Lock Martin was a movie actor who played the role of Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still. He was born on October 12, 1916 and died on January 19, 1959 at the age of 42. He suffered from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue and can cause heart problems. He died of a non-communicable disease in Los Angeles County, California, and was buried at Forest Lawn. [according to The Celebrity Deaths]
Early Life and Career
Martin and a twin brother were born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; his brother died in childbirth. [according to Wikipedia] Martin would eventually grow to over 7 feet tall by adulthood, though his exact height was reported inconsistently. [according to Famous Robots and Cyborgs] He became notable for appearing as the robot Gort in the 1951 science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. [according to Icons of Horror and the Supernatural] Despite his size, he had difficulty moving in the heavy robot suit, and during scenes in which he was supposed to lift and carry either Patricia Neal or Michael Rennie, they were either held up by wires, or replaced with lightweight dummies. [according to Famous Robots and Cyborgs]
Martin traveled with Spike Jones and His City Slickers and appeared on their television show in the early 1950s. [according to Spike Jones and His City Slickers] He also worked as a doorman at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. [according to 1950s Science Fiction Films and 9/11] He can also be heard as a contestant on the 14th November 1951 edition of You Bet Your Life. Towards the end of his career, he was filmed for a part in The Incredible Shrinking Man as a circus giant, but his scenes were deleted. [according to Wikipedia]
Lock Martin Cause of Death
Martin suffered from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue and can cause heart problems. [according to The Celebrity Deaths] He died of a non-communicable disease in Los Angeles County, California, on January 19, 1959. [according to Wikipedia] His family did not reveal what type of disease he had, but some sources suggest that it was cancer. [according to IMDb] He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. [according to Find a Grave]
Legacy and Influence
Martin is remembered as one of the tallest actors in history, as well as for his iconic role as Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still. He was nicknamed “the Gentle Giant” as he liked reading stories to children and for a time had a local show devoted to that. [according to The List: Top 10 tallest actors] His performance as Gort has been praised as one of the most memorable robots in cinema history, and has inspired many imitations and homages. [according to Famous Robots and Cyborgs] He is also recognized as one of the first actors with giantism to appear in Hollywood films, paving the way for others like Andre the Giant and Richard Kiel. [according to CelebsAges]
Lock Martin cause of death is a sad story of a talented and kind-hearted actor who left behind a lasting legacy in science fiction and cinema history. He will always be remembered as the Gentle Giant who played Gort, the robot who could destroy the world with a single beam from his visor.
