Biography for
Martin Sheen More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

3 August 1940, Dayton, Ohio, USA

Birth Name

Ramon Antonio Gerard Estevez

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Purposely flunked his college entrance exam to the University of Dayton so that he could pursue an acting career instead. His father wholeheartedly disapproved until he had gained popular success, not even seeing Martin act until he saw him on the screen at a drive-in in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio.

IMDb Mini Biography By:

Mini Biography

Multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Martin Sheen is one of America's most celebrated, colorful, and accomplished actors.

Moving flawlessly between artistic mediums, Sheen's acting range is breathtaking. On the big screen, the Ohio native has appeared in more than 65 feature films including a star turn as Army Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Francis Ford Coppola's landmark film Apocalypse Now (1979), which brought Sheen worldwide recognition. The film also starred Marlon Brando, Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall. Other notable credits include Wall Street (1987) (with son Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas), Academy Award-winning film Ghandi (1982) (with Sir Ben Kingsley), Catch Me If You Can (2002) (with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks), The American President (1995) (with Michael Douglas and Annette Bening) and a Golden Globe nominated breakthrough performance as Timmy Cleary in The Subject Was Roses (1968), a role he originated on Broadway and for which he received a Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actor.

In 2006, the actor played ill-fated cop Oliver Queenan in 'Martin Scorsese''s Academy Award-winning film The Departed (2006) opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin.

The same year, Sheen joined another all-star ensemble cast for the highly acclaimed feature Bobby (2006) written and directed by his son 'Emilio Estevez'. Bobby was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award; and starred Anthony Hopkins, Harry Belafonte, Laurence Fishburne, Sharon Stone, William H. Macy, Elijah Wood, Demi Moore and Heather Graham.

For television audiences, Sheen is best recognized for his six-time Emmy nominated performance as President Josiah Bartlet in "The West Wing" (1999). Sheen won six of his eight Golden Globe nominations as well as an ALMA Award; and two individual SAG Awards; for the White House series. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor TV Series Drama in 2001.

Of his ten Primetime Emmy nominations, Sheen won for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series on the long-running sitcom "Murphy Brown" (1988) (starring Candice Bergen) in 1994. In addition, he has garnered a Daytime Emmy Award for directing and another for performance.

In 2006, Sheen was again nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series; this time for the CBS hit comedy "Two and a Half Men" (2003) starring his son Charlie Sheen.

In addition to series television, Sheen has appeared in several important made-for-television movies and mini-series including playing President John F. Kennedy in the television mini-series "Kennedy" (1983) for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Sheen Team

Spouse

Janet Sheen

(23 December 1961 - present) 4 children

Trade Mark

Frequently plays a Presidential or political character involved in the White House. See the "The West Wing" (1999), The Dead Zone (1983), "Kennedy" (1983), The Missiles of October (1974) (TV), "Blind Ambition" (1979) and The American President (1995).. He also did the narration in JFK (1991) and is active in politics.

Trivia

Born at 8:03 p.m. ET.

Father of Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Renée Estevez and Ramon Estevez.

Brother of actor Joe Estevez.

Martin was one of 22 people arrested for crossing over a line established by the Air Force in an anti-militarization protest at California's Vandenberg Air Force base. He was charged with trespassing. [7 October 2000]

Is a strong advocate for the closing of the School of the Americas, a military base that trains Latin American soldiers (allegedly teaching techniques of torture and political terror). Has been involved in a large protest every year since 1998.

Auditioned for the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972).

Pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation for trespassing at an Air Force base during a protest against the United States building a missile defense system. [27 June 2001]

Publicly credited Carroll O'Connor for helping his son Charlie to get off drugs and back on the right track. He read one of the scriptures at Carroll's funeral.

His mother, Mary Ann Phelan, was an Irish immigrant with IRA connections, and his father, Francisco Estevez, was a Spaniard who came to the U.S. by way of Cuba.

Was considered for the recurring role of Sloan on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993).

Stumped in Florida for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno in her unsuccessful campaign against sitting Gov. Jeb Bush, June 2002. Reno also drew major support from Rosie O'Donnell and Elton John.

Has played American presidents four times; Jed Bartlett on TV series "The West Wing" (1999), in the TV movie Medusa's Child (1997) (TV), as John F. Kennedy in the miniseries "Kennedy" (1983), and as the "future" president (in a premonition) Greg Stilson in The Dead Zone (1983).

His admiration for the Rev. Fulton J. Sheen prompted him to adopt the bishop's name for his acting career.

His left arm is 3" shorter than his right due to complications during his birth.

Is the seventh of ten children

His parents met at citizenship school in Dayton

Was arrested more than 70 times, mainly for liberal protests.

Along with Steve McQueen and James Dean, is mentioned in R.E.M.'s song "Electrolite.".

His father, Francisco Estevez, died shortly before the premiere of "Blind Ambition" (1979). As he was unable to attend the funeral, Martin mourned his father in the scene in which John Dean cries in his jail cell.

Has memorized and can sing every single Frank Sinatra song.

He can only put his jacket on by flipping it over his head (like Bartlet in "The West Wing" (1999)). His left arm was crushed by forceps when he was born and he has limited lateral movement.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1965 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for "The Subject Was Roses," a role that he recreated in the film version of the same name, The Subject Was Roses (1968).

Due to his commitment to "The West Wing" (1999), was unable to reprise the role of Robert E. Lee in the Gettysburg (1993) prequel, Gods and Generals (2003). The role was instead played by Lee descendant Robert Duvall, who starred with Sheen in the popular Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now (1979).

Has played both Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in The Missiles of October (1974) (TV) and President John F. Kennedy in the mini-series "Kennedy" (1983), and is the only actor to portray both brothers.

Ranked #5 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100]

Of all the U.S. presidents, he admires Jimmy Carter the most.

Is portrayed by James Hayden in The Patricia Neal Story (1981) (TV)

Suffered a severe heart attack while filming Apocalypse Now (1979).

According to friends and family, he is closest to son Charlie than anyone else. Indeed, he and Charlie often appear together on the screen, and Martin has even played Charlie's on-screen father twice. He also appeared as an older "Charlie" in a credit-card commercial.

Received an honorary doctor of letters degree from Marquette University (2003) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the dedication of the school's new library (according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel web site).

As an admirer and supporter of actor James Dean and his legacy, he worked to preserve the high school in Fairmount that Dean attended. In addition, he has visited Fairmount for Dean-related events.

[October 2006] Pursuing a three-year Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, philosophy, and oceanography at the National University of Ireland (NUIG), Galway, Ireland.

Considers his late "The West Wing" (1999) co-star John Spencer his best friend. Like Spencer, Sheen successfully recovered from drug and alcohol addictions.

In 2004, he was listed as an endorser of March for Women's Lives. After learning about this, Feminists for Life, an organization that named him as a "Remarkable Pro-Life Man" in 2001, brought this to his attention, informing him that March for Women's Lives was a pro-choice group. At his request, March for Women's Lives removed his name from their list.

Was considered for the role of Sgt.Max Greevey on "Law & Order" (1990).

Never officially changed his real name to his stage one. He is still Ramon Estevez on all identifications and legal documents, and all his children were born under that name. He answers to both names with friends, but his wife first met him as Martin (he did not tell her his real name until weeks later) and as a result she still calls him that.

Former father-in-law of Denise Richards.

Father-in-law of Brooke Allen.

Grandfather of Sam Sheen, Lola Rose Sheen and Cassandra Sheen.

Personal Quotes

I love being Spanish as much as I love being Irish, and I really love being Irish.

"I love my country enough to suffer its wrath" - on his political activism and arrests for protests.

"No father could ever be prouder of his son. I hold Charlie's accomplishments dearer than my own. He has been through so much and overcome so much more. Even if he weren't my son he'd still be my best friend." - On son Charlie

I consider myself a liberal Democrat, but I'm against abortion.

I adored Mr. Clinton. And he was a fan of "The West Wing" (1999). For a while, we were given carte Blanche at the White House, which ended when Bush got in - ended for me anyway. When the new administration got into power, all my "West Wing" colleagues were invited there to meet their counterparts. All except me. I was very relieved about that.

Salary

No Code of Conduct (1998)

$250,000

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