Adolfo Larrue Martínez III (born September 27, 1948), credited as A Martinez, is an American actor and singer. He had roles in the daytime soap operas Santa Barbara, General Hospital, One Life to Live, The Bold and the Beautiful, and Days of Our Lives, and the primetime dramas L.A. Law, Profiler, Longmire, and Dark Winds. His feature films include The Cowboys (1972), Powwow Highway (1989), Curse of Chucky (2013), Ambulance (2022), and Far Haven (2023).
Early life and education
Martinez was born Adolfo Larrue Martínez III in Glendale, California. His family referred to him as "A", "Little Adolfo", and "Little A" as a child to distinguish him from his father and grandfather. Over time, "A" became the name he would use. His heritage is Mexican and Apache on his father's side, and Piegan Blackfeet and Northern European on his mother's side.
Martinez attended Sunland Elementary School and Mt. Gleason Junior High School in Sunland/Tujunga, where he played Kiwanis youth softball each summer (he was a formidable pitcher) and starred in numerous school musical productions. He graduated from Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga. In high school, he was in a rock band and on the track team.
After intending to study political science at UCLA, he turned to acting instead.
Career After graduating college, he played on a semi-pro baseball team for five seasons.
Film Martinez has appeared in a number of feature films, including The Cowboys (1972), Starbird & Sweet William (1973), Once Upon a Scoundrel (1974), Joe Panther (1976), Shoot the Sun Down (1978), The Honorary Consul (1983), Walking the Edge (1985), Powwow Highway (1989), She-Devil (1989), The Cherokee Kid (1996), What's Cooking? (2000), Wind River (2000), Curse of Chucky (2013), Ambulance (2022) and Far Haven (2023).
Television The majority of his acting roles have been on television. He had a significant appearance, playing the stable hand Luis, who aids Little Joe on the Bonanza episode "Gideon the Good" in 1970. Also in 1970 he appeared in the episode "Log 114--The Hero" on Adam-12. He had a recurring role on All in the Family as a helper at Archie's bar. In 1973, he appeared in the Hawaii Five-O episode "A Bullet for El Diablo". In 1974, he appeared in an episode of the short-lived ABC police drama Nakia. In 1976, he played a novice bullfighter in the Columbo episode "A Matter of Honor".
In January 1979, Martinez appeared as Tranquilino Marquez in three episodes of the mini-series Centennial. In February, 1979, he played a pre-med student in a two-part episode of Quincy, M.E., titled, "Walk Softly Through the Night". In March, 1979, Martinez made an appearance in the sixth season of Barney Miller, playing Claudio Ortiz in the episode, "The DNA Story". He returned to Barney Miller in March, 1981, during season seven to portray Joseph Montoya in the episode, "The Doll".
In 1982, Martinez played a grape picker in CBS's Falcon Crest, a 'lone wolf' Native American in the short-lived series Born to the Wind, and a police detective in the 1983–1984 series Whiz Kids. In 1983 he had a guest role in a Season 5 episode of Hart to Hart as Jose. From 1984 to 1992 he played the role of Cruz Castillo on the daytime soap opera Santa Barbara. Martinez has also worked on prime time television, including starring roles in series such as Profiler and L.A. Law.
In September 2008, Martinez joined the cast of the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live in the role of Ray Montez and was written out in June 2009.
In February 2011, Martinez appeared in several episodes of the CBS daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful as Dr. Ramon Montgomery. He returned in January 2012 for a few additional episodes.
In 2012, he landed the recurring role of Jacob Nighthorse in the A&E Network television series Longmire.
In April 2014, it was rumored he was joining The Young and the Restless. In July 2014, he appeared on the NBC television show The Night Shift as Dr. Landry, de la Cruz's father. In late 2014, he also appeared in Othello on stage at the Odyssey Theatre in west Los Angeles.
From September 2015 to 2017, Martinez appeared on the NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives as Eduardo "Eddie" Hernandez. He returned to the show in 2020.
In 2017, Martinez played Sheriff Mayo in the third season of the USA Network crime drama series Queen of the South.
In June 2022, Martinez was cast as Master Pakku in the Netflix live-action series Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Starting in 2023, he played Sheriff Gordo Sena in the second, third and fourth seasons of Dark Winds.
In 2025, Martinez joined the cast of the series Blue Ridge, managed under INSP Network and airing originally on the Cowboy Way Channel, now rebranded as Western Bound. Martinez plays the role of Connor McGrath and is part of its main ensemble. The first season premiered on the Cowboy Way Channel and later became available on Amazon Prime Video, where it became a sleeper hit, ranking among the service’s Top 10 most-watched shows. It returned in 2026 for its second season, where Martinez resumed his role of Connor McGrath.
Awards Over the years, Martinez has been nominated for numerous awards, and received some, including a Daytime Emmy Award, a Red Nation Film Award of Excellence, an award as Best Supporting Actor at the Red Dirt International Film Festival (for his own written short film called "Four Winds), and three from the Soap Opera Digest Awards.
Personal life In 1981, he was married briefly to actress Mare Winningham, who was also cast on the 1978 miniseries The Young Pioneers; they divorced later that year. In 1982, he married Leslie Bryans; they have a son and two daughters. He moved from Malibu to Thousand Oaks, California in 2014.
Filmography Film YearTitleRole(s) Notes1968The Young AnimalsJohnny1969Change of HabitSecond TeenUncredited1972The CowboysCimarron1973Starbird and Sweet WilliamStarbirdOnce Upon a ScoundrelLuis Manuel1974The TakeTallbear1976Joe PantherBilly Tiger1978Shoot the Sun DownSunbearer1983The Honorary ConsulAquino1985Walking the EdgeTony1989Powwow HighwayBuddy Red BowShe-DevilGarcia1995One Night StandJack Gilman1997Double TapJohnny Escobar2000What's Cooking?Daniel2001Ordinary SinnerFather Ed2005Once Upon a WeddingEl Comandante2009Fist of the WarriorAnthony BlackThe TerminatorsSheriff Carpenter2012California SoloWarrenCalifornia WinterMiguel Morales2013Four WindsOld ManShort filmJimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains IndianBear Willie ClawCurse of ChuckyFather Frank2014Before Your EyesBerto GalvanShort film2021SymphoriaCarl Witting2022AmbulancePapi2023Far HavenAbraham
Television YearTitleRole(s)Notes1969The OutcastsThe IndianEpisode: "A Time of Darkness"Mission: ImpossibleYoung ManEpisode: "The Code"The New People GradisEpisode: "Murderer!"IronsideManolo RodriguezEpisode: "The Machismo Bag"1970Hunters Are for KillingJimmy RamirezTV movieAdam-12Lauro PerezEpisode: "Log 114: The Hero"MannixPancho SalinasEpisode: "Time Out of Mind"BonanzaLuís ValdezEpisode: "Gideon the Good"1970–1971Storefront LawyersRoberto AlvarezMain cast1971The Smith FamilyRamon SanchezEpisode: "Chicano"The Man and the CityTonyEpisode: "Reprisal"The Bold Ones: The LawyersCarlos Estrada Episode: "Justice Is a Sometime Thing"1972The Streets of San FranciscoRafael DiazEpisode: "Hall of Minors"ProbeCarlos Lobos TV movieThe Sixth SenseBillyEpisode: "Echo of a Distant Scream"1973Hawaii Five-OPepe OlivaresEpisode: "A Bullet for El Diablo"Police StoryBermudezEpisode: "Man on a Rack"1974The CowboysCimarronMain castNakiaGeorgeEpisode: "The Non-Person"Movin' OnManolo HigginsEpisode: "The Cowhands"1974–1975Kung FuTigre Cantrell2 episodes1975McCloudLarry Moreno Episode: "Sharks"PetrocelliMando RiveraEpisode: "The Gamblers"1975–1976The Streets of San FranciscoOfficer VegaEpisode: "False Witness"Rudy CostaEpisode: "Alien Country"1976Columbo Curro RangelEpisode: "A Matter of Honor"1976–1977Barnaby JonesCarlos RojasEpisode: "Shadow of Guilt"Tomás AguillarEpisode: "Deadly Homecoming"1977The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew MysteriesHenry SalazarEpisode: "Mystery of the Fallen Angels"Exo-ManRaphael TorresTV movieWonderbugJohnny LittlecloudEpisode: "Oil or Nothing"The Krofft SupershowJohnny LittlecloudSegment: "Wonderbug"All in the FamilyManuel2 episodesBarettaFrankEpisode: "Por nada"Police WomanDimiEpisode: "The Buttercup Killer"1978The Young PioneersCircling HawkEpisode: "Sky in the Window"1979CentennialTranquillino Marquez3 episodesThe Incredible HulkRickEpisode: "Kindred Spirits"Barnaby JonesTony SierraEpisode: "Cry for Vengeance"Barney MillerClaudio OrtezEpisode: "The DNA Story"B. J. and the BearMelendezEpisode: "The Murphy Contingent"1979–1980Quincy, M.E.Dr. Tony Carbo3 episodes1980Police Story: Confessions of a Lady CopJulio MendezTV movie1981The White ShadowOfficer RamirezEpisode: "Cops"Barney MillerJosephEpisode: "The Doll"CHiPsDr. RhodesEpisode: "A Simple Operation"Fantasy IslandManuel LopezEpisode: "Paquito's Birthday/Technical Advisor"1982American PlayhouseJuanEpisode: "Seguin"Cassie & Co.Benny SilvaMain castFalcon CrestJulio DelgadoEpisode: "Victims"1983Hart to HartJoseEpisode: "Straight Through the Hart"1983–1984Whiz KidsLt. Neal QuinnMain cast1984Remington SteeleGuy NickersonEpisode: "High Flying Steele"The Yellow RoseRaoul PadillaEpisode: "Chains of Fear"1984–1992Santa BarbaraCruz CastilloMain cast1989Manhunt: Search for the Night StalkerLt. Gil CarilloTV movie1990ABC Afterschool SpecialsEmanuel JensenEpisode: "Testing Dirty"1990–1994L.A. LawDaniel MoralesMain cast (seasons 7–8)1991In the Nick of TimeCharlie MinschTV movie1994Deconstructing SarahKennyTV movie1996Touched by an AngelJon MateosEpisode: "Rock 'n' Roll Dad"Grand AvenueStevenTV movieSweet DreamsChief Doug HarrisonTV movieThe Cherokee KidJuan CortinaTV movie1996–1997ProfilerAgent Nick CooperRecurring role (seasons 1–2)1997Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildEmperor (voice)Episode: "The Shoemaker and the Elves"1998Welcome to ParadoxAgent Rasheed KayEpisode: "News from D Street"Last RitesMatt SantosTV movie1999The Magnificent SevenRaphael Cordero MartinezEpisode: "Love and Honor"A Memory in My HeartJoe VegaTV movie1999–2002General HospitalRoy DiLuccaRecurring role2000The HungerPeter DeutchEpisode: "The Falling Man"2002–2003For the PeopleMichael OlivasMain cast2003Killer Instinct: From the Files of Agent Candice DeLongBobby TV movieThe Law and Mr. LeeAnthony Delgado TV movie2005JAGChief Aurelio PuderoEpisode: "JAG: San Diego"2005–2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDanilo Zamesca 4 episodes2006HuffJorge Corrales2 episodesDesolation CanyonArturo ZettaTV movie2007RainesAurelio SanchezEpisode: "Meet Juan Doe"Viva LaughlinArmandoEpisode: "What a Whale Wants"2008Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera StoryAngel CruzTV movie2008–2009One Life to LiveRay MontezRecurring role2009Criminal MindsBuntingEpisode: "Retaliation"2010Miami MedicalGarrettEpisode: "An Arm and a Leg"CastleCésar CalderónEpisode: "Anatomy of a Murder"2011Mega Python vs. GatoroidDr. Diego OrtizTV movie2011–2012The Bold and the BeautifulRamon MontgomeryRecurring role2012–2017LongmireJacob NighthorseRecurring role2014The Night ShiftJoacquin De La CruzEpisode: "Storm Watch"2015NCISTomas OrlandoEpisode: "Patience"2015–2020Days of Our LivesEduardo HernandezRecurring role2018Queen of the SouthSheriff Mayo3 episodes2019Christmas on the RangeBrick McCreeTV movie2021Cowboy BebopStaxEpisode: "Blue Crow Waltz"2023–presentDark WindsSheriff Gordon SenaRecurring role (seasons 2–present)2024Avatar: The Last AirbenderMaster Pakku2 episodesThe RookieGundo2 episodes2024–presentBlue RidgeConnor McGrathMain cast
Web YearTitleRole(s) Notes2014–presentThe BayNardo RamosRecurring role (season 1), main role (season 2-present)
References
External links