Grew up in Indianapolis IN. Excelled at swimming and diving. At 17 won the National Junior Springboard Diving Championship. Attended University of Michigan as diving team member. Navy service 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. Moved to California to become an actor, but worked in odd jobs and as a swimming instructor to Marion Davies and the children of Charles Chaplin. Worked as a swimming extra in several films and as a leprechaun on a local children's TV show, Mabel's Fables. Bit parts came his way, leading to television work with Sam Peckinpah, which led to a lifelong relationship. He also found memorable roles for John Ford and by the 1960s was a familiar face in American movies. With Cool Hand Luke in 1967 came new acclaim and a place among the busiest character actors in Hollywood.


Bitten by a snake during filming of Sssssss (1973) Did an episode of the "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) called "Baby Fat" in which he portrayed a playwright based on Tennessee Williams in 1965. Fifteen years later while hosting "Saturday Night Live" (1975), he admitted during the monologue that because of that part, many times he was actually mistaken for the famous playwright. Frequently co-starred with L.Q. Jones, who in real life was one of his closest friends. Interviewed in "Bad at the Bijou" by William R. Horner (McFarland, 1982). Appeared in six movies with John Wayne: The Horse Soldiers (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), McLintock! (1963), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), True Grit (1969) and Rooster Cogburn (1975).