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IMDbPro

Martin Kove

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001937
Martin Kove
Watch Killing Mary Sue - Official Trailer
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Play trailer1:48
Killing Mary Sue (2025)
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45 Videos
94 Photos
Martin Kove was born on March 6, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. Strong-featured, narrow-eyed actor who has portrayed a mixed bag of both good guys and bad guys. He first turned up on screen in several minor roles, and was noticed as the villainous Nero the Hero in the low-budget road race Death Race 2000 (1975), and then as Clem the sadistic rigger, breaking Jan-Michael Vincent's ribs in White Line Fever (1975). He cropped up on the television series Cagney & Lacey (1981) portraying honest Police Detective Isbecki, and then ended up on the wrong side of a rampaging Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).

Kove probably scored his greatest visibility to the public in the hugely successful The Karate Kid (1984) in which he played John Kreese, the head instructor of the Cobra Kai karate school. He reprised the role in the two sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). Kove has since kept consistently busy, primarily in the action-thriller film genre, and has notched up over 80 film appearances to date, as well as numerous television guest roles.
BornMarch 6, 1947
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMarch 6, 1947
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001937
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos94

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    Known for

    Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
    The Karate Kid Part III
    5.4
    • Kreese
    • 1989
    Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid (1984)
    The Karate Kid
    7.3
    • John Kreese
    • 1984
    David Carradine and Simone Griffeth in Death Race 2000 (1975)
    Death Race 2000
    6.2
    • Nero the Hero
    • 1975
    Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
    Rambo: First Blood Part II
    6.5
    • Ericson
    • 1985

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • Dante's Inferni
      • Speaker - 8th Circle: Bertran De Born
      • Post-production
      • 2025
    • Boris Is Dead
      • Bobby
      • Post-production
    • A Gunfighter's Deal
      • Preacher
      • Completed
    • The Highwayman
      • Roan Blackthorn
      • Post-production
    • The Ascent of Devil's Peak [Director's Cut]
      • Lewis
      • Post-production



    • Killing Mary Sue (2025)
      Killing Mary Sue
      6.5
      • Knox
      • 2025
    • Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Mary Mouser, Peyton List, Jacob Bertrand, Tanner Buchanan, Gianni DeCenzo, and Xolo Maridueña in Cobra Kai (2018)
      Cobra Kai
      8.4
      TV Series
      • John Kreese
      • 2018–2025
    • William Zabka in The Cobra Kai Movie (2024)
      The Cobra Kai Movie
      8.1
      Short
      • Martin Kove
      • 2024
    • Martin Kove and Kristanna Loken in Dark Night of the Soul (2024)
      Dark Night of the Soul
      3.2
      • Dad
      • 2024
    • Emily Bett Rickards in Queen of the Ring (2024)
      Queen of the Ring
      6.3
      • Al Haft
      • 2024
    • Jim Belushi, Paul Braunstein, Martin Kove, Eric Johnson, Ken Shamrock, Chuck Liddell, Ennis Esmer, Michael Bisping, and Christina Ochoa in Fight Another Day (2024)
      Fight Another Day
      4.6
      • Fischer
      • 2024
    • Barry Bostwick, Bruce Davison, and Martin Kove in The Roommates (2024)
      The Roommates
      7.2
      TV Series
      • Jerry
      • 2024
    • Jays Juniors
      Short
      • 2023
    • Bruce Boxleitner, Bailey Chase, Martin Kove, and A Martinez in Far Haven (2023)
      Far Haven
      5.7
      • Ambrose Masse
      • 2023
    • A Taste of Love (2023)
      A Taste of Love
      5.9
      TV Movie
      • Glenn
      • 2023
    • Pat Morita, Martin Kove, Joe Estevez, Dean Haglund, Cat Ling, Ian Lithgow, Fred Toma, Shu Lan Tuan, and Jacqeline Jetter in Rice Girl Goes Hollywood (2023)
      Rice Girl Goes Hollywood
      6.3
      TV Series
      • Captain Ronald
      • 2023
    • Ralph Macchio, Martin Kove, and William Zabka in Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising (2022)
      Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising
      6.2
      Video Game
      • John Kreese (voice)
      • 2022
    • Chris Jericho in Talk Is Jericho (2013)
      Talk Is Jericho
      7.0
      Podcast Series
      • 2022
    • William DeMeo and James Russo in Gravesend (2020)
      Gravesend
      5.5
      TV Series
      • Murray Zorwitz
      • 2021
    • 3 Tickets to Paradise (2021)
      3 Tickets to Paradise
      4.0
      • Felix
      • 2021

    Producer



    • A Gunfighter's Deal
      • producer
      • Completed



    • Six Gun Savior (2016)
      Six Gun Savior
      3.3
      • associate producer
      • 2016
    • Martin Kove and Jeanette Roxborough in Bare Knuckles (2010)
      Bare Knuckles
      3.9
      • co-producer
      • 2010
    • Paul Logan and CB Ferrari in Ballistica (2009)
      Ballistica
      3.4
      • associate producer
      • 2009
    • Curse of the Forty-Niner (2002)
      Curse of the Forty-Niner
      3.6
      • associate producer
      • 2002

    Director



    • Silk Stalkings (1991)
      Silk Stalkings
      6.5
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1994

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos45

    Death Race 2000
    Clip 1:09
    Death Race 2000
    710
    Falcon Song
    Clip 1:37
    Falcon Song
    11
    Falcon Song
    Clip 1:37
    Falcon Song
    11
    I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell
    Clip 1:01
    I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell
    57
    I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell
    Clip 1:09
    I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell
    33
    "Cobra Kai" Serves Up "Bad Senseis" and Love Triangles
    Interview 3:22
    "Cobra Kai" Serves Up "Bad Senseis" and Love Triangles
    23
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:39
    Official Trailer
    129

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Cameo
      • Facebook
    • Alternative names
      • Marty Cove
    • Height
      • 6′ 1¼″ (1.86 m)
    • Born
      • March 6, 1947
      • Brooklyn, New York, USA
    • Spouse
      • Vivienne Kove1981 - 2005 (divorced, 2 children)
    • Children
        Jesse Kove
    • Parents
        Frances Kove
    • Other works
      (1980s-1990s) TV commercials: Following the success of The Karate Kid (1984), he performed in a memorable TV spot for King Cobra Beer. ("Don't let the smooth taste fool you!").
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Interview

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Has black belts in all of the following martial arts: Kendo, Okinawa-te, and Tiger Kenpo.
    • Quotes
      [on one of his most famous roles, in The Karate Kid (1984)] Over the years, kids have come up to me in places like supermarkets, and hit me and said things like, "You hurt Ralph (Ralph Macchio)!". It makes me feel like the Darth Vader of the contemporary cinematic world. As Sensei John Kreese, I'm truly hated and I love it. I had no idea how much anxiety people would be releasing by hating this character.
    • Trademark
        Square Jaw and Cleft Chin
    • Nickname
      • Marty

    FAQ

    Powered by Alexa
    • How old is Martin Kove?
      78 years old
    • When was Martin Kove born?
      March 6, 1947
    • Where was Martin Kove born?
      Brooklyn, New York, USA
    • How tall is Martin Kove?
      6 feet 2 inches, or 1.87 meters
    • What is Martin Kove known for?
      Death Race 2000, The Karate Kid, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and The Karate Kid Part III

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