**Martin Balsam** (New York, October 27, 1919 – Rome, February 13, 1996) was an American actor, recognized as one of the most reliable and prolific character actors in cinema.

Winner of an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), Balsam specialized in roles of professionals, authority figures, or common men under pressure. His acting was often intense and measured, lending credibility and depth to secondary but crucial characters.

Among his most memorable performances are those in *Psycho* (1960), where he played investigator Arbogast, Juror #1 in *12 Angry Men* (1957), and managing editor Howard Simons in *All the President's Men* (1976). He also left his mark in films such as *On the Waterfront* (1954), *Catch-22* (1970), and *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974).