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Tony Martin

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
56

Gender
Male

Birthday
December 25, 1913 (112 years old)

Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA

Tony Martin

Biography

Alvin Morris, known professionally as Tony Martin, was an American actor and popular singer. His career spanned over seven decades, and he scored dozens of hits between the late-1930s and mid-1950s with songs such as "Walk Hand in Hand", "Stranger in Paradise" and "I Get Ideas". He was married to actress and dancer Cyd Charisse for 60 years, from 1948 until her death in 2008.

In his grammar school glee club, he became an instrumentalist and singer. He formed his first band, named "The Red Peppers," when he was in high school. After college, he went to Hollywood to try films. It was at that time that he adopted the stage name of Tony Martin.

On radio, Martin sang and was master of ceremonies on Tune-Up Time, with Andre Kostelanetz, on CBS in the early 1940s. NBC broadcast The Tony Martin Show, a 15-minute variety program. One of his guests was Dinah Shore. He was also a featured vocalist on the George Burns and Gracie Allen radio program.

In films, Martin was first cast in a number of bit parts, including a role as a sailor in Follow the Fleet. He eventually signed with 20th Century-Fox and then Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which he starred in a number of musicals. Between 1938 and 1942, he made a number of hit records for Decca. In 1941, Martin received equal billing with the Marx Brothers in their final film for MGM, The Big Store.

Martin joined the United States Navy in 1942 as a chief specialist, the equivalent of a chief petty officer. He was dismissed from the service that year for "unfitness" after he testified at the court martial of a Naval procurement officer. He enlisted as a specialist after the officer twice failed to obtain a commission for him. Martin said that he had given the officer an auto worth $950 to "facilitate" his enlistment. At the time of his dismissal, the Navy said that removal for unfitness was not equivalent to a dishonorable discharge and "does not carry degradation."

After the war, Martin signed with Mercury Records, then a small independent label run out of Chicago, Illinois. He cut 25 records in 1946 and 1947 for Mercury, including a 1946 recording of "To Each His Own," which became a million-seller. It was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. This prompted RCA Victor to offer him a record contract, which he signed in 1947 after satisfying his contract obligations to Mercury. He continued to appear in film musicals during the 1940s and 1950s. His rendition of "Lover Come Back to Me" with Joan Weldon in Deep in My Heart – based on the music of Sigmund Romberg and starring José Ferrer - was one of the highlights of that film. He also starred as Gaylord Ravenal in the Show Boat segment from the 1946 film Till the Clouds Roll By. In 1958, he became the highest paid performer in Las Vegas, signing a five-year deal at the Desert Inn, earning $25,000 a week. In an unlikely pairing, Martin recorded for the Motown Records label in the mid-1960s, scoring a minor hit with the record "Talkin' To Your Picture."

Martin was a stockholder in the Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation, a hotel and casino company that owned the Flamingo Las Vegas.

Known For

Acting

2004Jessicaas
1994That's Entertainment! IIIas (archive footage)
1990You're the Top: The Cole Porter Storyas Self
1982Dear Mr. Wonderfulas Himself
1976Donny & Marieas Self
1974That's Entertainment!as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1969The Barbara McNair Showas Self
1964The Hollywood Palaceas Self - Singer
1962The Merv Griffin Showas Self
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonas Self
1959Startimeas Self
1959Some of Manie's Friendsas
1958The All-Star Christmas Showas Self
1958The George Burns Showas Tony Martin
1958The Donna Reed Showas
1957Let's Be Happyas Stanley Smith
1956The Dinah Shore Chevy Showas Self
1956The Steve Allen Showas Self - Singer
1956Quincannon, Frontier Scoutas Linus Quincannon
1956Meet Me in Las Vegasas Tony Martin (uncredited)
1955MGM Paradeas
1955Hit the Deckas William Clark
1954Deep in My Heartas Performer in New Moon
1954The Tony Martin Showas Himself
1953Easy to Loveas Barry Gordon
1953Here Come the Girlsas Allen Trent
1953The Oscarsas Self
1952Clash by Nightas Singer of 'I Hear a Rhapsody' (voice) (uncredited)
1951Two Tickets to Broadwayas Dan Carter
1950The Jack Benny Programas Tony Martin
1950The Colgate Comedy Houras Self
1950What's My Line?as Self - Mystery Guest
1948The Ed Sullivan Showas Self
1948Casbahas Pepe Le Moko
1946Till the Clouds Roll Byas Gaylord Ravenal / Tony Martin
1941The Big Storeas Tommy Rogers
1941Ziegfeld Girlas Frank Merton
1940Music in My Heartas Robert Gregory
1939Winner Take Allas Steve Bishop
1938Thanks for Everythingas Tommy Davis
1938Up the Riveras Tommy Grant
1938Kentucky Moonshineas Jerry Wade
1938Sally, Irene and Maryas Tommy Reynolds
1937Ali Baba Goes to Townas Yusuf/Tony Martin
1937Life Begins in Collegeas Band Leader
1937You Can't Have Everythingas Bobby Walker
1937Sing and Be Happyas Buzz Mason
1937The Holy Terroras Danny Walker
1936Banjo on My Kneeas Chick Bean
1936Pigskin Paradeas Tommy Barker
1936Sing, Baby, Singas Tony Renaldo
1936Back to Natureas Tom Williams
1936Poor Little Rich Girlas Radio Baritone Soloist (uncredited)
1936Murder on a Bridle Pathas Man with Violet (uncredited)
1936Follow the Fleetas Sailor (uncredited)
1935Foolish Heartsas Singer

Production