Strother Martin Interview on “Slapshot” (April 9, 1977)

Slap Shot is a 1977 American sports comedy film directed by George Roy Hill, written by Nancy Dowd, and starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean. It depicts a minor league ice hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a factory town in decline.
Strother Douglas Martin Jr. (March 26, 1919 - August 1, 1980) was an American character actor who often appeared in support of John Wayne and Paul Newman and in Western films directed by John Ford and Sam Peckinpah. Among Martin's memorable performances is his portrayal of the warden or "captain" of a state prison camp in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, in which he utters the line, "What we've got here is failure to communicate."[1] The line is number 11 on the American Film Institute list of 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.
Early life[edit]
Martin was born March 26, 1919,[2] in Kokomo, Indiana to Ethel (née Dunlap) and Strother Douglas Martin.[3] For a short time, the Martins lived in San Antonio, Texas, but soon returned to Indiana. As a child, he excelled at swimming and diving. He was nicknamed "T-Bone Martin" because of his diving expertise. At 17 he won the National Junior Springboard Diving Championship. He served as a swimming instructor in the United States Navy during World War II and was a member of the diving team at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He entered the adult National Springboard Diving competition in hopes of gaining a berth on the U.S. Olympic team, but finished third in the competition.[4].
In 1961, Martin portrayed Pete Gibson in the episode "The Case of the Brazen Bequest" on Perry Mason. In 1962, he was cast as Harold Horton in "The Chocolate Cake Caper" of the CBS sitcom, Pete and Gladys, starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams. He guest-starred in Jack Lord's ABC adventure/drama series, Stoney Burke. In 1963, he was cast as Private Anton Copang in the episode "Walk Through the Badlands" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, The Dakotas. In 1966, Martin appeared twice as "Cousin Fletch" in the short-lived ABC comedy Western The Rounders, with Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills.
In 1967, Martin played Arizona miner Ed Schieffelin in the episode "Silver Tombstone" of the syndicated television series Death Valley Days.[citation needed] Martin played villainous roles in many of the best-known Westerns of the 1950s and 1960s, including The Horse Soldiers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He played an Indian agent in the John Wayne film, McLintock! (1963) and a horse trader in the 1969 film, True Grit (1969).
By the late 1960s, Martin was almost as well-known a figure as many top-billed stars. In 1967, the same year as his role in Cool Hand Luke, he appeared in the episode "A Mighty Hunter Before the Lord" of NBC's The Road West series starring Barry Sullivan. In 1972, he appeared as James Garner's uncle in the "Zacharia" episode of NBC's Nichols. He also had a pronounced physical and vocal resemblance to playwright Tennessee Williams and occasionally parodied him, notably in the "Baby Fat" episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show.
The play The Time of Your Life was revived on March 17, 1972, at the Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles with Martin, Henry Fonda, Richard Dreyfuss, Gloria Grahame, Lewis J. Stadlen, Ron Thompson,[5] Jane Alexander, Richard X. Slattery, and Pepper Martin among the cast with Edwin Sherin directing.[6][7]
Martin appeared in all three of the classic Westerns released in 1969: Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (as Coffer, a bloodthirsty bounty hunter), George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (as Percy Garris, the "colorful" Bolivian mine boss who hires the two title characters), and Henry Hathaway's True Grit (as Colonel Stonehill, a horse dealer). He frequently acted alongside L.Q. Jones, who in real life was one of his closest friends.
One of his last acting jobs was as host of Saturday Night Live on April 19, 1980. In one of the skits, Martin played the strict owner of a French language camp for children, based on his role as the prison captain from Cool Hand Luke. He even paraphrased his most famous line from the film, "What we have here is failure to communicate BILINGUALLY!" In another, he played a terminally ill man who videotaped his last will and testament. During his monologue, he again did his Tennessee Williams impression. That episode was supposed to be rerun during the summer of 1980, but it was pulled and replaced with another episode due to Martin's death.
Death[edit]
Martin was married to Helen Meisels-Martin from 1967 until his death; they had no children. In the last year of his life, Martin was under a doctor's care for cardiac problems. He died at age 61 of a heart attack on August 1, 1980,[10] at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California.

[@jimmyleon2983]

Strother Martin is one of the greatest character actors of all time!

[@drumhd1]

So authentic in his roles!

[@chokkan7]

Couldn't agree more.

[@stevenculver6416]

And Barry Corbin is in that category in my opinion

[@drumhd1]

@@stevenculver6416. Definitely!

[@stan2211stan]

"Hard Times" as Poe.

[@porterwake3898]

Martin in a movie? You gotta see it. He always steals the scene!

[@lynnturman8157]

Yep. Sometimes on purpose (ha ha)

[@Nativelonewolf]

Strother Martin cracks me up with just his persona alone. Truly a legend, Slapshot is a great film.

[@MrEwciii2001]

I know! Just picturing him in my mind. There was a movie, I think the horse soldiers, where he had a funny scene with someone else, maybe Denver Pile. Two nitwits. LOL.

[@travishendrix7026]

Strother is a national treasure. He shined on film . Couldnt wait for his lines and the tone of his voice.

[@jubalcalif9100]

I feel the same way !!

[@drumhd1]

What a legend of the big screen and television. Always wanted to see an interview with him. Brilliant!!

[@tomvecchione3475]

Absolutely fantastic actor. Period.

[@coophandluke3697]

We dont have these type of actors anymore!!

[@nbandpinportugal]

True Grit would have been a lesser film without this guy. The scene with Kim Derby buying the horse is classic.

[@gyrene_asea4133]

Yes! Mr. Martin made that character fully human and believable. Great.

[@brianfchadderton]

How about the raft scene in Rooster Cogburn “ that’s a mighty strange crew your sailing with”

[@brianmatthews9697]

@@brianfchadderton That was a good one. I like him in the Horse Soldiers as the deserted rebel with Denver Pyle. John Wayne knocks them out with one punch.

[@charlesmyers7193]

What a great character actor. This is the only interview I ever saw of him.

[@jubalcalif9100]

I was thinking the same thing! Til now I had never heard or watched an interview with him & thus never heard his natural speaking voice.

[@MrBastilleDay]

Love listening to this man speak. He was so intelligent and articulate. And a very gracious man.

[@jubalcalif9100]

My sentiments EXACTLY !!

[@pab-gk6nc]

“Morons …. I’ve got morons on my team!” - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Timeless perfection

[@jubalcalif9100]

For sure !!

[@snuffyballparks6501]

Likely the greatest character actor of all time. "What we've got here is... failure to communicate." One of the greatest movie lines of all time. Only 61.

[@jonniec7]

walter brennen

[@brianfchadderton]

You’re spot on! How about “ I been around the Horn, sailed I the Seven Seas , seen everything done everything and I learned all people are miserable! If I wanted kids around I’d have my own

[@MOMO41837]

He was a standout in every one of his films, but he should of won best supporting actor for his role in Cool Hand Luke...

[@leestamm3187]

A great character actor who was always memorable in whatever role he played. Bit of trivia: As a young man he was an excellent competitive swimmer and springboard diver at the highschool and collegiate level.

[@gaden002]

He just missed making the 1948 Olympic diving team.

[@bobinindiana]

He swam at the old Indianapolis Athletic Club in downtown Indianapolis. The building is now condos & the pool is gone. He was born in Kokomo.

[@gerrydooley951]

to me this is what youtube is good for, these very rare gems

[@jonbrooks5246]

Loved him in Hard Times.

[@tomthompson5686]

I'm so glad that Mr Martin described his great role supporting Lee Marvin in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I really enjoyed his work. Especially when he "stood up" to John Wayne's character. RIP Strother Martin!

[@jubalcalif9100]

You said it ! Mr Martin was especially effective & good in Westerns !

[@mayormc]

Wow, that was cool. I don't think I have ever seen him interviewed but I remember him hosting SNL in the late 70's. A true great.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Yes! So far it's the only interview I've seen him with him.

[@steveguinn9740]

The Cool Hand Luke line makes a great ringtone. ☎️

[@yossarianmnichols9641]

What a fantastic guy he was. He led quite a life before he was a great actor.

[@artisaprimus6306]

This man made me laugh over the years. A great actor.

[@jubalcalif9100]

I share those sentiments !

[@chrisgreulich]

He was also very memorable in the Twilight Zone episode "The Grave". Great cast in that episode.

[@Bayan1905]

Strother Martin was instantly recognizable in any film he was in. Every scene he knocks it out of the park. One of his better ones was in Slap Shot, he was hilarious. Strother could play someone goofy and then the next meaner than sin.

[@MrNorcal81]

Martin was brilliant in Slapshot and the scenes where he and Paul Newman play against each other are hilarious. Paul Newman should have gotten an Oscar nomination fo it as well as Cool Hand Luke. When Newman passed away, the NY Times wrote a Dickie Dunn like obituary for Reggie Dunlap. It was wonderful

[@michaelward9880]

Strother had a very short appearance in the classic "Asphalt Jungle". He was in the police lineup in the first part of the movie. You almost can't recognize him, he looked so young. He was terrific in everything he did. One of my favorite performances is "Hard Times" with James Coburn and Charles Bronson. RIP Mr. Strother Martin.

[@rufust.firefly4890]

I noticed that. no lines. Frank Mr Drucker Cady was the guy who got cold feet about IDing a guy in the lineup. Sans mustache.

[@michaelward9880]

@@rufust.firefly4890 Great film noir !

[@jubalcalif9100]

I too love "Hard Times" ! Saw it at a local multiplex when if first came out in the late 70s & watch it on TV every time they play it. What a superb cast: Charles Bronson, James Coburn & Strother Martin !!

[@mark11967AD]

This gentleman in Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy, and a TV movie called SSSS I think it was called was just brilliant in all three. Great character actor indeed one of the best of the 20th Century.

[@cliffordbowman6777]

I just hated to see him in the snake movie. Not worthy of him.

[@lynnturman8157]

This is great. Never seen an interview with Strother Martin before.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Neither had I ! What a treat it was to watch this today for the first time !!

[@douglasthompson9482]

Strother was iconic in many ways. One of the greatest character actors of all time.

[@55Reever]

What an actor. So many credits.

[@jubalcalif9100]

You got THAT right !!

[@erikramaekers63]

Watching Martin and L.Q Jones together in a movie is amazing.This is the first time i came across an interview with the great Strother Martin

[@walterdorsey8935]

Srother Martin made the comment that a lot of people recognize his face but can't remember the name,I don't think that was true, far more people knew exactly who he was, even to this day. He always gave such a memorable performance, when you saw his name shown in the cast credits, you knew from him that you were always going to get something special. Truly one of the great character actors of his time.

[@richardmorrow5060]

Loved this guy.

[@MrEwciii2001]

Character actor, yes, but also one of the greatest scene stealers ever.

[@johncopeland3826]

What an uncommonly decent chap Mr Martin was . His soft voice and knowing intellect really was a breath of fresh air . You just knew by listening to him speak that he had it all figured out in life , especially his work projects . Thankyou .

[@wassupdoc2780]

He was in a lot of gunsmoke episodes. Really good actor. Always enjoyed watching him in all his different roles.

[@ukrandr]

Instantly recognizable to any dedicated movie lover. One of those people who was in just about everything. He was in Gilligan's Island for goodness's sake.

[@rhart2474]

Excellent!! A great interview from a truly wonderful actor.

[@Brian-uy2tj]

I loved, loved, loved Strother Martin. He was one of the great character actors of all time.

[@tommcelroy2276]

Beginning scene of Up in smoke is hysterical. Gonna have to look for other works of his.

[@ARIZJOE]

A wonderful actor. He made every film better. There was that tonal quality to his voice.

[@joeleyendecker5346]

I always liked watching the movies he played in. You knew beforehand it was going to be a good movie. It's funny how he was "Perfect" for each character he played. He never ran the risk of being Typecast....He was able to adapt to each part like it was made exclusively for him....

[@joemarkley3285]

An unusually good interview--my compliments to the host, who asked good questions and let Strother Martin tell his story.

[@onthedry8386]

very true not butting in every hands turn

[@johnnybeer3770]

Strother Martin always stood out to me even though he wasn't the star . I was amazed watching this interview what a nice man he is , and very articulate , would love to have met him🇬🇧

[@user-ti7yt9vj2f]

The best character actor ever! I loved him in TV and movie roles and if you don't agree we have a problem to communicate or something like that, great actor

[@jubalcalif9100]

YES !!

[@paullittle9187]

I’m glad I saw this. As much as I’ve admired him I don’t think I’d ever have gone out of my way to find an interview of him. What a warm and generous man.

[@Charles_Middleton]

Love this! Just watched Cool Hand Luke.

[@wildbillharding]

Strother was wonderful in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He tries to intervene with Duke Wayne in the restaurant scene and ends up with a kick in the face!

[@Tkuhn1]

I always loved the way he said yellow in Liberty Valance, it came out YELLA! I still love saying it that way. 😂

[@rufust.firefly4890]

Watch the end of Nevada Smith to get a perspective on yellaw.@@Tkuhn1

[@dsugimoto313]

Thanks for posting this. It's nice to see what was really like. He's been a favorite of mine for years.

[@jameshood1928]

"What we have here is failure to communicate." One of his great lines.

[@rufust.firefly4890]

Up in Smoke, he was hilarious.

[@jbeTV1]

An immensely talented and obviously pleasant man. You don’t get that much work without being good at what you do, and a pleasure to work with.

[@davidbreen8702]

So watchable..... sign of a great actor.

[@michaeldelaney7271]

FYI, Paul Newman also said "Slap Shot" was his best acting performance.

[@jago76]

The Cool Hand Luke line is one of the greatest ever.

[@jubalcalif9100]

I certainly have a notion to second THAT emotion !

[@davidbellamy1403]

Fantastic actor, one of my favorites! I knew his name many years ago.

[@kevincoggeshall3079]

One of my favorite actors

[@jubalcalif9100]

Mine too !!

[@oakroyal]

Fellow alumnus of the University of Michigan. Was a diver.

[@raywalsh9152]

What a wonderful interview. Strother Martin as The Captain in Cool Hand Luke is tattooed on my soul. My first born son's middle name is Lucas. We still watch it together every once in awhile. Greatest moving picture ever put to film. Should've swept the Oscars that year.

[@chickey333]

Yes it should have.

[@staciasmith5162]

Strother knows that he's at the top of his game, because everyone knows him and his voice no matter what part he plays, he is the part and the part of him.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Words of truth, that's for sure !!

[@manwithapurpose1]

Wow, such heartfelt commentary! Strother and his wife Helen were like surrogate parents to me in the late 60s and early70s when I lived in LA and sought film work. This was a lovely interview and I could tell Strother was very intentionally contained. Normally, he'd get super passionate about whatever he was talking about and shake his head (a bit like he did here) and his hair would fly all over and that high tenor voice would go through the range of voice changes. He was a gracious man and I'd bet the farm that if he was to read all of these comments he'd be in joyful tears (but he wouldn't let you see that), sensitive soul that he was. Thanks for posting, Foggy. - Verne Varona

[@jubalcalif9100]

Thank you so much for sharing your heartwarming memories with us. Mr. Martin was always one of my all time favorite character actors. I've only read good things about him. Such a beloved individual. A true icon of the screen & national treasure! Bless his & his wife's hearts!

[@Thermopylae1159]

Strother Martin's presence elevated any film he was in. He was great in "Shenendoah" as a train engineer who tries to talk Jimmy Stewart out of burning his train.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Well said and well put.

[@redskins17084]

Good guy , enjoyed it.

[@BeachsideHank]

He had a bit part in "Asphalt Jungle" as a strung-out junkie during a lineup, as time went on his parts got better- such as the "Captain" in "Cool Hand Luke". Was a good pal of another memorable character actor, L.Q. Jones who passed this year.

[@rufust.firefly4890]

Perhaps u know how LQ took his stage name.

[@brianfchadderton]

Great actor! Was in so many movies I loved all his scenes

[@jubalcalif9100]

Me too !!

[@needsaride15126]

Thank you for the memories Strother, you were one of the best.

[@jubalcalif9100]

I have a notion to second THAT emotion !!

[@greg54444]

Thanks for sharing this. I’d never seen him out of character before. This interview makes his acting seem all the more impressive. Out of character he talks a lot like Ronald Regan. Some of the same mannerisms as well. Now I’ve got to go watch one of his movies!

[@mikeycapp1]

Strother Martin, a legend!!!

[@user-ci2yb3ky2h]

Thank you so much for uploading this .. I always found him very interesting as an actor as well as other supporting actors … especially the older movies … such interesting people

[@dexculpepper-py1jr]

A Great actor

[@steveherrmann456]

He was a brilliant actor!!!!

[@gregrosen9616]

Amazed he was a fellow Hoosier. Wow!

[@mickeydixon7978]

My all-time favorite character actor.

[@Mike44460]

The mold to make men, actors such as this, is long destroyed never to be repeated.

[@vidvictor]

This is fantastic! Thank you for sharing.

[@TheReasonableSkeptic-ii4te]

A genius, Strother Martin. R.I.P. 💐

[@jubalcalif9100]

So very true....

[@strothermartin5368]

I'm a big Strother Martin fan. He was on Baretta,he played a real scum bag.

[@JiggsTheMonk02]

A real “scumbag “ on Baretta? are You sure you didn’t mean Robert Blake?

[@strothermartin5368]

@@JiggsTheMonk02 I ment the show. Not real life

[@phildavies3902]

The greatest character actor EVER

[@jubalcalif9100]

My sentiments exactly !!

[@jubalcalif9100]

What a wonderful interview! A thousand thanks for uploading for us to enjoy! I think this is the first time I've ever seen the late great Mr. Martin interviewed & heard his natural speaking voice. Comes across as such a friendly, nice, kind, gentle, intelligent & articulate fella. And what a class act.

[@ericbarash8496]

He was also great as the mining prospector in Lost In Space, Season 2 Episode 1, Blast Off Into Space where his blasting destroys the planet that the Robinsons are on in Season 1. Definitely one of the greats of character acting.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Indubitaby! One of the true icons of the screen.

[@user-dr4mv9wm9r]

Loved him in the wild bunch 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@JaySports-kx7yb]

Love his herion addicted fight doctor in Hard Times with Charles Bronson and James coburn, great actor

[@harrymills2770]

"Some are born to fail, others have it thrust upon them." - Poe, "Hard Times"

[@jubalcalif9100]

Failed medical student Poe was quite the poet....

[@darrenmisick8039]

I loved Strother's acting.

[@margaretadler6162]

Definitely one of my favorite actors!

[@joey_bonin]

Good interview, I enjoyed it. Strother is one of the best.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Totally agree!

[@stevenholquin2127]

Hard Times is One of My Favorite Strother Movies He Played a Dyed in Wool Hop Head Whom Left Medical School Under a Black Clowd Appeared on Campus….” Now Speed…Look What You Done”” Thank You Strother

[@GuyjKite]

Great actor. Good in any movie played.

[@jubalcalif9100]

As Snagglepuss would say, "Indubitably!"

[@jacqulinmccauley5563]

I absolutely love this man if he was in a movie we watched it just to see him ❤

[@anthonylilly6862]

Excellent surprise interview. I was looking for another interview and stumbled upon this. Have always loved his incredible work. "What we have here is failure to communicate"

[@walkergillette3918]

very under rated actor, can play it serious or comedic, from Cool Hand Luke to Slap Shot, one of a kind actor I miss him

[@jubalcalif9100]

That's for sure ! Equally good in both comedic & dramatic roles !

[@marstondavis]

Up In Smoke: 'I can get you a job pickin' bananas. Or send you off to military school like that Finkelstein, shit, kid! When boy, when, are you gonna get a Goddamn job?!? When I'm feeling blue, I pop that dvd in and watch that part and it just chases the blues away. It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Heaven got a little better when he passed.

[@rufust.firefly4890]

I like the Richard Boone laugh scene in Hombre

[@chrisoakley5830]

Actors and Actresses the caliber of Mr. Martin here, dont exist any longer. You just dont see the talent like his in Hollywood anymore.

[@philobeddoe8342]

I truly dig this man's work. 👍

[@williambutler8624]

Strother Martin is one of my favorite character actors of anyone, also when he talks, nobody sounds like Strother, he has played many roles and plays them very well, Strother is One Of A Kind, he was modest, any movie he played in was better because of Strother, what a great actor, I was glad he talked about his Father, that was really interesting, Strother Martin one of the best, you are truly missed, Rest In Peace 🎉.

[@RobinSchoutenRS]

Thanks for the upload! First time I heard Strother Martin talk. Fascinating man and a great actor. Love him in the Sam Peckinpah movies. Do you have more of this, or from other Peckinpah actors?

[@raytaylor3077]

I always liked that guy

[@raelimperialak9361]

What a neat guy and a great actor!

[@generationless6942]

He was tremendous in the opening scene of "Up in Smoke" as Tommy Chong's dad. The whole scene was 99% him talking/screaming, Tommy never said a word, and all improv....No Script!

[@jacqulinmccauley5563]

Thank you for sharing this

[@charlesnye1736]

great guy

[@james_t_kirk]

*Strother Martin would be dead within 3 years of this interview - from a heart attack at the age of 61. He appeared in many movies but early on turned up in various TV shows. Among them was "Lost In Space", which was somewhat unexpected. Along with Dabs Greer, I always thought Martin added an extra dimension to any movie he appeared in.*

[@jubalcalif9100]

I could not agree more. He left us much too soon. One of my all time favorite actors. And what a class act he was.

[@steveclayton2353]

His performance on gunsmoke "island in the desert"is one of his best performances IMO,he plays a hermit stranded in the desert for years.Its a must see.

[@michaelbarr77]

A fantastic 2- part episode on Gunsmoke. One of my favorites!

[@tw5139]

......colder than a witch's kiss..ain't ya. Classic Strother Martin line from that episode.

[@rufust.firefly4890]

Martin said that role was the one he was most proud of.

[@williambutler8624]

That's one of my favorites too, he played Ben with another good actor, Ken Curtis, two of the best, Strother played in alot Gunsmoke episodes.