Kiel Martin

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Kiel Martin
Born
Kiel Urban Mueller

(1944-07-26)July 26, 1944
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 1990(1990-12-28) (aged 46)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
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)

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]

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 15 bones in a motorcycle accident, requiring 2 years recuperation.[2]

Martin appeared in the film 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 and 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. The marriage ended in 1971.[8] He was married to Christina Montoya 1978-80. His final marriage was to Joanne La Pomaroa 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
1960 La caperucita roja The Ferocious Wolf English version, Voice, Uncredited
1961 Caperucita y sus tres amigos English version, Voice, Uncredited
1962 Caperucita y Pulgarcito contra los monstruos English version, Voice, Uncredited
1969 The Undefeated Union Runner
1971 The Panic in Needle Park Chico
1972 Trick Baby White Folks
1973 Lolly-Madonna XXX Ludie Gutshall
1975 Moonrunners Bobby Lee Hagg
1982 Human Highway Construction Worker
1989 Lluvia de otoño
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1968 Dragnet Walter Marshall 1 episode
1972 The Catcher Wes Watkins TV movie
1975 The Log of the Black Pearl Christopher Sand TV movie
1977-1978 The Edge of Night Packy Dietrich TV Series
1981-1987 Hill Street Blues J.D. LaRue TV Series
1981 Child Bride of Short Creek Bob Kalish TV movie
1987 Convicted: A Mother's Story Van TV movie
1987 If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium Zane Drinkwater TV movie
1989 Miami Vice Paul Cutter 1 episode
1989 Ray Bradbury Theater: A Sound of Thunder Eckers TV Series
1990 Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen Max Mulgrew TV movie
1990 Murder, She Wrote Danny Snow 1 episode, (final appearance)

References[]

  1. ^ Obituary Variety, January 7, 1991.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "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.

External links[]

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