fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Tony Martinez (January 27, 1920 – September 16, 2002) was an American film, television and theatre actor. He was perhaps best known for playing "Pepino" in the American situation comedy television series The Real McCoys.[2]

Tony Martinez
Martinez (left) with Walter Brennan and Richard Crenna in The Real McCoys, 1962
Born	(1920-01-27)January 27, 1920 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Died	September 16, 2002(2002-09-16) (aged 82) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupation	Film, television and theatre actor
Spouse	Myra Martinez[1]
Children	5[1]

Life and career

Martinez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[3] He first studied in music,[1] in which Martinez later moved to New York City, studying at the Juilliard School.[3] He played five instruments, later having his own musical ensemble that was called "Tony Martinez and His Mambo" in New York City.[1] After that, Martinez had later studied about acting at the Pasadena Playhouse.[1]

Martinez later began his film and television career, earning some small roles, when he was studying at the Pasadena Playhouse.[1] In 1956, he and his musical ensemble appeared in the film Rock Around the Clock.[1] Martinez then later won the role of Pepino in the new ABC situation comedy television series The Real McCoys, in which he played the role as the hired Mexican farmworker.[3][4] He won the role as he was discovered by the creator Irving Pincus and producer Norman Pincus,[1] while Martinez was just with his musical ensemble performing in the Sunset Strip.[4]

In his theatre career, Martinez had appeared in over 2,245 performances in the Broadway play Man of La Mancha.[4] He played Sancho Panza.[5] After The Real McCoys ended in 1963, Martinez guest-starred in a few television programs including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., F Troop, My Favorite Martian, Accidental Family and Storefront Lawyers. He then wrote music for numerous films in Mexico.[4] Martinez retired his career in 2000, in which he last appeared in the cable network The Nashville Network.[3]

Death

Martinez died in September 2002 of natural causes in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 82.[1][4]

References

External links

• Tony Martinez at IMDb
• Tony Martinez at the TCM Movie Database
• Tony Martinez at AllMovie
• Rotten Tomatoes profile

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