He still has the freckle-faced boyishness of one of the Day boys of "Life With Father," and he's still behind the wheel, as he was as Tod Stiles in Route 66. Now, however, Martin Milner is the policeman in the prowl car--he's Offficer Pete Malloy of Adam-12, Saturday nights on Channels 2, 6, 14, 15, and 20.
He was born in Detroit, Michigan, but moved to Seattle as a baby. He made his acting debut at age 10 in a Seattle children's play and shortly after moved to Hollywood. His parents, the late Sam Milner, a film distributor, and his mother, the former Jerry Martin, one-time dancer on the Paramount Theatre circuit, enrolled Marty with an acting coach and he soon signed with an agent.
After graduating from North Hollywood High, Milner studied theatre arts at the University of Sourthern California for a year before leaving to concentrate on his career.
His first big screen role came in 1947 when he was signed to play John Day, second oldest son in "Life With Father," starring Irene Dunne and William Powell. The film had just been completed when Milner was stricken with polio and it appeared his career was ended. There were many moments of despair, but after a year in bed Marty made a full recovery.
His career appeared to suffer a further delay in 1952. Just as he seemed to be moving again, he was inducted into the Army for two years. After joining, however, Milner was assigned to the Human Research Division where he directed a series of 20 training films. In addition, he was master of ceremonies for a touring show unit based at Fort Ord.
Milner landed a role in "The Long Gray Line," starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara while still in the Army. The film was released in 1955. But Marty points out that 1957 was really his "big year." In that year he married television-actress-and-singer Judy Jones; he was cast in an important role in the Hecht-Hill-Lancaster production, "Sweet Smell of Success," and he played a major part in "Marjorie Morningstar" at Warner Brothers.
Milner's next big break came three years later when he began a four-year run starring as Tod Stiles in Route 66. The Milners are the parents of two boys and two girls; Andrew, 4; Stuart, 6; Molly, 7; and Amy, 9. Marty and wife collect antique furniture and are furnishing their San Fernando Valley home in the Early American period. Hobbies include fishing and waterskiing.