Just found out this....he passed on in January.
Actor Joaquin Martinez, best remembered for the role of Paints His Shirt Red in Sydney Pollack's Robert Redford starrer "Jeremiah Johnson" and for the title role in Robert Aldrich's "Ulzana's Raid" (1972), starring Burt Lancaster, died on Jan. 3 at his home in Everdingen, Holland, after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81.
Actor Joaquin Martinez, best remembered for the role of Paints His Shirt Red in Sydney Pollack's Robert Redford starrer "Jeremiah Johnson" and for the title role in Robert Aldrich's "Ulzana's Raid" (1972), starring Burt Lancaster, died on Jan. 3 at his home in Everdingen, Holland, after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81.
Born in Cozumel, Mexico, Martinez studied Method acting with Seki Sano and came to prominence in Carlos Velo's Mexican film "Pedro Paramo," which premiered at Cannes in 1967. Shortly thereafter he moved to Los Angeles and worked as an actor in film, on television and onstage for more than three decades.
Offered stereotypical roles, like many Latino actors,
during his career in Hollywood, Martinez would work to redefine the parts,
sometimes bringing him into conflict with producers and directors.
His TV work included guest roles in "The High Chapparal," "Bonanza," "Alais Smith & Jones," and "Gunsmoke"; guest gigs on "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Quincy," "L.A. Law," "Dynasty" and "Northern Exposure"; and roles in telepics and miniseries incliuding "Ishi: The Last of His Tribe," "Centennial," "How the West Was Won," "Stones for Ibarra," and "Gunsmoke: The Last Apache."
Film credits include "The Stalking Moon" (1968), "Joe Kidd" (1972), "The House of the
Spirits," (1993), "The Cowboy Way" (1994), and "Revenge" (1990), starring Kevin Costner and Anthony Quinn. In
2001, Lee Tamahori cast Martinez in the James Bond thriller "Die Another Day"
based on his longtime admiration for Martinez's performance in "Ulzana's
Raid."
Onstage Joaquin appeared with Christopher Reeve and
Christine Lahti in Tennessee Williams' "Summer and Smoke" at the Ahmanson in
1988. He was also an original cast member of the musical drama "Zoot
Suit."
Martinez is survived by his wife, Marja Valkestijn; son
Christopher, a publicist; a daughter, Jennifer; stepson Sjoerd; and former wife
Mary Preston.
