Kiel Martin

Early years

Martin was raised in Miami. A 1962 graduate of Hialeah High School, he was a drama student at Miami-Dade Junior College and acted in productions at the University of Miami. When he was 18, he dubbed voices for "Mexican fairy-tale movies."

Personal life

He was married three times: first to Claudia Martin (1944–2001), who was actor/crooner Dean Martin's daughter by his first wife, Betty MacDonald. They had one child, a daughter named Jesse. The marriage ended in divorce in 1971. His second marriage, to Joanne La Pomaroa, also ended in divorce. His third marriage was to Christina Montoya (1978-1980) (divorced). Like his character on Hill Street Blues, Martin battled alcoholism and like his character, was able to manage it.

Career

Martin's debut as a professional actor came in repertory theatre in Florida. In the 1960s, he moved to New York and worked as a musician, a dockworker, and a stand-up comedian. After signing a contract with Universal Studios in 1967, he broke 15 bones in a motorcycle accident, requiring two years' recuperation.

Martin starred with James Mitchum in Moonrunners, the movie upon which the television series The Dukes of Hazzard was subsequently based, although neither Martin nor Mitchum reprised their leading roles for the small-screen version.

In addition to Hill Street Blues, Martin also made guest appearances on various television shows between the late 1960s through the 1980s, including The Love Boat, The Virginian, Father Dowling Mysteries, and Murder She Wrote. He starred in the short-lived 1987 Fox sitcom Second Chance until its revamping as Boys Will Be Boys resulted in his character being dropped. He also was a regular on The Edge of Night.

He was in contention for the lead role in the film Midnight Cowboy.

Death

Martin died of lung cancer at age 46 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was survived by his mother and his daughter.