Sandy Martin #1
Sandy Martin #1
Napoleon Dynamite, Big Love, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Sandy Martin began her acting career at the age of 15 touring the country with Martha Raye in GOOD-BYE CHARLEY. After several East Coast touring productions she settled in New York City where she acted in over 70 stage productions in many of NYC's esteemed theatres.
Sandy was a founding company member for two renowned NYC theatre companies; the WPA THEATRE and the PERRY STREET THEATRE. During this period she played opposite Armand Assante, Christopher Lloyd, John Savage and Ellen Barkin. She then joined the improvisational troupe, SECOND CITY. First in NYC at the Eastside Playhouse and then the Plaza Hotel moving on as an official company member in Chicago. There, she worked with John Belushi, Bill & Brian Murray, and Harold Ramis.
In 1976 she was asked to guest direct senior plays at the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS in both NYC and Los Angeles. During this period she co-founded HOTHOUSE STAGE COMPANY with Susan Streitfeld. Together, they produced (with Streitfeld directing and Martin acting) the award winning productions of: HOTHOUSE (Matrix Theatre), EAST/WEST GAME by John Cassavetes, (co-staring with Nick Cassavetes at the Callboard Theatre) and WELCOME TO ANDROMEDA (Matrix Theatre) ending their tenure with Best Revival of the Year - L.A. Weekly 1991, THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE.
Sandy went on to direct - LINE by Israel Horovitz (Best Direction Award – Dramalogue / Matrix Theatre), SATURDAY NIGHT by Jerome Kass (Starring Robert Pastorelli / Cast Theatre), UNA VIDA (Cheech Marin / Actor's Studio), TALKING WITH... (Starring C.C.H. Pounder). Martin also directed THE TEAM by Terrence Feely, starring Kevin Spacey, Lenny VonDohlan and Sheryl Lee.
After their enormous hit with the stage play, HOTHOUSE by Megan Terry, Sandy wrote the screen adaptation which she packaged with her good friends, Amy Madigan and Ed Harris, with whom she had acted in the award winning world premiere of, PRAIRIE AVENUE by Edward Allen Baker, both in N.Y.C. & Los Angeles. ESPARZA/KATZ PROD quickly acquired HOTHOUSE, and thus began a long working relationship with Moctesuma Esparza and Robert Katz that lasted over ten years. Starting as a Development Executive, Sandy made her way up to being the Associate Producer of the company, working on the critically acclaimed feature films: MILAGRO BEAN FIELD WARS and SELENA. She was also Associate Producer of GETTYBURG for TNT and BOWL OF BEINGS starring the Latino comedy troupe, CULTURE CLASH.
During her tenure with ESPARZA/KATZ PROD., Sandy wrote several treatments and screenplays; UNDERDOGS, which was optioned by Avnet/Kerner (Risky Business, Fried Green Tomatoes), THIRTEENTH DUKE, commissioned by Marchelo Danon (Producer of the original, La Cage aux Folles), THE JAMES DEAN STORY (Mini-series - Marvin Worth Prod.), and the Musical revival of REEFER MADDNESS. She also penned MS. PREZ a screenplay which she co-authored with Patrick O'Neal about the first African American Woman President.
Sandy has also produced and directed two documentaries and a short; THE GREAT MEDDLER (the founding of the American Society for the Protection Of Cruelty To Animals) and THE UNITED FARM WORKERS - A TRIBUTE TO CAESAR CHAVEZ. The short, LOVELY RITA, stars her friend, C.C.H. POUNDER – (THE SHIELD / BAGDAD CAFE).
Sandy Martin was also President of Edward James Olmos's production company, OLMOS PROD. At ABC for four years.
Thrilled to be back into acting, she was very happy to score a recurring role on HBO's drama, BIG LOVE as the creep-with-a-heart-of-gold, Selma Green, as well as the comedy, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, as Mac's Mom. Sandy has guest starred on numerous hit shows: CSI, NIP TUCK, SHAMELESS, SAVING GRACE, WEEDS, COLD CASE, THE UNIT, MY NAME IS EARL etc. She was featured in the popular film MARLEY & ME as the woman who sold Marley as "Clearance Puppy".
Currently, she enjoys continuing her role as GRANDMA from NAPOLEON DYNAMITE for FOX'S animated version of the 2004 mega indie hit.
Sandy Martin at the Internet Movie Database
Sandy Martin Official Website