as Carson - *The Dog Who Saved Summer* (2015), as Captain Vernon - *I Hate Christian Laettner* (2015), as John Kreese (archive footage) - *Beyond the Game* (2014), as James Star - *As Night Comes* (2014), as Projectionist - *The Extendables* (2014), as Aye Lewis - *Rice Girl* (2014), as Captain Ron Williams - *Number Runner* (2014), as Bingo Brown - *Tapped Out* (2014), as Principal Vanhorne - *Falcon Song* (2014), as Caspian - *Red Sky* (2014), as Navy Intel Commander - *Eternity: The Movie* (2014), as Barry Goldfield, Sr. - *Jet Set* (2013), as John - *I'm in Love with a Church Girl* (2013), as Terry Edgemond - *The Goldbergs* (2013), series, as Master John - *Reality Terror Night* (2013), as Othello Lazarus - *Friend Request* (2013), as Captain Meyers - *Our Wild Hearts* (2013), as Grizz - *Silent but Deadly* (2012), as Hodge - *Assassins' Code* (2011), as Tony Brill - *NTSF:SD:SUV::* (2011), series, as Cell Leader - *Savage* (2011), as Jack Lund - *Dark Games* (2011), as Detective Dave Reinhart - *The Life Zone* (2011), as Randy Graves - *The Great Fight* (2011), as John Cooper - *Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen* (2010), as Marty - *Bare Knuckles* (2010), as Sonny Cool · Co-Producer - *Carmen's Kiss* (2010), as James Drayton - *Ballistica* (2009), as Riley · Associate Producer - *Middle Men* (2009), as US Senator - *War Wolves* (2009), as Malick - *Immortally Yours* (2009), as Steven Miles - *Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance* (2008), as Sheriff Jones - *Beyond The Ring* (2008), as Uncle Patrick - *Fallen Angels* (2007), as Daniels - *ReVamped* (2007), as Detective Reeger - *Messages* (2007), as DCI Collins - *The Ultimate Fighter* (2007), as Detective Karpov - *Sweep the Leg* (2007), as Sensei Kreese - *The Dead Sleep Easy* (2007), as Bob Depugh - *Exit 38* (2006), as Reese - *Max Havoc: Ring of Fire* (2006), as Lt. Reynolds - *7 Mummies* (2006), as Kile - *The Veteran* (2006), as Father Brazinski - *Crooked* (2006), as Jake Lawlor - *Glass Trap* (2005), as Corrigan - *The Hollywood Mom's Mystery* (2004), as Sandy Palumbo - *Alien Lockdown* (2004), as Anslow - *Illusion Infinity* (2004), as Taxi Driver - *Hard Ground* (2003), as Floyd - *Barbarian* (2003), as Munkar - *Gentle Ben 2: Danger on the Mountain* (2003), as Cully - *Sting of the Black Scorpion* (2002), as Jack Ames / Firearm - *The Thief & the Stripper* (2002), as Crow - *Curse of the Forty-Niner* (2002), as Caleb - *Trance* (2002), as Robert Leoni - *American Gun* (2002), as Theodore Huntly - *Gentle Ben* (2002), as Cully - *Crocodile 2: Death Roll* (2002), as Roland - *Shattered Lies* (2002), as Tom Reynolds - *Con Games* (2001), as Redick - *Black Scorpion Returns* (2001), as Jack Ames / Firearm - *Savage Season* (2001), as Frank - *Extreme Honor* (2001), as Packard - *Final Payback* (2001), as Captain Peter James - *Black Scorpion* (2001), series, Actor - *Under Heavy Fire* (2001), as Father Brazinski - *Outlaw* (2001), as Bill Henderson (as Marty Kove) - *Bad Guys* (2000), as The Commander - *A Drug Called Pornography* (2000), as Narrator - *Assault on Death Mountain* (1999), as Andy Powers - *Joseph's Gift* (1999), as Thompsonn - *V.I.P.* (1998), series, as Mr. Scornabacho - *Hyacinth* (1998), as J. B. Walker - *Nowhere Land* (1998), as Hank - *Maximum Justice* (1998), as James Ricks - *Assault on Devil's Island* (1997), as Andy Powers - *Top of the World* (1997), as Carl - *Judge and Jury* (1997), as Michael Silvano - *Sliding Home* (1997), as Samuel J. Webber - *Mercenary* (1996), as Phoenix - *Without Mercy* (1996), as Wolf Larsen - *Baby Face Nelson* (1996), as John Dillinger - *Timelock* (1996), as Admiral Teegs - *Final Equinox* (1995), as Torman - *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* (1995), series, as Demetrius - *Cagney & Lacey: The Return* (1994), as Isbecki - *Death Match* (1994), as Paul Landis - *Savage Land* (1994), as Jabal - *Endangered* (1994), as DeVoe - *Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone* (1994), as Ed Ross - *Wyatt Earp* (1994), as Ed Ross - *Future Shock* (1994), as Dr. Langdon - *Burke's Law* (1994), series, as Joe Tanner - *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, as Capt. Walter Newman - *The Outfit* (1993), as Agent Baker - *To Be the Best* (1993), as Rick Kulhane - *Shootfighter: Fight to the Death* (1993), as Mr. Lee - *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993), series, as Fred Kimble - *Kung Fu: The Legend Continues* (1993), series, as Chi'Ru Master, Shadow Assassin - *Lightning in a Bottle* (1993), as Duane Furber - *Firehawk* (1993), as Stewart - *Renegade* (1992), series, as Mitch Raines / Goliath - *Project: Shadowchaser* (1992), as Desilva - *Silk Stalkings* (1991), series, Director - *White Light* (1991), as Sean Craig - *President's Target* (1989), as Sam Nicholson - *The Karate Kid Part III* (1989), as Kreese - *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Detective - *Hard Time on Planet Earth* (1989), series, as Jesse - *Higher Ground* (1988), as Rick Loden - *Steele Justice* (1987), as John Steele - *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986), as Kreese — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid-part-ii.md) - *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as Joe Farrell (segment "Opening Day") - *Rambo: First Blood Part II* (1985), as Ericson - *Wildside* (1985), series, as Lyle Rainwood - *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Dr. Ellison - *The Karate Kid* (1984), as Kreese — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md) - *Blood Tide* (1982), as Neil Grice - *Partners* (1982), as Man in Phone Booth (uncredited) - *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, as Det. Victor Isbecki, Victor Isbecki — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md) - *Trouble in High Timber Country* (1980), as Willie Yeager - *Laboratory* (1980), Actor - *Beyond Westworld* (1980), series, as Jack Edwards - *Tenspeed and Brown Shoe* (1980), series, as Hell Hound Leader - *Seven* (1979), as Skip - *The Sky Trap* (1979), as Hoover - *Donovan's Kid* (1979), as Kelso - *The Runaways* (1978), series, as Mike - *The Incredible Hulk* (1977), series, as Henry 'Rocky' Welsh - *We've Got Each Other* (1977), series, as Ken Redford - *The San Pedro Beach Bums* (1977), series, as Ace - *CHiPs* (1977), series, as Sherwood - *The White Buffalo* (1977), as Jack McCall - *The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries* (1977), series, as Pete Miller - *Code R* (1977), series, as George Baker - *The November Plan* (1977), as Stan - *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), series, as Joe Kirby - *Charlie's Angels* (1976), series, as Georgie - *Kingston* (1976), as Dealey - *Starsky & Hutch* (1975), series, as Jimmy Lucas - *Switch* (1975), series, as Bud Ewing - *Three for the Road* (1975), series, Actor - *White Line Fever* (1975), as Clem - *The Four Deuces* (1975), as Smokey Ross - the 'Deuce of Diamonds' - *Death Race 2000* (1975), as Nero the Hero - *Capone* (1975), as Pete Gusenberg - *The Wild Party* (1975), as Editor - *The Rockford Files* (1974), series, as Harry Smick — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-rockford-files.md) - *Petrocelli* (1974), series, as Frank Harris - *Rhoda* (1974), series, as Gary - *The Groove Tube* (1974), as Butz Beer - *The Spy Who Returned from the Dead* (1974), as Rollo - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Burl Slote — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *Cops and Robbers* (1973), as Ambulance Attendant - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, as Willis Hines - *The Rookies* (1972), series, as Jimmy Jay - *The Last House on the Left* (1972), as Deputy - *Savages* (1972), as Archie, a Bully - *Women in Revolt* (1971), as Marty - *Little Murders* (1971), as Checkpoint Police Officer (uncredited) - *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Gutherie Cassinger - *The Roommates*, as Jerry - *Unarmed*, Actor - *Boot Lake*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Martin Kove](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-c13b33d79a68.jpg) Martin Kove — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Martin_Kove_%2844524134200%29.jpg/1280px-Martin_Kove_%2844524134200%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![61110190287 (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-0de6b19bcc43.jpg) 61110190287 (2019) — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Cobra_Kai_61110190287_%2849133601936%29.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_61110190287_%2849133601936%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-4f99b6ec4f67.jpg) Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024 — Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_B30011.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_B30011.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-5cb10963276c.jpg) Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024 — Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_C10153.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_C10153.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Martin Kove](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-185132d1695b.jpg) Martin Kove — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Kove](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-dfbf927f8749.jpg) Martin Kove — Image via TMDB - ![Martin Kove](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-acc19e8584b0.jpg) Martin Kove — Image via TMDB - ![Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-75f33039394d.jpg) Cobra Kai at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024 — Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_C10163.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_at_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2024_-_C10163.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Martin Kove 02 Motor City Comic Con 2015](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-e97b2ab31316.jpg) Martin Kove 02 Motor City Comic Con 2015 — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/John_Kreese.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Martin Kove](https://film.one/media/person/118105/gallery-ee22d38faa94.jpg) Martin Kove — Image via TMDB --- © 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-kove