Kiel Martin

Kiel Urban Mueller (July 26, 1944 – December 28, 1990), known professionally as Kiel Martin, was an American actor best known for his role as Detective John "J.D." La Rue on the 1980s television drama Hill Street Blues.[1]

Kiel Martin
Born
Kiel Urban Mueller

(1944-07-26)July 26, 1944
DiedDecember 28, 1990(1990-12-28) (aged 46)
OccupationActor
Years active1956–1990
Spouse(s)
Claudia Martin
(m. 1969; div. 1971)

Christina Montoya
(m. 1978; div. 1980)

Joanne La Pomaroa
(m. 1982; div. 1984)
Children1 (with Martin)

Early years

Martin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Miami.[2] A 1962 graduate of Hialeah High School, he was a drama student at Miami-Dade Junior College and acted in productions at the University of Miami.

When he was 18, he dubbed voices for "Mexican fairy-tale movies."[3]

Career

Martin's debut as a professional actor came in repertory theatre in Florida. In the 1960s, he moved to New York and worked as a musician, a dockworker, and a stand-up comedian. After signing a contract with Universal Studios in 1967, he broke fifteen bones in a motorcycle accident, requiring two years recuperation.[2]

Martin appeared in Moonrunners, which was the basis for the television series The Dukes of Hazzard.[4][5][6]

In addition to Hill Street Blues, Martin made guest appearances on various television shows between the late 1960s through the 1980s, including The Love Boat, The Virginian, Father Dowling Mysteries, and Murder, She Wrote. He starred in the short-lived 1987 Fox sitcom Second Chance[7] until its revamping as Boys Will Be Boys resulted in his character being dropped. He also was a regular on the soap opera The Edge of Night.[2]

Personal life

He was married three times. In 1969 he married Claudia Martin (1944–2001), who was actor/crooner Dean Martin's daughter. They had a daughter named Jesse. It ended in 1971.[8] He was married to Christina Montoya between 1977-80. His final marriage was to Joanne La Pomaroa from 1982-84.

Death

Martin died of lung cancer, aged 46, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California.[2][9]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1960La caperucita rojaThe Ferocious WolfEnglish version, Voice, Uncredited
1961Caperucita y sus tres amigosEnglish version, Voice, Uncredited
1962Caperucita y Pulgarcito contra los monstruosEnglish version, Voice, Uncredited
1969The UndefeatedUnion Runner
1971The Panic in Needle ParkChico
1972Trick BabyWhite Folks
1973Lolly-Madonna XXXLudie Gutshall
1975MoonrunnersBobby Lee Hagg
1982Human HighwayConstruction Worker
1989Lluvia de otoño
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1968DragnetWalter Marshall1 episode
1972The CatcherWes WatkinsTV movie
1975The Log of the Black PearlChristopher SandTV movie
1977-1978The Edge of NightPacky DietrichTV Series
1981-1987Hill Street BluesJ.D. LaRueTV Series
1981Child Bride of Short CreekBob KalishTV movie
1987Convicted: A Mother's StoryVanTV movie
1987If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be BelgiumZane DrinkwaterTV movie
1989Miami VicePaul Cutter1 episode
1990Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned PenMax MulgrewTV movie
1990Murder, She WroteDanny Snow1 episode, (final appearance)

References

  1. Obituary Variety, January 7, 1991.
  2. "Actor Kiel Martin Dies at 46". The Washington Post. January 2, 1991. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  3. Kelley, Bill (October 31, 1987). "`Second Chance` For Kiel Martin". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  4. White, Bryan (June 26, 2008). "Just the good ol' boys. Never meanin' no harm. Moonrunners".
  5. Holland, Jon (2009). "Dukes Historian".
  6. LeVasseur, Andrea. "Moonrunners Review". StarPulse.com.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 939. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  8. Lisanti, Tom (2003). Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties. McFarland. p. 285. ISBN 9780786471652. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  9. "Kiel Martin, 46, Actor Who Played Sleazy Cop on `Hill Street Blues'". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. January 2, 1991. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
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