Born in Grodek, Poland, Ross Martin grew up on New York City's Lower East Side, where he was exposed to a rich linguistic environment, speaking Yiddish, Polish, and Russian before even learning English, and later adding French, Spanish, and Italian to his impressive repertoire.
Despite receiving honors in academic training in business, instruction, and law, Martin chose a career in acting, which led him to his first film, the George Pal production Conquest of Space (1955). His talent soon caught the eye of Blake Edwards, who cast him in a variety of roles, culminating in a fantastic part in The Great Race (1965).
Before landing his most famous role, Martin managed to squeeze in a series, the short-lived Mr. Lucky (1959). The release of The Great Race (1965) led to CBS casting him in the role of Secret Service agent Artemus Gordon in The Wild Wild West (1965),opposite Robert Conrad.
Perhaps the show's cancellation in 1969 was a blessing in disguise, as Martin suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 1968. Afraid to take the risk of having a lead actor with a heart condition, the networks snubbed him with regards to a lead role, yet he appeared as a guest star in an impressive number of programs, not all dramatic masterpieces.
Despite the challenges he faced, Ross Martin remained passionate about acting, taking every role that came his way. Unfortunately, his heart condition finally took its toll on July 3rd, 1981, when he collapsed while playing tennis.
