Martin Kove

Birth Name: Martin L. Kove

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 6, 1947

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

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Martin Kove is an American actor and martial artist. He is known for playing John Kreese in The Karate Kid franchise, including Cobra Kai, and for his roles in the films Death Race 2000, White Line Fever, and Rambo: First Blood Part II, and the series Cagney and Lacey, among other projects.

He was adopted by Jewish parents, Frances (Sussman) and Theodore “Teddy” Kove. At the time, 1947, most Jewish couples in the United States adopted children that were born to Jewish mothers (and sometimes also Jewish fathers). Martin was raised in Conservative Judaism. He has two children.

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Theodore Kove was the son of Meyer Kovolefsky and Sadie Bzuesza. Meyer and Sadie were born in Poland/Russia.

Frances Sussman was the daughter of Morris Sussman and Rose. Morris was born in Horodenka, Ukraine. Rose was born in Austria.

Sources:

Genealogy of Martin Kove –

Martin’s adoptive father on the 1930 U.S. Census –

Martin’s adoptive mother on the 1930 U.S. Census –