Martin Balsam Centennial, and that "Psycho" death scene
Monday, November 4, 2019 at 9:00PM by Nathaniel R
Yes, that guy! It seemed fitting to begin with a photo from one of Martin Balsam’s most famous pictures 12 Angry Men (1957) in which you can barely see him; Great character actors never get their due in Hollywood. So we wanted to make sure we gave a shout out to one of the key supporting actors of the 50s, 60s, and 70s today on what would have been his 100th birthday.
Unlike many headlining movie stars of the 20th century, his stage name was also his actual birth name…
He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the Bronx who weren’t in showbiz. The young Balsam caught the drama bug in high school. After World War II his professional career grew quickly during the late 40s and early 50s through lots of guest work on a wide variety of television series but it wasn’t until his breakthrough in 12 Angry Men (as Juror #1) that he began to make an indelible mark at the movies and fame caught up with his talent.
The television work continued (including Archie Bunker's Place, Dr Kildare, and The Twilight Zone) but many classic films followed including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Cape Fear - both versions, The Carpetbaggers, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, All the President's Men, Murder on the Orient Express and Little Big Man, and. Eventually it was Psycho (1960) that eclipsed them all.
The ur slasher flick was an immediate sensation and Detective Arbogast (what a great character name, eh?) became part of movie history. You may recall that we recently listed his death scene as one of the most disturbing things we’ve ever seen in movies. For the past few days I’ve been wondering why it stuck with me so long and I think it’s twofold. First, it’s not as famous as the shower scene (so it plays more shocking, at least the first time through, due to less familiarity) but it is a masterful companion, bearing visuals echoes of that obsessed over scene with the phantom strike, the knife never actually touching the skin but a death blow nonetheless. Second, with Psycho’s subversion of the most mandatory of all storytelling rules, killing off its protagonist halfway through, your psyche desperately casts for another hero figure and latches on to Arbogast as the one most likely to rescue us from the horror. But there's no comfort in Psycho and anyone might be expendable if there's no protagonist.
Martin Balsam won the Oscar five years later on his first and only nomination for A Thousand Clowns (1965) providing that Best Picture nominee with its only win.
Lee Marvin (Cat Ballou), Julie Christie (Darling), Shelley Winters (A Patch of Blue), Martin Balsam (A Thousand Clowns)
Curiously he wasn't in the original Tony-nominated production of A Thousand Clowns (though much of the cast transferred to the screen) and though the show had two Tony nominations for acting, neither were for his character, the brother of the leading man (played by Jason Robards in both the play and on film).
Do you agree with his win in 1965? If not, what's your favourite Martin Balsam performance?
Reader Comments (16)
Great to celebrate Martin Balsam!
I haven't seen A Thousand Clowns, but I agree with everything you say about him in Psycho. Two of my favourite performances of his are in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and All the President's Men. A fine, fine actor.
Happy centenary!
A truly great character actor who informed so much of any role just by his presence and wonderfully expressive face and body language.
Many character actors and actresses kept their real names since they fit who they were as opposed to the more glamorous top line stars, i.e. Spangler Brugh & Lucille LeSueur hardly have the same mystique as Robert Taylor and Joan Crawford, and Balsam's certainly suited him.
Far too many fine performances to chose from but he was excellent in A Thousand Clowns and gave a fine observant performance in the little seen Me, Natalie that also features a super piece of work by Patty Duke.
My favorite would be his sterling work in Delbert Mann's under-rated masterwork "Middle of the Night"(1959). Balsam was part - and an outstanding part - of one of the all-time best movie ensembles. I'd have given supporting nominations to both Balsam and Albert Dekker (career best work for both), a supporting win for the peerless Joan Copeland, a Best Actor win for Fredric March. And I'd have certainly nominated Kim Novak (and given her the Best Actress win if she hadn't been up against the undeniable Simone Signoret in "Room at the Top"). Novak was in the middle of a golden period at the time, giving her three greatest performances in consecutive years - in "Bell, Book and Candle"('58), "Middle of the Night'('59) and "Strangers When We Meet"('60). And of course - during that same timeframe - she also managed to fit in the role she's most celebrated for in "Vertigo". All triumphant examples of star quality and genuine artistry.
I had never seen that Oscar quartet pic before and now I can't stop looking at it!
In my opinion, his best performance was SUMMER WISHES - WINTER DREAMS. He definitely should have gotten a nomination and perhaps won for that film.
1965 had a pretty weak slate of nominees. I'd've gone with Frank Finlay for Othello. In A Thousand Clowns itself I liked Barry Gordon better, but it's an awful movie,pimping for conformity, while trying to look like it's doing just the opposite, with all those stale Broadway rhythms ti the dialogue.
Summer Wishes Winter Dreams with the always great Joanne Woodward is a slog but Balsam and Sidney steal the film with ease,Agreed that Balsams death in Psycho is the real shock of the film.
Martin Balsam was quality all the way. He lent gravitas to any project in which he was involved.
Nathaniel, I loved what you said about his character in Psycho--great name, and his death is shocking for all the reasons you stated. He will always have a special place in my heart for his underrated hilarious turn in one of my first movie obsessions, Murder On the Orient Express. He elevated every project in which he appeared. Thank you for this piece.
A superb actor - and he most certainly deserved that Oscar!
He was definitely one of those character actors where if he was part of the cast, the quality of the picture went up. (As for performances, something should be mentioned in regards to The Anderson Tapes.)
And of course, we must thank him for bringing Talia Balsam into the world.
A great character actor
Cannot agree more with JS & markgordonuk - Summer Wishes Winter Dreams is a bit of a damp squib all in all but Balsam's speech about his war experiences is one of the best performed monologues in cinematic history.
He is the father of Talia Balsam, Mona in Mad Men
Yes, the omission for Summer Wishes Winter Dreams is quite puzzling, well at least the Golden Globes nom him.
I guess he was so dependable n around for so long, the academy probably take him for granted.
Just a quick mention: I think Martin Balsam was quite sexy, in the same way as Robert Mitchum.