Martin Kove (born March 6, 1947) is an American film and television actor known for his work in films such as Rambo: First Blood Part II and on TV series such as Cagney & Lacey. He is best known for his role as hard-nosed Karate sensei John Kreese in the Karate Kid film series.
| Full Name | Martin Kove |
| Net Worth | $1.9 Million |
| Date Of Birth | March 6, 1946 |
| Place Of Birth | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Height | 1.85 m |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Profession | Actor |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Vivienne Kove |
| Children | Jesse Kove, Rachel Olivia Kove |
| Nicknames | Martin Kove, Kove, Martin |
| IMDB |
| Movies | The Karate Kid, Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Karate Kid Part III, The Karate Kid Part II, Death Race 2000, Without Mercy, Steele Justice, Shootfighter: Fight to the Death, Blood Tide, Crocodile 2: Death Swamp, The Last House on the Left, White Line Fever, Six Gun Savior, Project Shadowchaser, Tap... |
| TV Shows | Hard Time on Planet Earth, Cagney & Lacey, Code R, We've Got Each Other |
| Star Sign | Pisces |
| # | Fact |
|---|
| 1 | Best known by the public for his role as Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese in The Karate Kid (1984) and its sequels. |
| 2 | Profiled in "Character Kings: Hollywood's Familiar Faces Discuss the Art & Business of Acting" by Scott Voisin (2009). |
| 3 | Injured his hand during the fateful fight scene between his character, John Kreese, and Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid Part II (1986). The effects team ill-timed one of the car window shattering shots, causing Kove to inadvertently break the prop window with his own fist. He sustained several injuries to his hand but continued filming. |
| 4 | Has black belts in all of the following martial arts: Kendo, Okinawa-te and Tiger Kenpo. |
| 5 | Has twins: son Jesse Morgan Kove; and daughter Rachel Olivia Kove. Jesse and Rachel were born November 2, 1990. |
| 6 | During the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, Kove was a well-known television spokesman for King Cobra beer: "Don't let the smooth taste fool you." However, in more recent years, he has sworn off alcohol. |
| 7 | Honorary marshal of Tarzana, California |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Police Story | 1974 | TV Series | Officer #2 |
| Road Movie | 1974 | Weigh Station Cop |
| The Wide World of Mystery | 1974 | TV Series | Rollo |
| Cops and Robbers | 1973 | Ambulance Attendant |
| The Last House on the Left | 1972 | Deputy |
| Savages | 1972 | Archie, a Bully |
| Women in Revolt | 1971 | Marty (as Marty Kove) |
| Little Murders | 1971 | uncredited |
| The Edge of Night | 1956 | TV Series | Romeo Slade (1981) |
| The Highwayman | 2018 | filming | Roan Blackthorn |
| Bring Me a Dream | 2017 | post-production | Sheriff Jack Miller |
| Paint It Red | 2017 | filming |
| Inferno by Dante | 2017 | post-production | Speaker - 8th Circle: Bertran De Born |
| Echo One | 2017 | TV Movie announced |
| Garlic & Gunpowder | 2017 | pre-production | Agent Tracey |
| Untitled TV Series | 2017 | TV Series pre-production | Sheriff Lonnie Dugan |
| Dark Games | 2016 | completed | Detective Dave Reinhart |
| Hospital Arrest | 2016 | post-production | Warden Jeffries |
| 3 Tickets to Paradise | post-production | Felix |
| Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen | post-production | Marty |
| HOLLYWOODLAND of HOPE & LIES | announced | Martin Kove |
| Stuff It | announced | Big Hank |
| When the Storm God Rides | pre-production | Rattlesnake Dick (rumored) |
| Renaissance Man | 2016 | Marty |
| 2 Lava 2 Lantula! | 2016 | TV Movie | Colonel Jester |
| Assassin X | 2016 | Frank |
| Six Gun Savior | 2016 | The Mentor |
| Traded | 2016 | Cavendish |
| Show No Mercy | 2016 | Short | Frank |
| Joker's Wild | 2016 | Graham Palace |
| Wild Bill Hickok: Swift Justice | 2016 | Rayord |
| Beyond the Game | 2016/II | James Star |
| Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords | 2015 | Galaron |
| The Shadow | 2015/I | Short | Will Troncalli |
| Hardin | 2015 | Mannen Clements Sr. |
| The Dog Who Saved Summer | 2015 | Vernon |
| Price for Freedom | 2015 | Ayatollah Khalkhali |
| Criminal Minds | 2015 | TV Series | John Folkmore |
| The End | 2015/VII | Short | John Doe |
| Running Forever | 2015 | Carson |
| As Night Comes | 2014 | Projectionist |
| The Extendables | 2014 |
| Rice Girl | 2014 | Captain Ron Williams |
| Number Runner | 2014 | Video | Bingo Brown |
| Snapshot | 2014/II | Jack Adams |
| Tapped Out | 2014 | Principal Vanhorne |
| Red Sky | 2014/I | Navy Intel Commander |
| Eternity: The Movie | 2014 | Barry Goldfield, Sr. |
| Falcon Song | 2014 | Caspian |
| Tumbleweed: A True Story | 2014 | Silver Bush |
| Friend Request | 2013 | Captain Meyers |
| I'm in Love with a Church Girl | 2013 | Terry Edgemond |
| Reality Terror Night | 2013 | Othello Lazarus |
| Sketchy | 2013 | TV Series |
| Bare Knuckles | 2013 | Sonny Cool |
| Our Wild Hearts | 2013 | TV Movie | Grizz |
| Jet Set | 2013 | John |
| Silent But Deadly | 2012 | Hodge |
| Smokewood | 2012 | TV Movie | Rex Burnett |
| Assassins' Code | 2011 | Tony Brill |
| NTSF:SD:SUV | 2011 | TV Series | Cell Leader |
| Savage | 2011 | Jack Lund |
| The Life Zone | 2011 | Randy Graves |
| The Great Fight | 2011 | John Cooper |
| Tosh.0 | 2011 | TV Series | John Kreese |
| Memphis Rising: Elvis Returns | 2011 | Highway Patrol |
| Carmen's Kiss | 2010 | Drayton |
| The Grove | 2010 | Short | Shuffle - Mike |
| Dante's Inferno: Abandon All Hope | 2010 | Documentary short | Speaker: 8th Circle - The Sowers of Discord |
| The Ascent | 2010 | Lewis |
| Ballistica | 2009 | Riley |
| Middle Men | 2009 | US Senator |
| War Wolves | 2009 | TV Movie | Malick |
| Immortally Yours | 2009 | Steven Miles |
| Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves | 2008 | Sheriff Jones |
| Man of a Thousand Faces | 2008 | Documentary | J. Carrol Naish |
| Beyond the Ring | 2008 | Uncle Patrick |
| Lost Warrior: Left Behind | 2008 | Video | Commander James Star |
| Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter | 2007 | Detective Karpov |
| The Dead Sleep Easy | 2007 | Bob Depugh |
| Revamped | 2007 | Video | Detective Reeger |
| Messages | 2007 | DCI Collins |
| Exit 38 | 2006 | Video | Reese |
| Fallen Angels | 2006 | Daniels |
| Max Havoc: Ring of Fire | 2006 | Lt. Reynolds |
| Crooked | 2006 | Jake Lawlor |
| A-List | 2006 | Red Carpet Star |
| Seven Mummies | 2006 | Kile |
| Miracle at Sage Creek | 2005 | Jess (scenes deleted) |
| Glass Trap | 2005 | Corrigan |
| Illusion Infinity | 2004 | Taxi Driver |
| The Hollywood Mom's Mystery | 2004 | TV Movie | Sandy Palumbo |
| Alien Lockdown | 2004 | TV Movie | Anslow |
| Hollywood, It's a Dog's Life | 2004 | The Clown / Martin Kove |
| Devil's Knight | 2003 | Zeff |
| Hard Ground | 2003 | TV Movie | Floyd |
| Barbarian | 2003 | Video | Munkar |
| Gentle Ben 2: Black Gold | 2003 | TV Movie | Cully |
| Sting of the Black Scorpion | 2002 | Video | Jack Ames / Firearm |
| Curse of the Forty-Niner | 2002 | Caleb |
| Trance | 2002 | Robert Leoni |
| American Gun | 2002 | Theodore Huntley |
| Crocodile 2: Death Swamp | 2002 | Roland |
| Gentle Ben | 2002 | TV Movie | Cully |
| Shattered Lies | 2002 | Tom Reynolds |
| Savage Season | 2001 | Frank |
| Con Games | 2001 | Video | Timothy Redick |
| Extreme Honor | 2001 | Packard |
| Going Back | 2001/II | Father Brazinski |
| Black Scorpion Returns | 2001 | Video |
| Final Payback | 2001 | Captain Peter James |
| Black Scorpion | 2001 | TV Series | Jack Ames / Firearm |
| Bad Guys | 2000 | The Commander |
| Hollywood Off-Ramp | 2000 | TV Series |
| The Thief & the Stripper | 2000 | Crow |
| Nowhere Land | 2000 | Hank |
| A Drug Called Pornography | 2000 | Documentary | Narrator |
| Assault on Death Mountain | 1999 | TV Movie | Andy Powers |
| Diagnosis Murder | 1998-1999 | TV Series | Captain Walter Newman
Captain Newman
Capt. Walter Newman |
| Hyacinth | 1998 | J. B. Walker |
| Joseph's Gift | 1998 | Thompsonn |
| The Waterfront | 1998 | James Ricks |
| V.I.P. | 1998 | TV Series | Mr. Scornabacho |
| Sliding Home | 1997 | Samuel J. Weber |
| Grizzly Mountain | 1997 | Marshal Jackson |
| Assault on Devil's Island | 1997 | TV Movie | Andy Powers |
| Top of the World | 1997/II | Carl |
| Timelock | 1996 | Admiral Teegs |
| Judge and Jury | 1996 | Michael Silvano |
| Baby Face Nelson | 1996 | John Dillinger |
| Mercenary | 1996 | Video | Phoenix |
| Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | 1995 | TV Series | Demetrius |
| Final Equinox | 1995 | Torman |
| Without Mercy | 1995 | Wolf Larsen |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | 1995 | TV Series | Fred Kimble |
| Cagney & Lacey: The Return | 1994 | TV Movie | Isbecki |
| Death Match | 1994 | Paul Landis |
| Gambler V: Playing for Keeps | 1994 | TV Movie | Black Jack |
| Savage Land | 1994 | Jabal |
| Endangered | 1994 | DeVoe |
| Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone | 1994 | TV Movie | Ed Ross |
| Wyatt Earp | 1994 | Ed Ross |
| Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | 1993-1994 | TV Series | Chi'Ru Master |
| Burke's Law | 1994 | TV Series | Joe Tanner |
| Future Shock | 1994 | Dr. Langdon |
| Lightning in a Bottle | 1993 | Duane Furber |
| Tales from the Crypt | 1993 | TV Series | Detective |
| To Be the Best | 1993 | Video | Rick Kulhane |
| The Outfit | 1993 | Agent Baker |
| Renegade | 1993 | TV Series | Mitch Raines / Goliath |
| Shootfighter: Fight to the Death | 1993 | Mr. Lee |
| Without a Kiss Goodbye | 1993 | TV Movie | Sheriff Harding |
| Firehawk | 1993 | Video | Stewart |
| Shadowchaser | 1992 | Video | Desilva |
| White Light | 1991 | Sean Craig |
| President's Target | 1989 | Sam Nicholson |
| Hard Time on Planet Earth | 1989 | TV Series | Jesse |
| The Karate Kid Part III | 1989 | Sensei John Kreese |
| Higher Ground | 1988 | TV Movie | Rick Loden |
| Cagney & Lacey | 1981-1988 | TV Series | Victor Isbecki |
| Steele Justice | 1987 | John Steele |
| The Karate Kid Part II | 1986 | Kreese |
| The Twilight Zone | 1985 | TV Series | Joe Farrell (segment "Opening Day") |
| Rambo: First Blood Part II | 1985 | Ericson |
| Wildside | 1985 | TV Series | Lyle Rainwood |
| Murder, She Wrote | 1985 | TV Series | Dr. Ellison |
| The Karate Kid | 1984 | Kreese |
| The Optimist | 1983 | TV Series | The Rival |
| Bloodtide | 1982 | Neil Grice |
| Partners | 1982 | Man in Phone Booth (uncredited) |
| Cry for the Strangers | 1982 | TV Movie | Jeff |
| Laboratory | 1980 |
| Trouble in High Timber Country | 1980 | TV Movie | Willie Yeager |
| Tenspeed and Brown Shoe | 1980 | TV Series | Hell Hound Leader |
| Beyond Westworld | 1980 | TV Series | Jack Edwards |
| A Man Called Sloane | 1979 | TV Series |
| CHiPs | 1979 | TV Series | Sherwood |
| Barnaby Jones | 1978-1979 | TV Series | Stan Benson / Greg Saunders |
| Seven | 1979 | Skip |
| The Runaways | 1979 | TV Series | Mike |
| Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | 1979 | TV Series |
| Quincy M.E. | 1979 | TV Series | Joe Kirby |
| Starsky and Hutch | 1979 | TV Series | Jimmy Lucas |
| Donovan's Kid | 1979 | TV Movie | Keslo |
| The Incredible Hulk | 1978 | TV Series | Henry 'Rocky' Welsh |
| We've Got Each Other | 1977-1978 | TV Series | Ken Redford |
| Charlie's Angels | 1977 | TV Series | Georgie |
| Code R | 1977 | TV Series | George Baker |
| The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | 1977 | TV Series | Pete Miller |
| The November Plan | 1977 | TV Movie | Stan |
| The White Buffalo | 1977 | Jack McCall |
| The Rockford Files | 1977 | TV Series | Harry Smick |
| Mr. Billion | 1977 | Texas Gambler (uncredited) |
| The Streets of San Francisco | 1976 | TV Series | Willis Hines |
| Kojak | 1976 | TV Series | Burl Slote |
| Captains and the Kings | 1976 | TV Mini-Series |
| Kingston: Confidential | 1976 | TV Series | Dealey |
| Petrocelli | 1976 | TV Series | Frank Harris |
| The Rookies | 1975 | TV Series | Jimmy Jay |
| Three for the Road | 1975 | TV Series |
| Switch | 1975 | TV Series | Bud Ewing |
| White Line Fever | 1975 | Clem |
| The Four Deuces | 1975 | Smokey Ross - the 'Deuce of Diamonds' |
| Death Race 2000 | 1975 | Nero the Hero |
| Capone | 1975 | Pete Gusenberg |
| The Wild Party | 1975 | Editor |
| Rhoda | 1974 | TV Series | Gary |
| Gunsmoke | 1974 | TV Series | Guthrie |
| McMillan & Wife | 1974 | TV Series | Joe Smith |
| The Groove Tube | 1974 | Butz Beer (as Marty Cove) |
| McCloud | 1974 | TV Series | Punk |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs | 2017 | Documentary filming | Himself |
| Meratus Rain Forest Should Not Die | 2017 | Documentary filming | Himself |
| I'm Not Bruce | Documentary filming | Himself |
| Pat Morita: Long Story Short | Documentary pre-production | Himself |
| Trailer Park Kids | 2015 | TV Series | Himself |
| Actors Reporter Interviews | 2014 | TV Series | Himself |
| Actors Entertainment | 2011-2014 | TV Series | Himself |
| Daytime | 2013 | TV Series | Himself |
| Actor's Day in LA | 2012 | TV Series | Himself |
| Sabrina Parisi Awards & Fashion Facts | 2012 | TV Series | Himself |
| DPTV Networks | 2012 | TV Series | Himself |
| FightZone Presents | 2010 | TV Series | Himself - Interviewee |
| Breaking the Laws of TV: The Making of 'Cagney & Lacey' | 2007 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| Playing the Game: Looking Back at 'Death Race 2000' - Death Race 2000 Special Edition DVD | 2005 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| The Way of the Karate Kid | 2005 | Video documentary short | Himself / Kreese |
| Living in TV Land | 2004 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Super Secret Movie Rules | 2004 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Celluloid Crime of the Century | 2003 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| It's Only a Movie: The Making of 'Last House on the Left' | 2002 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| Dobe and a Company of Heroes | 2002 | TV Movie | Himself |
| Voices that Care | 1991 | TV Movie documentary | Himself - Choir Member |
| The New Hollywood Squares | 1988 | TV Series | Guest Appearance |
| Star's Table | 1986 | TV Series | Himself |
| CBS All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade | 1985 | TV Special | Himself |
| Just Men! | 1983 | TV Series | Himself |