Martin Kove
Martin Kove has been in some of the most beloved movies and TV shows of the 1980s. Perhaps his best-known role came in "The Karate Kid" (1984) as evil martial-arts sensei John Kreese, instructor to the rivals of Ralph Macchio's title character. During the 1970s he began his steady career in a grab bag of film and television roles, until he landed the part of villain Nero the Hero in the 1975 cult classic "Death Race 2000." Guest appearances on the crime shows "Charlie's Angels" and "CHiPs" led to another big break when he landed the role of detective Victor Isbecki on the 1980s favorite "Cagney & Lacey." His role as the very focused and very mean Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese followed in 1984, and Kove went on to reprise the role in the 1986 and 1989 sequels. It was after his notable performance in the first "Karate Kid" that he landed a part as a backstabbing helicopter pilot in "Rambo: First Blood Part II"(1985) and also "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986) and "The Karate Kid Part III" (1989). Kove went on to appear in other films such as " Falcon Song" (2014), "Assassin X" (2016), "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" (2019) and "Max Reload and the Nether Blasters" (2020). More recently he reprised his role as John Kreese in "Cobra Kai" (YouTube Red/Netflix, 2017- ).
Photos
Martin Kove
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fight Another Day | Fischer (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dark Night of the Soul | Unknown (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Aging Evolution | Self | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Taste of Love | Glenn (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet |
|
Far Haven | Ambrose Masse (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Savage: The Bigfoot Legend…Lives | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 3 Tickets to Paradise | Felix (Character) | - | 2021 |
100% |
|
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story | Self | - | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bring Me a Dream | Sheriff Jack Miller (Character) | - | 2020 |
83% |
|
Max Reload and the Nether Blasters | Gramps Jenkins (Character) | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Day 13 | Magnus Torvald (Character) | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Karate Christmas Miracle | Sam (Character) | - | 2019 |
85% |
|
VFW | Lou Clayton (Character) | - | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bare Knuckle Brawler | Mike Calderon (Character) | - | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Paint It Red | Scabs (Character) | - | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Garlic and Gunpowder | Agent Tracey (Character) | - | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Joker's Wild | Graham Palace (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
2 Lava 2 Lantula | Colonel Jester (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wild Bill Hickok: Swift Justice | Rayord (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
Assassin X | Frank (Character) | - | 2016 |
40% |
|
Traded | Cavendish (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Price for Freedom | Ayatollah Khalkhali (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Running Forever | Carson (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Six Gun Savior | The Mentor (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Dog Who Saved Summer | Vernon (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rice Girl | Capt. Ron Williams (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tumbleweed: A True Story | Silver Bush (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Number Runner | Bingo Brown (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Snapshot | Jack Adams (Character) | - | 2014 |
0% |
|
Eternity: The Movie | Barry Goldfield Sr. (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Tapped Out | Principal Vanhorne (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Falcon Song | Caspian (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Friend Request | Captain Meyers (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Reality Terror Night | Othello Lazarus (Character) | - | 2013 |
10% |
|
I'm in Love With a Church Girl | Terry Edgemond (Character) | $2.4M | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
Our Wild Hearts | Grizz (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Silent But Deadly | Hodge (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Great Fight | John Cooper (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Life Zone | Randy Graves (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Assassin's Code | Tony Brill (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Carmen's Kiss | Drayton (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bare Knuckles | Sonny Cool (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
Ballistica | Riley (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Savage | Jack Lund (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
Beyond the Ring | Uncle Patrick (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kiss of the Vampire | Steven Miles (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Revamped | Det. Reeger (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Max Havoc: Ring of Fire | Lt. Reynolds (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Veteran | Unknown (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Soft Target | Jake Lawlor (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Exit 38 | Reese (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Fallen Angels | Daniels (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Glass Trap | Corrigan (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Alien Lockdown | Anslow (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Devil's Knight | Zeff (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Hollywood Mom's Mystery | Sandy Palumbo (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Paradise | Taxi Driver (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Hard Ground | Flooyd (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Barbarian | Munkar (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Gentle Ben | Cully (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Sting of the Black Scorpion |
Jack Ames/ |
- | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Under Heavy Fire | Father Brazinski (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Crocodile 2: Death Swamp | Roland (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Trance | Robert Leoni (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shattered Lies | Tom Reynolds (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Con Games | Redick (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Final Payback | Captain Peter James (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Assault on Death Mountain | Andy Powers (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Joseph's Gift | Thompsonn (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Top of the World | Carl (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nowhere Land | Hank (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Thief and the Stripper | Crow (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Assault on Devil's Island | Andy Powers (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mercenary | Phoenix (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sliding Home | Samuel J. Weber (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Grizzly Mountain | Marshal Jackson (Character) | $340.6K | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Marksmen | Samuel J. Weber (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Judge and Jury | Michael Silvano (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet |
|
Without Mercy | Wolf Larsen (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Baby Face Nelson | John Dillinger (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Final Equinox | Torman (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cagney & Lacey: The Return | Isbecki (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Savage Land | Jabal (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lightning in a Bottle | Duane Furber (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Uncivilized | DeVoe (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Death Match | Paul Landis (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone | Ed Ross (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Future Shock | Dr. Langdon (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
To Be the Best | Rick Kulhane (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | President's Target | Sam Nicholson (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Outfit | Agent Baker (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
Project: Shadowchaser | Desilva (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
|
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death | Mr. Lee (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Firehawk | Stewart (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | White Light | Sean Craig (Character) | - | 1991 |
15% |
|
The Karate Kid Part III | John Kreese (Character) | $36.8M | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Higher Ground | Rick Loden (Character) | - | 1988 |
20% |
|
Steele Justice | John Steele (Character) | $490.7K | 1987 |
47% |
|
The Karate Kid Part II | Kreese (Character) | $112.1M | 1986 |
33% |
|
Rambo: First Blood Part II | Ericson (Character) | $150.2M | 1985 |
90% |
|
The Karate Kid | John Kreese (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet |
|
Cry for the Strangers | Jeff (Character) | - | 1982 |
No Score Yet |
|
Blood Tide | Neil Grice (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Yeagers | Willie Yeager (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet |
|
Seven | Skip (Character) | - | 1979 |
17% |
|
The White Buffalo | Jack McCall (Character) | - | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kingston: The Power Play | Unknown (Character) | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Four Deuces | Smokey Ross (Character) | - | 1975 |
29% |
|
White Line Fever | Clem (Character) | - | 1975 |
82% |
|
Death Race 2000 | Nero the Hero (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Road Movie | Weigh Station Cop (Character) | - | 1974 |
63% |
|
Last House on the Left | Deputy (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet |
|
Women in Revolt | Marty (Character) | - | 1971 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
93% | 90% | Cobra Kai |
Kreese (Character), John Kreese (Guest Star) |
2018 2021-2022 2024 |
No Score Yet | 40% | Barmageddon | Guest | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dancing With the Stars | Contestant | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 75% | The Goldbergs | Master John (Guest Star) | 2017 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Criminal Minds | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Diagnosis Murder | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998-1999 |
No Score Yet | 72% | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Walker, Texas Ranger | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995 |
43% | No Score Yet | Burke's Law | Joe Tanner (Guest Star) | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Silk Stalkings | Director | 1994 |
82% | 90% | Tales From the Crypt | Unknown (Character) | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hard Time on Planet Earth | Jesse (Character) | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cagney & Lacey | Det. Victor Isbecki (Character) | 1982-1988 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Murder, She Wrote | Dr. Ellison (Guest Star) | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | CHiPs | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barnaby Jones | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1978-1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Starsky and Hutch | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | 74% | Incredible Hulk | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Charlie's Angels | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Streets of San Francisco | Willis Hines (Guest Star) | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kojak | Burl Slote (Guest Star) | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Rookies | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rhoda | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gunsmoke | Guthrie (Guest Star) | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beyond Westworld | Unknown (Guest Star) |