Sandy Martin began her acting career at the age of 15 touring the country with Martha Raye in Good-bye Charley. She then settled in New York City, where she worked in numerous esteemed theatres, including Lincoln Center, La Mama, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Playwrights Horizon, and The American Place Theatre, acting in over 70 stage productions.
As a founding company member of the Wpa Theatre and the Perry Street Theatre, Martin played opposite notable actors such as Armand Assante, Christopher Lloyd, John Savage, and Ellen Barkin. She later joined the improvisational troupe Second City, where she worked with John Belushi, Bill Murray, Brian Murray, and Harold Ramis.
In 1976, Martin was asked to guest direct senior plays at the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts in both New York and Los Angeles. During this period, she co-founded Hothouse Stage Co. with Susan Streitfeld, producing several award-winning productions, including Hothouse, East/West Game, and Welcome to Andromeda.
Martin went on to direct several productions, including Line, Saturday Night, Una Vida, and Talking With..., as well as a reading of The Team starring Kevin Spacey, Lenny Von Dohlan, and Sheryl Lee.
After the success of Hothouse, Martin wrote the screen adaptation, which she packaged with her friends Amy Madigan and Ed Harris. The screenplay was acquired by Esparza/Katz Prod., and Martin worked as a Development Executive and Associate Producer on several critically acclaimed feature films, including Milagro Bean Field Wars and Selena.
During her tenure with Esparza/Katz Prod., Martin wrote several treatments and screenplays, including Underdogs, Thirteenth Duke, The James Dean Story, and Ms. Prez. She also co-wrote a musical revival of Reefer Madness with Dan Gerrity.
Martin produced and directed two documentaries, The Great Meddler and The United Farm Workers - A Tribute to Caesar Chavez. She was also President of Edward James Olmos's production company, Olmos Prod. at ABC for four years.
In recent years, Martin has returned to acting, scoring recurring roles on HBO's Big Love and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She has also guest-starred on numerous hit shows, including CSI, Nip Tuck, Shameless, Saving Grace, Weeds, Cold Case, 2 Broke Girls, Parenthood, The Closer, and Rizzoli & Isles.
Martin's recent stage work includes the critically acclaimed West Coast Premiere of Tennessee William's A House Not Meant To Stand at the Fountain Theatre in 2011, for which she received an Ovation Award nomination for Best Female Lead.
