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Stuart Margolin (January 31, 1940 – December 12, 2022) was an American actor, director, and screenwriter of film and television. He was known for playing con artist Evelyn "Angel" Martin on the 1970s television series '' The Rockford Files'', winning two
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He received an additional two Emmy nominations for his directing work, and was also a Directors Guild of America Award winner. Margolin appeared as Marvin Tate in S1Ep16, "There's Something About Marvin", of the 2000–2001 TV series '' 18 Wheels of Justice''.


Early life

Margolin was born January 31, 1940, in
Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...
, to Morris and Gertrude Kalina Margolin but spent much of his childhood in
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, where he learned to golf. His family was of Russian Jewish descent. Margolin stated that he led a "hoodlum" childhood, was kicked out of
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
public schools, and was sent by his parents to a boarding school in
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
. While he attended that school, his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Margolin was released from reform school and moved to be with his family in Arizona. Soon, however, he decided to move back to Dallas and see his friends. His parents made arrangements for Margolin to attend a private school there.


Acting career

Margolin played the recurring character Evelyn "Angel" Martin, the shifty friend and former jailmate of Jim Rockford ( James Garner) on '' The Rockford Files'', whose various cons and schemes usually got Rockford in hot water.Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 – Present'', Ballantine Books, 1979, pages 450, 531 Margolin was earlier paired with Garner in the Western series '' Nichols'' (1971–72), in which he played a character somewhat similar to the Angel character in ''The Rockford Files''. That show lasted for only one season. At times, Rockford would pay Angel to "hit the streets" and discover information that would help solve a case. Margolin won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for this role, in 1979 and 1980; he is one of only five actors to win this award twice for the same role. In 1969, Margolin wrote and co-produced '' The Ballad of Andy Crocker'', an ABC
television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
that was one of the first films to deal with the subject matter of Vietnam veterans "coming home". He also co-wrote the title song and had an uncredited cameo in the film. Margolin had an uncredited role as the Station Wagon Driver in '' Heroes'', another story about Vietnam veterans dealing with what we now refer to as PTSD. Margolin played Rabbi David Small in the 1976 movie, ''Lanigan's Rabbi'', based on the series of mystery novels written by Harry Kemelman. Scheduling conflicts prevented him from continuing the role in the short-lived TV series of the same name that aired in 1977 as part of '' The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie'', in which the character was played by actor Bruce Solomon. Margolin appeared in episodes of the television series '' M*A*S*H'' ("Bananas, Crackers and Nuts" and "Operation Noselift"); ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...
'' ("Go Directly to Jail" and "A Penny for His Thoughts"); '' That Girl''; ''
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...
''; '' Rhoda''; '' Land of the Giants''; '' Twelve O'Clock High''; ''
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''; '' Love, American Style'' (in which he was a member of the Love American Style Players; his brother Arnold Margolin was the
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
of the series); '' The Fall Guy''; '' Magnum, P.I.''; '' Hill Street Blues'' (as bookmaker Andy Sedita in the consecutive episodes "Hacked to Pieces" and "Seoul on Ice"); and '' Touched by an Angel''. In May 2009, Margolin appeared on an episode of ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'', opposite Alan Alda; it was the first time the two actors appeared together since Margolin's appearance on ''M*A*S*H'' in 1974. In 1990–92, Margolin starred in the 26-episode Canadian comedy-drama television series '' Mom P.I.'' as Bernie, a street-smart private investigator who begrudgingly helps the single mom and waitress Sally Sullivan ( Rosemary Dunsmore) solve crimes. In Canada, Margolin also appeared in the 2009 CTV/ CBS police drama series '' The Bridge''. Margolin appeared as bail jumper Stanley Wescott in the episode "The Overpass" (Season 5 Episode 2; 2013) of the
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series '' Republic of Doyle'', which itself was inspired by ''The Rockford Files''. While not a wholesale recreation of the Angel Martin character, the Stanley Wescott role sported many similar attributes. The episode also featured Margolin's stepson, Max Martini, in the role of Big Charlie Archer. Margolin appeared in such feature films including '' Kelly's Heroes'', '' Death Wish'', ''
Futureworld ''Futureworld'' is a 1976 American science fiction thriller film directed by Richard T. Heffron and written by Mayo Simon and George Schenck. It is a sequel to the 1973 Michael Crichton film '' Westworld'', and is the second installment in ...
'', '' The Big Bus'', and '' S.O.B.''


Directing career

Margolin directed TV shows since the early 1970s, including episodes of ''
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...
''; '' Sara''; '' The Love Boat''; '' Magnum, P.I.''; '' Bret Maverick''; '' Quantum Leap''; ''
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''; and '' Northern Exposure''. In addition to acting in the original and 1990s TV movie versions of '' The Rockford Files'', Margolin also directed some episodes: "Dirty Money, Black Light" (1977), "Caledonia – It's Worth a Fortune!" (1974), "The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play" (1996), "The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads" (1998). He won the 1996 DGA Award for children's programming for directing the film '' Salt Water Moose'', and he was nominated again for the same award for directing the 1998 film, ''The Sweetest Gift''. He was also nominated for a DGA Award for drama series direction for a 1991 episode of '' Northern Exposure'' entitled " Goodbye to All That". He directed, co-starred and scored '' The Glitter Dome'' (1984) for
HBO Pictures HBO Films (formerly called HBO Premiere Films and HBO Pictures) is an American production and distribution company, a division of the cable television television network, network HBO that produces feature films and miniseries. The division produce ...
.


Other

Margolin wrote several songs for and with longtime friend and singer-songwriter Jerry Riopelle that have appeared on Riopelle's albums since 1967. Margolin was first associated with Riopelle's late 1960s band the Parade, co-writing many of their songs and playing percussion on various tracks. He and Riopelle (along with Shango member Tommy Reynolds) co-wrote Shango's 1969 Caribbean-flavored novelty record "Day After Day (It's Slippin' Away)", which hit No. 57 on the U.S. charts and No. 39 in Canada. Margolin had tracks he co-wrote covered by R. B. Greaves and Gary Lewis and the Playboys in 1968–69. Margolin's frequent songwriting partner Jerry Riopelle established a long-running solo career beginning in 1971; Riopelle released 8 albums between 1971 and 1982, every one of which contained at least one song (often more) written or co-written by Margolin. In turn, Margolin released a solo album in 1980, ''And the Angel Sings'', which featured his interpretations of a number of Margolin and/or Riopelle compositions previously recorded by Riopelle. Starting in 2004, he was a regular participant in the theater program of the Chautauqua Institution.


Personal life

He married Patricia Dunne Martini in 1982. He had three stepchildren: actor Max Martini, costume designer Michelle Martini, and editor/producer/director Christopher Martini. He was the younger brother of Emmy-winning director/producer/writer Arnold Margolin, both of them lived in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and acted together there in a professional community theater production of ''Laughter on the 23rd Floor''. Margolin had frequently been misidentified as the brother of actress Janet Margolin (1943–1993); the two were not related, although they appeared together as husband and wife in the pilot for the 1977 TV series ''Lanigan's Rabbi''. For 22 years, Margolin, his wife and stepchildren lived on Salt Spring Island in
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
.


Illness and death

According to stepdaughter Michelle Martini, Margolin had been diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...
in 2012. He died in Staunton, Virginia, on December 12, 2022.


Selected filmography

Films * '' Women of the Prehistoric Planet'' (1966) – Chief * '' Don't Just Stand There!'' (1968) – Remy * '' The Gamblers'' (1970) – Goldy * '' Kelly's Heroes'' (1970) – Little Joe * ''
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'' (1972) – Phil Garrett * '' The Stone Killer'' (1973) – Lawrence * '' Death Wish'' (1974) – Ames Jainchill * '' The California Kid'' (1974, TV Movie) – Deputy * '' The Gambler'' (1974) – Cowboy * '' The Big Bus'' (1976) – Alex * ''
Futureworld ''Futureworld'' is a 1976 American science fiction thriller film directed by Richard T. Heffron and written by Mayo Simon and George Schenck. It is a sequel to the 1973 Michael Crichton film '' Westworld'', and is the second installment in ...
'' (1976) – Harry * '' Heroes'' (1977) – Motorist at Garage (uncredited) * '' Days of Heaven'' (1978) – Mill Foreman * '' S.O.B.'' (1981) – Gary Murdock * ''
Class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...
'' (1983) – Balaban * '' A Killer in the Family'' (1983, TV Movie) – Randy Greenawalt * ''Running Hot'' (1984) – Officer Trent * '' The Glitter Dome'' (1984, TV Movie) – Herman Sinclair * '' A Fine Mess'' (1986) – Maurice 'Binky' Drundza * '' Iron Eagle II'' (1988) – Gen. Stillmore * '' Bye Bye Blues'' (1989) – Slim Godfrey * ''Deep Sleep'' (1990) – Bob * '' Guilty by Suspicion'' (1991) – Abe Barron * '' Impolite'' (1992) – I.M. Penner * '' The Lay of the Land'' (1997) – Carmine Ficcone * ''
The Hi-Line ''The Hi-Line'' is a 1999 drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with addi ...
'' (1999) – Clyde Johnson * '' The Hoax'' (2006) – Martin Ackerman * ''
Arbitrage Arbitrage (, ) is the practice of taking advantage of a difference in prices in two or more marketsstriking a combination of matching deals to capitalize on the difference, the profit being the difference between the market prices at which th ...
'' (2012) – Syd Felder * '' The Discoverers'' (2012) – Stanley Birch * '' The Second Time Around'' (2016) – Isaac * '' Sgt. Will Gardner'' (2019) – Mr. Glenn * ''What the Night Can Do'' (2020) – Hugh Dryer Television (acting) * '' The Gertrude Berg Show'' – Lester Wexler – Episode "Lonely Sunday" (1961) * '' Ensign O'Toole'' – Lt. Miller – 4 episodes (1962) * ''
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'' – Cpl. Merle Purveau – Episode "A Very Private Affair" (1963) * '' Burke's Law'' – Young Man – Episode "Who Killed Sweet Betsy?" (1963) * '' Channing'' – 2 episodes (1963/1964) * '' The Fugitive'' – Jimmy – Episode "The End Game" (1964) * '' Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)'' – "Mutiny at Ten Thousand Feet" (1965) * ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...
'' – “The Storm” (S11E2) - Hays City Sheriff (1965) * '' Occasional Wife'' – Bernie Kramer (1966/1967) * '' The Virginian'' – Abe Yeager (1967) * '' That Girl'' – Dr. Phillip L. Priddy / Leonard Stanley / Talley (1968) * '' It Takes a Thief'' – Sagalis / Dimitri Stavro / Prison Chaplain (1968) * ''
The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
'' (1968) – Captain in S2:E17, "Monkees Watch Their Feet * '' Love, American Style'' (1969) – "Love and the Comedy Team" * '' Bewitched'' (1968) — “A Prince of a Guy” * ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...
'' – Hank; Snake (1970/1972) * '' Nichols'' (1971–1972) – Mitch * ''
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...
'' (1973) – Warren Sturgis – Episode "Romeo and Mary" * ''Cannon'' (1973) – Roger Henry – Episode "Press Pass to the Slammer" * ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...
'' – Brownie (1974) * '' Rhoda'' – Dr. Arthur Alborn - Episode "If You Want to Shoot the Rapids, You Have to Get Wet" (1975) * '' M*A*S*H'' **Season 1 (1972): ' Bananas, Crackers and Nuts' – Capt. Phillip Sherman **Season 2 (1973): 'Operation Noselift' – Major Stanley "Stosh" Robbins * '' The Rockford Files'' – Evelyn "Angel" Martin (1974–1979) * '' Bret Maverick'' (1981) – Philo Sandeen * '' Magnum P.I'' – Rod Crysler – Episode "...by its cover"'' (1983) * '' Hill Street Blues'' – Andy Sedita – Season 6 episodes "Hacked to Pieces" and "Seoul on Ice" (1985) * '' Mom P.I.'' (1990–1992) – Bernie Fox * '' Matlock'' – Nelson Adelson – Episodes – The Evening News parts 1 and 2 (1992) * '' Stone Undercover'' – Jack Welsh – 26 episodes (2002–2004) * ''
Intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
'' (2006) – Flannegan – Recurring * ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'' (2009) – Fred * '' Republic of Doyle'' – Stanley Westcott (2013) * '' NCIS'' – Felix Betts (2014) * ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'' – Dr. They (2018) Episode " The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat"


References


External links

*
Stuart Margolin
at Aveleyman * {{DEFAULTSORT:Margolin, Stuart 1940 births 2022 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American television directors American television writers American male television writers American expatriates in Canada Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Male actors from Davenport, Iowa Writers from Davenport, Iowa Directors Guild of America Award winners category:Jewish American male actors category:Jewish American screenwriters 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Screenwriters from Iowa Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Canadian Screen Award winners