Quinn Martin
Encyclopedia
Quinn Martin was one of the most successful American television producer
s. He had at least one television series running in prime time
for 21 straight years (from 1959 to 1980), an industry record.
as Irwin Martin Cohn, the second of two children. His father Martin G. Cohn was a film editor and producer at MGM; his mother was Anna Cohn. From age four he was raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from Fairfax High School
. He served five years in the U.S. Army during World War II
, enlisting in the Signal Corps at Fort MacArthur
in San Pedro, California
on September 10, 1940. He achieved the rank of sergeant. He would change his name to Quinn Martin (the Quinn came from the pronunciation his friends gave of Cohn, as "Co-Inn").
While attending the University of California, Berkeley
and majored in English but did not graduate. Martin started his career in television as a film editor at MGM and also worked as manager of post production for various organizations including Universal Studios (1950–1954), but by the mid-1950s had become an executive producer
for Desilu Studios. His first wife, Madelyn Pugh Davis
, was one half of the writing team behind Desilu's classic, I Love Lucy
. During 1959, he produced for Desilu Productions
a two part special that appeared in season 1 of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
that became a weekly television show The Untouchables
that would go on to win Emmy Award
s.
In 1960, Martin established his own production company
, QM Productions. He sold it in 1978 and worked as an adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego
's Warren College
, where he also endowed a chair in drama. He also established a scholarship for theater arts and communications students at Santa Clara University
, Twelve O'Clock High
, The F.B.I., The Invaders
, The Streets of San Francisco
, Cannon
, and Barnaby Jones
. Besides producing sixteen one-hour television network
series, he also produced twenty TV movies, including Attack on Terror, Brinks: The Great Robbery, Face of Fear, House on Greenapple Road, and Murder of Mercy. His only venture into the world of cinema was The Mephisto Waltz
, released by Twentieth Century-Fox.
During 1979, a group of investors purchased his wholly owned QM Productions and sold it subsequently to Taft Broadcasting
(despite this, his series never gained animated spin-offs, probably due to content), which itself has since changed ownership, from Worldvision Enterprises to Republic Pictures
. Nowadays, Republic and CBS Television Studios own ancillary rights to all of QM's library except Twelve O'Clock High (owned by 20th Television
), Banyon
and The F.B.I. (the latter two of which are owned by both the Martin estate and Warner Bros. Television
), with CBS Television Distribution
handling TV distribution and Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS DVD handling DVD distribution.
After selling QM Productions he moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California
where he became president of the La Jolla Playhouse
and the Del Mar Fair Board. He was also involved with business activities developing motion pictures for Warner Bros.
with a new company, QM Communications.
horse racing
, Martin owned several racehorses alone and in partnerships. Among his racing wins were the 1975 and 1978 editions of the Carleton F. Burke Handicap
at Santa Anita Park
.
on September 5, 1987 in his home in Rancho Santa Fe, aged 65.
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
s. He had at least one television series running in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
for 21 straight years (from 1959 to 1980), an industry record.
Early life
He was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as Irwin Martin Cohn, the second of two children. His father Martin G. Cohn was a film editor and producer at MGM; his mother was Anna Cohn. From age four he was raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
. He served five years in the U.S. Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, enlisting in the Signal Corps at Fort MacArthur
Fort MacArthur
Fort MacArthur is a former United States Army installation in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California . The fort is named in honor of Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur...
in San Pedro, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on September 10, 1940. He achieved the rank of sergeant. He would change his name to Quinn Martin (the Quinn came from the pronunciation his friends gave of Cohn, as "Co-Inn").
While attending the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and majored in English but did not graduate. Martin started his career in television as a film editor at MGM and also worked as manager of post production for various organizations including Universal Studios (1950–1954), but by the mid-1950s had become an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for Desilu Studios. His first wife, Madelyn Pugh Davis
Madelyn Pugh
Madelyn Pugh , sometimes credited as Madelyn Pugh Davis, Madelyn Davis, or Madelyn Martin, was a television writer who became known in the 1950s for her work on the I Love Lucy television series....
, was one half of the writing team behind Desilu's classic, I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
. During 1959, he produced for Desilu Productions
Desilu Productions
Desilu Productions was a Los Angeles, California-based company jointly owned by actors Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, who were married to each other from 1940 to 1960....
a two part special that appeared in season 1 of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS television between 1958 and 1960...
that became a weekly television show The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1959 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a...
that would go on to win Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s.
In 1960, Martin established his own production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
, QM Productions. He sold it in 1978 and worked as an adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
's Warren College
Earl Warren College
Earl Warren College is one of the six undergraduate colleges at the University of California at San Diego and is named after the three term California Governor and former Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren. Warren College emphasizes the importance of living a balanced life. Founded in...
, where he also endowed a chair in drama. He also established a scholarship for theater arts and communications students at Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
QM Productions
QM Productions produced a string of successful television series during the 1960s and 1970s, including The FugitiveThe Fugitive (TV series)
The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)
Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcasted on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High...
, The F.B.I., The Invaders
The Invaders
The Invaders, a Quinn Martin Production , is an ABC science fiction television program created by Larry Cohen that ran in the United States for two seasons, from January 10, 1967 to March 26, 1968...
, The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
, Cannon
Cannon (TV series)
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976.The primary protagonist was the title character, Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad....
, and Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
. Besides producing sixteen one-hour television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
series, he also produced twenty TV movies, including Attack on Terror, Brinks: The Great Robbery, Face of Fear, House on Greenapple Road, and Murder of Mercy. His only venture into the world of cinema was The Mephisto Waltz
The Mephisto Waltz (film)
The Mephisto Waltz is a 1971 American horror film about an occult-murder mystery. It was directed by Paul Wendkos and starred Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Parkins, Bradford Dillman and Curt Jürgens...
, released by Twentieth Century-Fox.
During 1979, a group of investors purchased his wholly owned QM Productions and sold it subsequently to Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
(despite this, his series never gained animated spin-offs, probably due to content), which itself has since changed ownership, from Worldvision Enterprises to Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
. Nowadays, Republic and CBS Television Studios own ancillary rights to all of QM's library except Twelve O'Clock High (owned by 20th Television
20th Television
20th Television is an American television production and syndication company that was formed in 1992 by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, a division of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of News Corporation....
), Banyon
Banyon
Banyon is a detective series broadcast in the United States by NBC as part of its 1972-73 television schedule, though a standalone two-hour television movie was broadcast first in March 1971. The series was a Quinn Martin Production Banyon is a detective series broadcast in the United States by NBC...
and The F.B.I. (the latter two of which are owned by both the Martin estate and Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
), with CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution is a global television distribution company, formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's two domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment...
handling TV distribution and Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS DVD handling DVD distribution.
After selling QM Productions he moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Rancho Santa Fe known locally as ″The Ranch″, is one of the most exclusive and affluent communities in Southern California. It is also a census-designated place in San Diego County, California and an unincorporated bedroom community of San Diego County...
where he became president of the La Jolla Playhouse
La Jolla Playhouse
La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre-in-residence on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. -Background:...
and the Del Mar Fair Board. He was also involved with business activities developing motion pictures for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
with a new company, QM Communications.
Thoroughbred racing
A fan of thoroughbredThoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, Martin owned several racehorses alone and in partnerships. Among his racing wins were the 1975 and 1978 editions of the Carleton F. Burke Handicap
Carleton F. Burke Handicap
The Carleton F. Burke Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Raced in late October as part of the Oak Tree Racing Association series, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on turf at a distance of one-and-one-half...
at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
.
Death
Quinn Martin died of heart failureMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on September 5, 1987 in his home in Rancho Santa Fe, aged 65.
Further reading
- Etter, Jonathan. (2003). Quinn Martin, Producer: A Behind-the-Scenes History of QM Productions and Its Founder. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc.