Martin Henry Balsam (1919-1996) was an American actor. He is known for his role as Murray Klein on the TV comedy Archie Bunker's Place, as well as for playing the role of private investigator Milton Arbogast in the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho.
Born in the Bronx, Balsam participated in the drama club during high school. During World War II, Balsam served in the Army Air Forces. In 1948, Balsam was selected to perform in the Actors Studio and appeared multiple times on that company's television anthology series over the course of several years. Balsam would go on to play roles in a number of major films including On The Waterfront, 12 Angry Men (1957), Catch-22 (1970), Breakfast at Tiffany's, Cape Fear (1962), Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Murder on the Orient Express (1974). He also appeared on several TV series, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Twilight Zone, and Route 66.
Balsam won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1966 for his performance in A Thousand Clowns, and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1968 for You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running.
Balsam died suddenly while on vacation in Rome, Italy after suffering a stroke in his hotel room. He was interred at Cedar Park Cemetery in Emerson, New Jersey.
Riffed Movies[]
- Mitchell (Episode #512) - as James Arthur Cummins
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