José Manuel Martín

José Manuel Martín Pérez (24 May 1924 – 12 April 2006) was a Spanish film and television actor, radio broadcaster, and screenwriter. He was a popular character actor in Spanish cinema during the 1950s and 60s, best remembered for playing villainous henchmen, appearing in more than 100 film and television productions.

Born in Casavieja, Spain, Martín studied at Madrid's Teatro Español Universitario and the Lope de Rueda, and began working for Radio Nacional de España in 1942, before making his feature film debut in César Fernández Ardavín's 1952 war drama La llamada de África starring Ali Beiba Uld Abidin, Yahadid Ben Ahmed Lehbib and Farachi Ben Emboiric.

Martín was particularly noted for his work in the Spaghetti Western genre, alongside regulars such as Aldo Sambrell and Andrea Scotti, with supporting roles in Savage Guns (1961), Gunfighters of Casa Grande (1964), Minnesota Clay(1964), A Pistol for Ringo (1965), Seven Dollars on the Red (1966), Arizona Colt (1966), A Bullet for the General (1966), God Forgives... I Don't! (1967), 100 Rifles (1969), and Cut-Throats Nine (1972). He also had memorable roles in EuroHorror films such as The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969), The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff (1973), Count Dracula's Great Love (1974), and Curse of the Devil (1974).

Early life José Manuel Martín Pérez was born on 24 May 1924 in Casavieja, Ávila, Castilla y León, Spain . He initially studied at the Teatro Español Universitario in Madrid with José Luis López Vázquez, María Jesús Valdés and Valeriano Andrés before obtaining a scholarship at the Lope de Rueda. It was there that he started working in professional theater under Alejandro Ulloa. Starting in 1942, he was also employed as a broadcaster for Radio Nacional de España. Martín eventually received a bachelor degree in journalism.

Career

At age 28, Martín made his feature film debut in the war drama La llamada de África (1952), written and directed by César Fernández Ardavín, and starred Ali Beiba Uld Abidin, Yahadid Ben Ahmed Lehbib and Farachi Ben Emboiric. This was followed by minor roles in Ángel Vilches' adventure film A dos grados del ecuador (1953), the Luis Lucia comedy Aeropuerto (1953), and Rafael Gil's religious-themed historical dramas I Was a Parish Priest (1953) and Judas' Kiss (1954). He received his first supporting role, as Muñoz, in Gil's next film Murió hace quince años (1954) appearing alongside Rafael Rivelles, Francisco Rabal and Lyla Rocco. He made two other films with Gil, La otra vida del capitán Contreras (1955) and El canto del gallo (1955), as well part of the supporting cast in Javier Setó's dramas Duelo de pasiones (1956) and Ha pasado un hombre (1956), Pedro Luis Ramírez's comedy Los ladrones somos gente honrada (1956), and José María Ochoa's La mestiza (1956). He appeared in one more film for Rafael Gil that same year, Miracle of the White Suit (1956), and landed an important supporting roles in Spanish Affair (1957), co-directed by Don Siegel and Luis Marquina, Sergio Corbucci's Ángeles sin cielo (1957), and Luis Buñuel's Viridiana (1961). He also started working in television joining the cast of Diego Valor in 1958. Martín continued on in supporting roles for number of other films then being shot in Almería and elsewhere.

Spaghetti Westerns Martín as "Cherokee" in the Gino Mangini Spaghetti Western Bastard, Go and Kill (1971). In the early-1960s, Eurowesterns, which would evolve into the popular Spaghetti Westerns, were being shot in Almería. Martín was among a number of Spanish character actors to find fame in this new genre. His background playing villains made him ideal for being cast as a Mexican bandit or henchman. Martín's prolific appearances made him was one of the most recognizable Spanish actors involved in the genre, rivaling those of fellow Spaghetti Western regulars such as Aldo Sambrell and Andrea Scotti, and is considered one of the best villains of the era.

His first roles were in Savage Guns and Gunfighters of Casa Grande (1964), one of the genre's earliest films, and continued working at its height with memorable performances in Bullets Don't Argue (1964), I Want Him Dead (1968), 100 Rifles (1969), A Bullet for Sandoval (1969), and into the "twilight" Spaghetti Westerns Bastard, Go and Kill (1971), Amigo, Stay Away (1972), and Cut-Throats Nine (1972). His last Italo-Western appearance, Amigo, Stay Away, was an uncredited role as a peddler.

In between Spaghetti Westerns, Martín also had supporting roles in The Ceremony (1963), Fall of the Mohicans (1965), Con el viento solano (1966), and Bewitched Love (1967).

Later career In the late-1960s and 70s, Martín starred in Spanish horror films such as Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969), The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff (1973), Count Dracula's Great Love (1974), and Curse of the Devil (1974). An author of numerous poems, he occasionally tried his hand at screenwriting. His first script was for Rafael Romero Marchent's The Student Connection (1974), co-written with Luciano Ercoli, José Luis Navarro, and Marchent.

Martín went into semi-retirement in the late-1970s. He made several guest appearances on the popular action-adventure television series Curro Jiménez, starring Sancho Gracia, in 1977. Other notable performances included supporting roles in Alberto Vázquez Figueroa's Oro rojo (1978), Mariano Ozores' comedy western Al este del oeste (1984), Jaime Camino's Spanish Civil War film Dragón Rapide (1986), and the Peter Lilienthal sports film Der Radfahrer von San Cristóbal (1988). His last regular film was an uncredited role in Montoyas y Tarantos (1989) followed by a final appearance in the crime-drama film Amor propio (1994) directed by Mario Camus. He also wrote two more scripts during the decade: Ángel Martínez Astudillo short film El pisito (1996) and the comedy Maestros (2000), which he co-wrote with director Óscar del Caz.

In the early-2000s, Martín made one-time guest appearances on television series Policías, en el corazón de la calle and Los Serrano. He also had a cameo on Dunia Ayaso and Félix Sabroso's dramady Descongélate! (2003), starring Pepón Nieto, Candela Peña and Loles León.

Personal life and death Martín died on 12 April 2006, at the age of 81.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1952 The Call of Africa Sargento 1953 Two Degrees of Ecuador Unknown I Was a Parish Priest Unknown Airport Unknown Uncredited 1954 Judas' Kiss Joven miserable (as J.M. Martín Pérez) He Died Fifteen Years Ago Muñoz (as J. Manuel Martín Pérez) 1955 The Other Life of Captain Contreras Dr. Rad Duelo de pasiones Unknown The Cock Crow Preso 1956 Ha pasado un hombre Savatierra We Thieves Are Honourable Antón, El Mayordomo La mestiza Joe Miracle of the White Suit Jugador 1957 Spanish Affair Fernando Ángeles sin cielo Curro 1958 El aprendiz de malo Socio de Bautista Die Sklavenkarawane Miralei 1959 Luna de verano Unknown Gayarre Frascuelo Two Men in Town Unknown Leap to Fame Enfermo de cólera Molokai, la isla maldita Unknown (as José M. Martín) Sonatas Primer centinela Life Around Us Manolo - gángster Der Löwe von Babylon Aftab 1960 Juicio final Unknown Juanito Carras (as José M. Martin) El hombre de la isla Pescador Peace Never Comes Karazo At Five O'Clock in the Afternoon Secretario Uncredited 1961 Conqueror of Maracaibo Patcheye Pirate Viridiana Beggar Savage Guns Sequra 1962 Mentirosa Tomás Cupido contrabandista Walter Three Fables of Love Aveugle (segment "La mort et le bûcheron") Dulcinea Posadero 1963 The Castilian Centinela Cristo negro Charles Shéhérazade Abdallah (as J.M. Martín) Los Tarantos Curro (as J. Manuel Martín) The Ceremony 2nd Gendarme Three Ruthless Ones Richard 1964 Weeping for a Bandit "El Tuerto" Bullets Don't Argue Ramon Minnesota Clay Ortiz Henchman Uncredited Rueda de sospechosos Camarero del Manzanilla Gunfighters of Casa Grande Don Luis Ariola Uncredited 1965 A Pistol for Ringo Pedro Fall of the Mohicans Cunning Fox Man from Canyon City Esteban Operation Atlantis Nailawi Operation Double Cross Jaime 1966 Cuatro dólares de venganza Manuel de Losa Seven Dollars on the Red El Gringo / Chulo Kiss Kiss...Bang Bang Jamaica Uncredited With the East Wind Zafra (as Manuel Martín) Per il gusto di uccidere Rodrigo Arizona Colt Watch Henchman Fort Yuma Gold Sam Five for Revenge Ramon Django Shoots First Ringo Uncredited 1967 A Bullet for the General Raimundo Bewitched Love Lorenzo Operation Delilah Joe God Forgives... I Don't! Bud (as José Manuel Martin) Fifteen Scaffolds for the Killer Benny Forty Degrees in the Shade Compañero de Evaristo Pride and Vengeance Juan Uncredited A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die "El Bailarin" Uncredited 1968 Train for Durango Peons Speaker Uncredited I Want Him Dead Jack Blood Day After Tomorrow Espartero Commando Attack Danny detto Faccia di Morto 1969 100 Rifles Sarita's Father (as Jose Manuel Martin) Marquis de Sade: Justine Victor The Castle of Fu Manchu Omar Pashu (as Jose Manuel Martin) The Forgotten Pistolero Miguel A Bullet for Sandoval Guerico El médico y el curandero Unknown Short 1970 Fortunata and Jacinta Fortunata's Uncle La larga agonía de los peces fuera del agua Hombre de la pistola Juan Pedro the Scyther Unknown Arizona Colt Returns José Gonzalez Moreno No desearás al vecino del quinto Taxista (as Jose M. Martín) The Wind's Fierce Garcia 1971 Bastard, Go and Kill Cherokee El Cristo del Océano Libio Boulevard du Rhum Un Policier Panaméen Uncredited Death Walks on High Heels Smith (as J. Manuel Martin) Hunt the Man Down Mexican Soldier 1972 Ben and Charlie The Peddler Uncredited Antony and Cleopatra Guard Uncredited Cut-Throats Nine John McFarlane 1973 Count Dracula's Great Love Krakos - First Porteador (as Jose Manuel Martin) El Retorno de Walpurgis Bela (as Jose M. Martin) Pugni, pirati e karatè Pirate Uncredited The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff Albert Mathews 1974 El último viaje Manolo 1976 La espada negra Unknown 1977 Del amor y de la muerte Unknown A Dog Called... Vengeance Cuatrero (as Jose Manuel Martin) 1978 Oro rojo Empleador 1980 Adiós, querida mamá David 1984 Al este del oeste Bad Milk (as Jose Manuel Martin) 1986 Dragón Rapide Oficial ayudante del General Franco (as José Manuel Martí) 1988 El Lute II: Tomorrow I'll be Free Emilio Der Radfahrer von San Cristóbal Camillo The Brother from Space Unknown Uncredited 1989 Montoyas y Tarantos Unknown Uncredited 1994 Amor propio Quico 2003 Descongélate! Unknown

As a screenwriter

Television Year Title Role Notes 1958 Diego Valor Mekong 1965 Estudio 1 Casca Episode: "Julio César" 1974 Los camioneros Rogelio Episode: "Seis toros y uno toreado" 1977 Curro Jiménez Episode: "Carambola a tres bandas"Episode: "El secuestro"Episode: "Veinte mil onzas mejicanas" 1983 La comedia Episode: "El baile de los ladrones" 2000 Policías, en el corazón de la calle Episode: "Vivir se ha puesto al rojo vivo" 2004 Los Serrano Episode: "El fluido básico", (final appearance)