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Lori Martin
View on Wikipedia | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2010) |
Dawn Catherine Menzer (April 18, 1947 – April 4, 2010), known professionally as Lori Martin, was an American actress. A child actress for most of her career, she first achieved recognition as the title character of the NBC drama series National Velvet (1960–1962). Her most prominent film role was in the 1962 thriller Cape Fear, where she portrayed Gregory Peck's daughter.
Key Information
Early career
[edit]Lori Martin was born Dawn Catherine Menzer in Glendale, California, at 10:02 a.m.; her fraternal twin sister, Doree, arrived four minutes later. She weighed only 5 pounds and measured just 18 inches at birth. She spent the first few weeks of her life in an incubator, during which time her survival was somewhat doubtful. Her father, Russell C. Menzer, was an MGM and Warner Brothers commercial artist and art director. She had a younger brother, Stephen Menzer, and an older sister, Jean Coulter, a veteran Hollywood stuntwoman who doubled for the lead actresses on Ironside and Charlie's Angels.
When Lori was six years old, her mother took her to an agent who specialized in child actors. She thought that acting might be a healthy outlet for Lori. When later asked what inspired her to be an actress, Martin said, "The best time in my life was when I was about four. Doree and I had to go live with my aunt in Ponca City, Oklahoma. My mother got sick and Daddy had to go to work every day, so we couldn't stay here. I didn't want to come back. I cried and cried. That was when I decided, if I had to come back, I'd be an actress. I started getting parts immediately, and my little brother was signed by the same agent, but he lacked my interest in acting. I just loved it."
Martin auditioned so well that her parents soon allowed her to attend them by herself. Her mother recalled, "I'll never forget the first interview she went on. It was for a Chrysler commercial, and my car broke down about six blocks from the studio. I had to stay with the car, but Lori was all for going on in herself. She got out of the car, walked six blocks, found the right office, told the receptionist who she was, went in for her interview and got the job. Since then I've usually waited outside in the car and she's handled everything herself." [citation needed]
As well as appearing in several commercials, including one for which her father designed the set and a Milky Way candy commercial, she won parts in the films Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), The FBI Story (1959), and Cash McCall (1959). She appeared in several television series, including Medic, Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Leave It to Beaver, and Whirlybirds.[citation needed]
National Velvet
[edit]At the age of 12, Martin was the 975th young hopeful to be auditioned for the role of Velvet Brown in the NBC television version of National Velvet, a role which brought her to wide attention. After being included in the final three, she was interviewed ten more times before winning the part. When she won the role, her name was changed from Dawn Menzer to "Lori Martin". On the change of name, Martin later said, "I didn't like the name Lori at first. But I like it now. The reason I like it now is I've been brainwashed!" The show ran for fifty-eight episodes between 1960 and 1962.[1]
Cape Fear
[edit]
In 1962, at age 14, Martin gained further attention in the role of Nancy Bowden in the film Cape Fear, in which the character played by Robert Mitchum intends to do harm to her family. Martin later said that she delivered her best performance as Nancy but had nightmares for weeks after the filming of the scene in which her character is stalked by Mitchum's character. The director of the film, J. Lee Thompson, originally wanted Hayley Mills for Martin's part.[2] Because he could not get Mills, however, he later admitted to having deliberately given Martin a hard time during filming.[citation needed]
Singing career
[edit]Martin released her only single on Del-Fi Records. Recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood in September 1963, the girl group-styled "The Home of the Boy I Love", backed with "Mine 'Til Monday" (Del Fi 4201), was mistakenly released with songwriting credits given to the successful team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil when in fact it was produced by Barry Mann and written by lesser known hit-man Sylvester Bradford, who wrote the 1958 hit "Tears On My Pillow".
Later career
[edit]After Cape Fear, Martin made guest appearances in such television series as The Donna Reed Show, Slattery's People, Sam Benedict, Breaking Point, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Leave It To Beaver, My Three Sons, and Family Affair.[citation needed]
Later years
[edit]During the early 1970s, Martin decided to put her acting career on hold. She later recalled her reasoning behind her decision. "I'd been in the business long enough to know I'd been stereotyped. My mother was in poor health and I felt I had worked from such an early age I could take some time off and get a college education." A few years later, she tried to reactivate her career, but unfortunately she became "discouraged by the many changes in casting and techniques".
Martin married Charles Breitenbucher, had a son, Brett, and moved to Westlake Village, California, under her married name, Dawn Breitenbucher. She later moved to Oakhurst, California. She occasionally attended autograph signings and ran a medical supplies company with her husband until his death in 1999.
In an article which was written at the height of her fame, she was quoted as saying that what she wanted to be when she grew up was "normal". Martin later recalled after her acting career had finished that it "was probably an accurate quote because that's what I wanted and as it turns out, that's what I am."[3]
Death
[edit]Lori Martin, known legally as Dawn Breitenbucher, died on April 4, 2010, in Oakhurst, California, two weeks before her 63rd birthday, as a result of suicide via gunshot wound. She struggled with mental illness (bipolar schizophrenia) and illicit drug use in the decade after her husband died. She was survived by her son, Brett Breitenbucher, and her siblings, Doree Thompson Kelly, Jean Marek and Stephen Menzer, as well as extended family.[4][5]
Filmography
[edit]| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1958 | Machine-Gun Kelly | Sherryl Vito | |
| 1959 | The FBI Story | Anne Hardesty at 8 | Uncredited |
| 1960 | Cash McCall | ||
| 1962 | Cape Fear | Nancy Bowden | |
| 1963 | Cri Cri el grillito cantor | Princesa Caramelo | |
| 1966 | The Chase | Cutie | |
| 1968 | The Angry Breed | Diane Patton | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960–1962 | National Velvet | Velvet Brown | 58 episodes |
| 1963 | Leave It to Beaver | Mary Margaret Matthews | Episode: "Beaver Sees America" |
| 1966/1970 | My Three Sons | Mary Sue, Eve | Episodes: "Robbie's Double Life" "Love Thy Neighbor" |
References
[edit]- ^ Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 367–369. ISBN 0-8108-1651-2.
- ^ Chibnall, Steve (2000). J. Lee Thompson. Manchester University Press. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-7190-6012-0.
- ^ Lamparski, Richard (1985). Whatever became of ... ? All new ninth series: 100 profiles of the most asked about personalities from television series, documentaries, and movies, Volume 9. New York: Crown. pp. 112–113. ISBN 978-0-5175-5541-5.
- ^ "Obituaries: Dawn Breitenbucher". The Sierra Star. April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on January 4, 2011.
- ^ "Obituary". filmnoirliveshere. Archived from the original on March 8, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
External links
[edit]
Lori Martin
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Birth and family background
Lori Martin was born Dawn Catherine Menzer on April 18, 1947, in Glendale, California, at 10:00 a.m.[3] She was the first of fraternal twins, with her sister Doree S. Menzer arriving four minutes later at 10:04 a.m.[3][1] She was born at Physicians and Surgeons Hospital, underweight and spending her first days in an incubator.[4] Her parents were Russell Conrad Menzer, a commercial artist and set designer for Warner Brothers Studios, and Dora Mae Nichols.[3][1][4] The family resided in a middle-class household in Southern California, where Martin spent her early childhood in Glendale alongside her twin sister and two other siblings: an older sister, Jean, and a younger brother, Stephen.[4] Limited public details exist on extended family or specific sibling dynamics, though her father's work in the entertainment industry provided an early environment conducive to creative pursuits.[4]Childhood and acting debut
Lori Martin, born Dawn Catherine Menzer, spent her early childhood in Glendale, California, where she lived with her family until around age 9.[3] Her family encouraged her early ambitions, and in 1956, at age 9, her mother took her to a talent agent, leading to her discovery through local auditions and commercial opportunities.[3] She began appearing in commercials, starting with one for Chrysler.[1][3] Martin's first credited role was in 1958 as Dawn Menzer in the film Machine-Gun Kelly.[2] Shortly thereafter, she adopted the stage name Lori Martin to better suit her emerging career in entertainment.[3]Career
Early television and film work
Lori Martin's entry into professional acting occurred through guest appearances on prominent anthology series in the late 1950s, marking her transition from child model and commercial work to scripted television roles. She made her television debut in the 1957 episode "The Deadly Chain" of The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial, a courtroom drama series hosted by the veteran actor Joseph Cotten, portraying Liza as a child (credited as Dawn Menzer).[5] In 1958, Martin secured her film debut in Roger Corman's low-budget crime thriller Machine-Gun Kelly, portraying Sherryl Vito, the young daughter of a mobster who becomes a kidnapping target in the story inspired by real-life gangster George "Machine-Gun" Kelly. Credited under her birth name, Dawn Menzer, the part, though small, highlighted her ability to convey vulnerability amid tense action sequences, contributing to the film's cult status among noir enthusiasts.[6][7] Martin's 1959 output further solidified her versatility as a child performer. She appeared as Angela Valentine, Beaver Cleaver's fleeting crush, in the episode "Beaver the Athlete" of the family sitcom Leave It to Beaver, delivering charming, age-appropriate portrayals that fit the show's wholesome tone. Additionally, she took on an uncredited role as the young Anne Hardesty (at age 8) in Mervyn LeRoy's biographical drama The FBI Story, starring James Stewart, where she depicted a pivotal childhood moment in the life of an FBI agent's family. These supporting roles across genres—from sitcoms to historical epics—demonstrated her adaptability while building a foundation for more prominent opportunities. She also reprised a similar role as Mary Margaret Matthews in the 1963 Leave It to Beaver episode "Beaver Sees America."[8][9] As one of Hollywood's rising child actresses during the 1950s, Martin navigated the era's rigorous demands, including mandatory on-set tutoring to fulfill California's compulsory education laws, which required minors to receive at least three hours of daily instruction while working. This system, overseen by studio teachers, allowed her to continue schooling amid irregular schedules but often isolated young performers from traditional peer interactions. The period also posed inherent risks of typecasting, where early success in innocent or precocious roles could hinder transitions to mature parts as child stars aged out of their marketable phase, a challenge that affected many contemporaries like Natalie Wood, who similarly balanced lot-based education with filming.[10][11]National Velvet
Lori Martin, born Dawn Catherine Menzer, auditioned for the role of Velvet Brown in the NBC television series adaptation of National Velvet at the age of 12. She was the 975th young actress to try out among hundreds of hopefuls, but advanced to the final three candidates and underwent ten additional interviews before being selected for the part. Upon securing the role, she changed her professional name to Lori Martin.[12] The series aired on NBC from September 18, 1960, to 1962, comprising two seasons and 58 half-hour episodes filmed in black and white. Martin starred as the title character, co-starring with Ann Doran as her mother Martha Brown, Arthur Space as her father Herbert Brown, James McCallion as the ex-jockey handyman Mi Taylor, Carole Wells as her sister Edwina, and Joey Scott as her brother Donald.[13] Martin portrayed Velvet Brown as an energetic, horse-loving teenager residing on a dairy farm with her family and Mi Taylor, centering on her passion for her stallion King and her dream of competing in the Grand National steeplechase. The production featured numerous scenes involving horses and farm animals, capturing the character's adventurous spirit through weekly stories of family challenges, equestrian pursuits, and personal growth.[13] The series earned praise for its wholesome family-oriented storytelling and Martin's authentic depiction of a spirited young equestrian, which resonated with audiences and contributed to its appeal as Sunday evening entertainment. It holds a 7.5 out of 10 rating on IMDb based on user reviews highlighting its positive role modeling for children.[14] Martin's performance in National Velvet marked her career breakthrough, establishing her as a leading child television star and paving the way for subsequent high-profile roles in both television and film.[12]Cape Fear
In 1962, Lori Martin was cast as Nancy Bowden, the 14-year-old daughter of attorney Sam Bowden in the psychological thriller Cape Fear, directed by J. Lee Thompson.[15] This role marked her major film debut, following brief momentum from her lead in the television series National Velvet.[16] She co-starred alongside Gregory Peck as her father Sam, Robert Mitchum as the menacing ex-convict Max Cady, and Polly Bergen as her mother Peggy, in a cast that also included Martin Balsam and Telly Savalas.[17] Filming took place primarily in Savannah, Georgia, with additional locations on Tybee Island and interiors at Universal Studios in California, where production faced challenges from humid weather and logistical shifts to complete river scenes.[18] Martin, aged 14 during principal photography in 1961, navigated intense sequences portraying her character's vulnerability, including a harrowing schoolyard confrontation and implied threats from Cady, who stalks the family seeking revenge for his imprisonment.[19] These scenes highlighted Mitchum's method-acting approach as the sadistic Cady, creating an on-set atmosphere of unease that amplified the film's tension, though Martin later reflected on the professional handling of the mature themes.[20] In the role, Martin depicted a sheltered teenager thrust into peril, targeted by Cady's psychological and physical intimidation, which allowed her to demonstrate dramatic depth beyond her prior family-oriented work.[21] Her performance was praised for conveying innocence amid escalating dread, particularly in moments of raw terror that underscored the family's unraveling.[15] The film premiered on April 18, 1962, and received critical acclaim for its suspenseful buildup and Thompson's stark direction, earning two Academy Award nominations: Best Film Editing for George Tomasini and Best Original Music Score for Bernard Herrmann.[22] Martin's contribution was noted for enhancing the narrative's emotional stakes, adding a layer of youthful fragility to the thriller's core conflict.[15]Subsequent work and retirement
Following her role in Cape Fear, which opened doors to additional opportunities in television and film, Lori Martin took on guest roles in several popular Westerns and dramas during the 1950s and 1960s.[2] She appeared as Jenny Tannen in the Wagon Train episode "The Jenny Tannen Story" in 1959. She also guest-starred on series such as My Three Sons (as Libby in "The Lost Cub," 1960), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (as Gloria in "The Hero," 1960), and Medic (1950s episodes). These appearances showcased her versatility in dramatic and family-oriented narratives.[2] Martin also secured minor film roles during this period, including Cutie in the crime thriller The Chase (1966), directed by Arthur Penn and starring Marlon Brando, where she had a small but memorable part amid the film's ensemble cast.[23] Other lesser-known projects, such as supporting turns in dramas up to 1970, rounded out her on-screen work, though these did not achieve the prominence of her earlier breakthroughs.[2] In addition to acting, Martin briefly pursued a singing career in 1963, releasing her only single, "The Home of the Boy I Love" (written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann), backed with "Mine 'Til Monday," on Del-Fi Records (catalog #4201).[24] Recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, the girl-group-style track aimed at teen audiences but failed to chart or gain commercial success, marking a short-lived foray into music.[25] She had a recurring role as Toni Johnson on the soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1972 to 1974. Thereafter, Martin largely retired from the entertainment industry in the mid-1970s, pursuing formal education and a more conventional life away from the pressures of child stardom.[2]Personal life
Marriage and children
In August 1982, at the age of 35, Lori Martin married Charles Eugene Breitenbucher, who was born in 1927 and was significantly older than her.[1][26] The couple welcomed their son, Brett Taylor Breitenbucher, on November 3, 1982, just months after their wedding.[1][3] Following their marriage, Martin and Breitenbucher settled in Oakhurst, California, where they built a family life centered on shared interests in nature, birdwatching, and caring for pets, including their dog named Taylor.[3] Having largely retired from acting after her final roles in the mid-1970s, she devoted more time to these personal relationships and family pursuits.[3] Breitenbucher passed away from cancer on June 26, 1999, leaving Martin widowed and raising their son as a single parent.[3][1][26]Later years and business
After retiring from acting following her roles in the mid-1970s, Lori Martin joined her husband, Charles Breitenbucher, in operating a medical supplies company in the 1980s, a venture they managed together until his death from cancer in 1999.[3][1] Following his passing, Martin continued running the business independently, maintaining financial stability for her family, which included their son.[3] Martin and her family relocated to Oakhurst, California, embracing a serene rural lifestyle away from the spotlight.[3] She particularly relished observing local wildlife, birds, and wild animals, often spending time with her dog, Taylor, which provided a peaceful contrast to her earlier years in Hollywood.[3] This low-profile existence in Oakhurst allowed her to focus on personal interests and family well-being through her 50s and 60s.[3]Health and death
Mental health issues
Following the death of her husband, Charles Breitenbucher, from cancer in 1999, Lori Martin was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[3] She battled the condition for many years following her widowhood in Oakhurst, California.[3]Suicide in 2010
On April 4, 2010, Lori Martin died in Oakhurst, California, at the age of 62, just two weeks before her 63rd birthday.[1][2] The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, which authorities ruled a suicide.[2] Martin was survived by her only child, son Brett Taylor Breitenbucher, born in 1982.[3][1] She was cremated following her death, with the location of her ashes unknown.[1] Her passing occurred amid ongoing mental health challenges that had intensified after her husband's death in 1999.[1]Filmography
Films
Lori Martin's film career began in the late 1950s with small but notable roles in Hollywood productions, transitioning from child actress to supporting parts in thrillers and dramas. Her cinematic work, spanning from 1958 to 1968, featured her primarily in supporting capacities, often portraying vulnerable young characters central to the narrative tension.[2] In her debut feature, Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), directed by Roger Corman, Martin (billed as Dawn Menzer) played Sherryl Vito, the young daughter of a mobster portrayed by Charles Bronson; her character's kidnapping drives the plot of this low-budget gangster film, marking her introduction to screen acting at age 11.[6] The following year, she appeared uncredited as Anne Hardesty at age 8 in The FBI Story (1959), a Warner Bros. drama starring James Stewart as an FBI agent; Martin's brief role depicted the early life of the agent's daughter, providing familial context amid the film's biographical scope on law enforcement history.[27] She next appeared in Cash McCall (1960), a romantic drama directed by Joseph Pevney and starring James Garner and Natalie Wood.[28] Martin's most prominent film role came in Cape Fear (1962), where she portrayed Nancy Bowden, the teenage daughter of attorney Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck); in this psychological thriller directed by J. Lee Thompson, her character becomes a target of the obsessive rapist Max Cady (Robert Mitchum), heightening the family's peril and showcasing Martin's ability to convey fear and innocence in a key supporting performance. She next appeared in The Chase (1966), an ensemble crime drama directed by Arthur Penn and based on Horton Foote's play, as Cutie, a young associate of the fugitives; amid the chaotic pursuit following a jailbreak in a small Texas town, her role added to the film's exploration of social tensions and violence, though limited to supporting scenes. Martin's final feature film credit was in The Angry Breed (1968), a low-budget drama about a Vietnam veteran's struggles; she played Diane Patton, the girlfriend of the protagonist (played by James MacArthur), contributing emotional depth to the story of alienation and prejudice through her portrayal of a sympathetic young woman entangled in the central conflicts.Television appearances
Lori Martin's television career began with early guest spots in the mid-1950s, transitioning to her breakthrough role as the titular character in the NBC family drama National Velvet, where she starred as the horse-loving teenager Velvet Brown across 58 episodes from 1960 to 1962.[13] The series, produced by MGM, aired on Sundays and focused on the Brown family's dairy farm adventures, with Martin often performing her own riding stunts alongside the horse King.[14] After National Velvet concluded, Martin continued with guest roles in various anthology and Western series, showcasing her versatility in dramatic and family-oriented narratives through the 1970s. Her appearances typically involved one-off episodes highlighting young characters facing moral or adventurous dilemmas. She appeared in at least a dozen such guest spots, primarily on NBC and CBS networks.| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Playhouse 90 (CBS) | Guest role | Prestigious live anthology episode.[2] |
| 1958 | M Squad (NBC) | Guest role | Crime drama guest spot.[2] |
| 1959 | Leave It to Beaver (CBS/ABC) | Angela Valentine | Episode: "Wally's Dream Girl".[29] |
| 1960–1962 | National Velvet (NBC) | Velvet Brown | 58 episodes; lead role in family Western-drama.[13] |
| 1962 | Sam Benedict (CBS) | Laurie | 1 episode.[30] |
| 1963 | Wagon Train (ABC) | Cindy Clay | Episode: "The Daniel Clay Story".[7] |
| 1963 | Leave It to Beaver (ABC) | Mary Margaret Matthews | Episode: "Beaver Sees America".[29] |
| 1963 | The Donna Reed Show (ABC) | Joyce | Episode: "All Women Are Dangerous".[31] |
| 1963 | Slattery's People (CBS) | Guest role | 1 episode. |
| 1963 | Breaking Point (ABC) | Guest role | 1 episode.[32] |
| 1963 | The Virginian (NBC) | Judy | Episode: "The Secret".[30] |
| 1964 | Gunsmoke (CBS) | Phoebe Strunk | Episode: "Legal Revenge"; directed by Sam Peckinpah.[32] |
| 1966 | My Three Sons (CBS/ABC) | Mary Sue Carver | Episode: "Robbie's Double Life".[33] |
| 1966 | Family Affair (CBS) | Dana | 1 episode.[30] |
| 1967 | Please Don't Eat the Daisies (NBC) | Anna | 1 episode.[30] |
| 1970 | My Three Sons (CBS) | Eve Lawrie | Episode: "Love Thy Neighbor". |
| 1974–1975 | Days of Our Lives (NBC) | Sally Reed | Multiple episodes.[30] |