ACTOR
Strother Martin
Known for The Twilight Zone · Saturday Night Live · Bonanza
Strother Martin (March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980) was an American actor in numerous films and television programs. Martin is perhaps best known as the prison "captain" in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, where he uttered the line, "What we've got here is...failure to communicate."
Snapshot 2026-10-13
- Born
- Mar 26, 1919
- Died
- Aug 1, 1980
- Birthplace
- Kokomo, Indiana, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Strother Martin (March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980) was an American actor in numerous films and television programs. Martin is perhaps best known as the prison "captain" in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, where he uttered the line, "What we've got here is...failure to communicate."
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Known For
TV
The Twilight ZoneMothershed · 1959
★ 8.5
★ 8.5
TV
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1975
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
TV
BonanzaLonnie Stern · 1959
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
Perry MasonPete Gibson · 1957
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
The FugitiveDeputy Shirky Saulter · 1963
★ 7.3
★ 7.3
TV
Have Gun, Will Travel2 eps · 1957
★ 7.3
★ 7.3
TV
Love, American Style1 eps · 1969
★ 6.2
★ 6.2
Filmography
Movies
The Asphalt JungleWilliam Doldy (uncredited)
1950
The Damned Don't CrySpringboard Diver (uncredited)
1950
RhubarbMichael 'Shorty' McGirk (uncredited)
1951
The Red Badge of CourageCorporal (voice) (uncredited)
1951
Androcles and the LionSoldier (uncredited)
1952
Storm Over TibetCo-pilot
1952
South Sea WomanMarine in Audience at Court-martial (uncredited)
1953
The Magnetic MonsterCo-Pilot
1953
A Star Is BornDelivery Boy (uncredited)
1954
Drum BeatScotty
1954
The Silver ChaliceFather (uncredited)
1954
World for Ransom
1954
Kiss Me DeadlyHarvey Wallace
1955
Strategic Air CommandAirman
1955
Target ZeroPvt. Dan O'Hirons
1955
The Big KnifeStillman
1955
AttackIngersol
1956
Johnny ConchoTownsman (uncredited)
1956
The Black WhipThorny
1956
World Without EndNihka (uncredited)
1956
Black PatchPetey
1957
Copper SkyPokey
1957
Bitter HeritageEarle Eheeler
1958
CowboyTrailhand Bitten by Rattlesnake
1958
The Horse SoldiersVirgil
1959
The Shaggy DogThurm
1959
The Wild and the InnocentBen Stocker
1959
SanctuaryDog Boy
1961
The Deadly CompanionsParson
1961
The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceFloyd
1962
McLintock!Agard
1963
ShowdownCharlie Reeder
1963
Invitation to a GunfighterFiddler
1964
BrainstormMr. Clyde
1965
ShenandoahTrain Engineer
1965
The Sons of Katie ElderNed Ross
1965
An Eye for an EyeTrumbull
1966
HarperClaude
1966
Nevada SmithStrother (uncredited)
1966
Cool Hand LukeCaptain
1967
The Flim-Flam ManLovick
1967
The Mountains of the MoonO'Keefe
1967
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidPercy Garris
1969
The Wild BunchCoffer
1969
True GritColonel G. Stonehill
1969
The Ballad of Cable HogueBowen
1970
Fools' ParadeLee Cottrill
1971
Hannie CaulderRufus Clemens
1971
Red Sky at MorningJohn Cloyd
1971
The Brotherhood of SatanDoc Duncan
1971
Pocket MoneyBill Garrett
1972
The Flim Flam ManLovick
1972
SssssssDr. Carl Stoner
1973
The Boy and the Bronc BusterBuckshot
1973
Hard TimesPoe
1975
Mitzi & 100 GuysSelf
1975
One of Our OwnLeRoy Atkins
1975
Rooster CogburnShanghai McCoy
1975
The Great Scout & Cathouse ThursdayBilly
1976
Slap ShotJoe McGrath
1977
Steel CowboyPinky Pincus
1978
Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy GuyTurtle Ranch Boss
1978
Stubby Pringle's ChristmasOld Hollander
1978
The EndDr. Waldo Kling
1978
Up in SmokeMr. Stoner
1978
Better Late Than NeverJ.D. Ashcroft
1979
Love and BulletsLouis Monk
1979
NightwingSelwyn
1979
The ChampRiley
1979
The VillainParody Jones
1979
HotwireThe Weasel
1980
The Secret of Nikola TeslaGeorge Westinghouse
1980
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood RenegadeSelf (archive footage)
2004Television
Dragnet1 eps
1951
Hallmark Hall of FameOld Hollander · 1 eps
1951
I Love LucyMan in Coffee Shop · 1 eps
1951
Schlitz Playhouse of StarsBellhop · 1 eps
1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsTeeples · 1 eps
1951
Cavalcade of AmericaWilkins · 1 eps
1952CT
Chevron Theatre1 eps
1952
Dangerous Assignment1 eps
1952
Four Star PlayhouseTom Blair · 1 eps
1952
General Electric TheaterGunnery Officer Daly · 1 eps
1953General Electric TheaterObie · 1 eps
1953TP
The Pepsi-Cola PlayhouseWaiter · 1 eps
1953
Lassie3 eps
1954
Studio 57Pete Dutton · 1 eps
1954
The Lone WolfNick Davis · 1 eps
1954
The Wonderful World of DisneyBuckshot · 2 eps
1954The Wonderful World of DisneyThurm · 1 eps
1954
CrossroadsLandry Kersh · 1 eps
1955
GunsmokeMr. Stooler · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeCooter · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeEd Davey · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeDooley · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeDillard · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeRowley · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeGene Bunch · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeBilly · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeTimble · 1 eps
1955GunsmokeBen Snow · 2 eps
1955
Matinee Theater1 eps
1955
Navy Log1 eps
1955
The MillionairePete Hill · 1 eps
1955BA
Broken ArrowRenton · 1 eps
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreJoby · 1 eps
1956
Telephone Time1 eps
1956
The Adventures of Jim Bowie1 eps
1956
Have Gun, Will Travel2 eps
1957Have Gun, Will TravelCarew · 1 eps
1957Have Gun, Will TravelFred Coombs · 1 eps
1957
Panic!1 eps
1957
Perry MasonPete Gibson · 1 eps
1957Perry MasonJoe Mead · 1 eps
1957Perry MasonGerald Sommers · 1 eps
1957Perry MasonRoy Hutchinson · 1 eps
1957
TrackdownBenny French · 1 eps
1957
77 Sunset StripCharles Sloane · 1 eps
1958
Jefferson DrumPete Henke · 1 eps
1958
Lawman1 eps
1958
The TexanPolk Blackston · 1 eps
1958
Black SaddlePit Thatcher · 1 eps
1959
BonanzaLonnie Stern · 1 eps
1959BonanzaJoad Bruder · 1 eps
1959BonanzaCole Younger · 1 eps
1959BonanzaLittle Meredith Smith · 1 eps
1959BonanzaYuri · 1 eps
1959HD
Hotel de Paree31 eps
1959
RawhideBates · 1 eps
1959
The RebelJess · 1 eps
1959
The Twilight ZoneMothershed · 1 eps
1959
Pete and Gladys1 eps
1960
Ben Casey2 eps
1961Ben CaseyFrank Geray · 1 eps
1961
The Dick Van Dyke ShowHarper Worthington Yates · 1 eps
1961
The New BreedBenny Kohler · 2 eps
1961
Stoney Burke1 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
The VirginianFinley · 1 eps
1962The VirginianLuther Watson · 1 eps
1962
The Dakotas1 eps
1963
The FugitiveDeputy Shirky Saulter · 1 eps
1963
The LieutenantTaxi Driver · 1 eps
1963
Daniel BooneSolomon Tarbot · 1 eps
1964
Gilligan's Island1 eps
1964PI
Profiles in CourageSenator James Wadsworth · 1 eps
1964
Lost in SpaceNerim · 1 eps
1965
Run for Your LifeHolly Amberton · 1 eps
1965
The Big ValleyDan'l Hawks · 1 eps
1965The Big ValleyFludd · 1 eps
1965
The Legend of Jesse JamesMeeker · 1 eps
1965
Tarzan2 eps
1966
He & SheThe Rev. Mr. Anderson · 1 eps
1967
The Danny Thomas HourPaul Rooney · 1 eps
1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett2 eps
1967
The InvadersCharlie Coogan · 1 eps
1967
It Takes a ThiefWillard Knox · 1 eps
1968
The Doris Day ShowTyrone Lovey · 2 eps
1968
The Name of the GameNanyface · 1 eps
1968
Love, American Style1 eps
1969
Marcus Welby, M.D.Terry Riggs · 1 eps
1969
NicholsZachariah · 1 eps
1971
The Rookies1 eps
1972
HawkinsR.J. Hawkins · 5 eps
1973
Movin' On1 eps
1974
Paper Moon1 eps
1974
PetrocelliClate Dobie · 1 eps
1974
The Rockford FilesThomas Tyler 'T.T.' Flowers · 2 eps
1974
Baretta3 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
Vega$1 eps
1978Photos
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