Strother Martin was born on March 26, 1919 in Kokomo, Indiana.
On August 1, 1980 he passed away in Thousand Oaks, California
from a heart attack.
Strother Martin willl always be remembered as the actor with
the famous line, "What we have here is failure to commu nicate,"
playing an ice-hearted chain-gang boss in COOL HAND LUKE.
Excelled at swimming and diving. At 17 Strother Martin won
the National Junior Springboard Diving Championship. Before
acting Strother Martin worked in odd jobs and as a swimming
instructor to Marion Davies and the children of Charles Chaplin.
In the Navy Martin served as swimming instructor in World
War II. Nicknamed "T-Bone" Martin, his 3rd place finish in
the adult National Springboard Diving Championships cost him
a place on the 1948 Olympic team.
Strother has frequently been cast alongside Paul Newman,
in COOL HAND LUKE, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, and
SLAP SHOT.
In the 1973 filming of SSSSSSS Strother Martin was bitten
by a snake.
Strother Martin's other notable credits include...
