Adolfo Larrue Martínez III, better known as A Martinez, is an American actor and singer born on September 27, 1948, in Glendale, California. He is renowned for his performances in several daytime soap operas such as "Santa Barbara," "General Hospital," "One Life to Live," "The Bold and the Beautiful," and "Days of Our Lives," along with primetime dramas like "L.A. Law," "Profiler," "Longmire," and "Dark Winds." Martinez has also appeared in movies including "The Cowboys" (1972), "Powwow Highway" (1989), "Curse of Chucky" (2013), and "Ambulance" (2022).
Growing up, Martinez was affectionately called "A," "Little Adolfo," and "Little A" by his family to differentiate him from his father and grandfather, a nickname that eventually stuck. His ancestry is a rich blend of Mexican and Apache from his father's side, and Piegan Blackfeet and Northern European from his mother's side.
For his education, Martinez attended Sunland Elementary School and Mt. Gleason Junior High School in Sunland/Tujunga, where he was a talented pitcher in Kiwanis youth softball and took part in numerous school musical productions. He completed his high school education at Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga, where he engaged in various activities, including playing in a rock band and participating in track and field.
Although Martinez initially planned to study political science at UCLA, he shifted his focus to acting. He kick-started his professional career at the age of 12 as a singer, winning a talent competition at the Hollywood Bowl. Besides acting, he spent five seasons playing on a semi-professional baseball team.