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Tony Martin

Tony Martin

Actor · Died July 27, 2012, aged 98 · San Francisco, California, USA

Alvin Morris, known professionally as Tony Martin, was an American actor and popular singer. His career spanned over seven decades, and he scored dozens of hits between the late-1930s and mid-1950s with songs such as "Walk Hand in Hand", "Stranger in Paradise" and "I Get Ideas". He was married to actress and dancer Cyd Charisse for 60 years, from 1948 until her death in 2008. In his grammar school glee club, he became an instrumentalist and singer. He formed his first band, named "The Red Peppers," when he was in high school. After college, he went to Hollywood to try films. It was at that time that he adopted the stage name of Tony Martin. On radio, Martin sang and was master of ceremonies on Tune-Up Time, with Andre Kostelanetz, on CBS in the early 1940s. NBC broadcast The Tony Martin Show, a 15-minute variety program. One of his guests was Dinah Shore. He was also a featured vocalist on the George Burns and Gracie Allen radio program. In films, Martin was first cast in a number of bit parts, including a role as a sailor in Follow the Fleet. He eventually signed with 20th Century-Fox and then Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which he starred in a number of musicals. Between 1938 and 1942, he made a number of hit records for Decca. In 1941, Martin received equal billing with the Marx Brothers in their final film for MGM, The Big Store. Martin joined the United States Navy in 1942 as a chief specialist, the equivalent of a chief petty officer. He was dismissed from the service that year for "unfitness" after he testified at the court martial of a Naval procurement officer. He enlisted as a specialist after the officer twice failed to obtain a commission for him. Martin said that he had given the officer an auto worth $950 to "facilitate" his enlistment. At the time of his dismissal, the Navy said that removal for unfitness was not equivalent to a dishonorable discharge and "does not carry degradation." After the war, Martin signed with Mercury Records, then a small independent label run out of Chicago, Illinois. He cut 25 records in 1946 and 1947 for Mercury, including a 1946 recording of "To Each His Own," which became a million-seller. It was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. This prompted RCA Victor to offer him a record contract, which he signed in 1947 after satisfying his contract obligations to Mercury. He continued to appear in film musicals during the 1940s and 1950s. His rendition of "Lover Come Back to Me" with Joan Weldon in Deep in My Heart – based on the music of Sigmund Romberg and starring José Ferrer - was one of the highlights of that film. He also starred as Gaylord Ravenal in the Show Boat segment from the 1946 film Till the Clouds Roll By. In 1958, he became the highest paid performer in Las Vegas, signing a five-year deal at the Desert Inn, earning $25,000 a week. In an unlikely pairing, Martin recorded for the Motown Records label in the mid-1960s, scoring a minor hit with the record "Talkin' To Your Picture." Martin was a stockholder in the Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation, a hotel and casino company that owned the Flamingo Las Vegas.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 25, 1913
Died
July 27, 2012 (aged 98)
From
San Francisco, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 40 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 27% in 30 days

What are Tony Martin's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
50%
Self
20%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Morality
7%
Survival
4%
Romantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 3

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 5 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Shapeshifter
1 of 4
Hero
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
11
Warm
8
Romantic
6
Absurd
3
Hopeful
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tony Martin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tony Martin's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

40 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Jessica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • That's Entertainment! III(1994)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • That's Entertainment!(1974)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Some of Manie's Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • The George Burns Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony Martin

  • The Donna Reed Show(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Let's Be Happy(1957)

    as Stanley Smith

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Quincannon, Frontier Scout(1956)

    as Linus Quincannon

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Meet Me in Las Vegas(1956)

    as Tony Martin (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • MGM Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hit the Deck(1955)

    as William Clark

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Deep in My Heart(1954)

    as Performer (segment "New Moon")

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Easy to Love(1953)

    as Barry Gordon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Here Come the Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Allen Trent

  • Clash by Night(1952)

    as Singer of 'I Hear a Rhapsody' (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Two Tickets to Broadway(1951)

    as Dan Carter

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony Martin

  • Casbah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Pepe Le Moko

  • Till the Clouds Roll By(1946)

    as Gaylord Ravenal / Tony Martin

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Big Store(1941)

    as Tommy Rogers

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Ziegfeld Girl(1941)

    as Frank Merton

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Music in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Robert Gregory

  • Winner Take All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Steve Bishop

  • Thanks for Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Tommy Davis

  • Up the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Tommy Grant

  • Kentucky Moonshine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Jerry Wade

  • Sally, Irene and Mary(1938)

    as Tommy Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Ali Baba Goes to Town(1937)

    as Yusuf/Tony Martin

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Life Begins in College (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Band Leader

  • You Can't Have Everything(1937)

    as Bobby Walker

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Sing and Be Happy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Buzz Mason

  • The Holy Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Danny Walker

  • Banjo on My Knee(1936)

    as Chick Bean

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Pigskin Parade(1936)

    as Tommy Barker

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Sing, Baby, Sing(1936)

    as Tony Renaldo

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Back to Nature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Tom Williams

  • Poor Little Rich Girl(1936)

    as Radio Baritone Soloist (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Murder on a Bridle Path(1936)

    as Man with Violet (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Follow the Fleet(1936)

    as Sailor (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Foolish Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Singer

Career shape

Star power in the 78th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1935 to 2004.

Highest rated

Ziegfeld Girl (1941)

Midcredits 69th

Film career

  • 1936Screen debut· Follow the Fleet

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 40: 40 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1930s18 · acting1940s5 · acting1950s14 · acting1970s1 · acting1990s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Tony Martin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 22; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937)

62nd percentile spread · 11% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

That's Entertainment! (1974)

Midcredits 92nd · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Tony Martin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tony Martin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harry Tugend shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles