Ross Martin

Ross Martin (born Martin Rosenblatt, March 22, 1920 – July 3, 1981) was an American radio, voice, stage, film, and television actor. Martin was best known for portraying Artemus Gordon on the CBS Western series The Wild Wild West, which aired from 1965 to 1969. He was the voice of Doctor Paul Williams in 1972's Sealab 2020, additional characters in 1973's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, and additional character voices in 1978's Jana of the Jungle. Early life Martin was born to a Polish Jewish family in Gródek, Poland (now Horodok, Ukraine). He and his parents emigrated to New York City when he was an infant. Recorded as Izak and Sara Rosenblat and infant son Marcus, they boarded the steamship New Rochelle at Danzig, which was then a Free City under the League of Nations; the ship sailed on August 29, 1920 and arrived at the Port of New York on September 18. As they were steerage passengers, they were obliged to go to Ellis Island to undergo immigrant inspection. They settled in The Bronx. Martin spoke Polish, Yiddish, and some Russian before learning English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian. Martin attended City College of New York, where he graduated magna cum laude, then earned a law degree from the National University School of Law (later part of the George Washington University). Career Despite academic training in business, instruction, and law, Martin chose a career in acting. He was partners in a comedy team with Bernie West for several years, then appeared on many radio and live TV broadcasts, including playing Wyatt Earp in the January 20, 1952 episode of The Gabby Hayes Show. He made his Broadway debut in Hazel Flagg in 1953.