Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, 1979
Martin Sheen is 82 years old today.
The actor has performed in dozens of films and television shows, including Badlands (1973), Apocalypse Now (1979), Wall Street (1987) and The Departed (2006). He also played President Josiah Bartlet in the television series, The West Wing (1999–2006), and is now starring in, Grace and Frankie, on Netflix.
Sheen is considered one of the best actors never to be nominated for an Academy Award despite his acclaimed performances. He has worked with a wide variety of film directors, such as Richard Attenborough, Francis Ford Coppola, Terrence Malick, David Cronenberg, Mike Nichols, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Oliver Stone.
Sheen has had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1989.
In television he has won both a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild awards for playing the lead role of President Bartlet in The West Wing, and an Emmy for guest acting in the sitcom, Murphy Brown.
He is the father of four children (Emilio, Ramon, Carlos and Renée), all of whom are actors. His younger brother, Joe Estevez, is also an actor.
In 1982, Martin Sheen did his first comedic role in a stage production.
He starred in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” with Adrienne Barbeau, Will Sampson and his son, Ramon Estevez, at the Burt Reynolds Theatre in Jupiter, Florida. Reynolds directed the production.
The above photograph of Sheen with Carol Dickman and Frank Beacham was made during rehearsals for the play. We had just finished a video with Sheen.
The Reynolds theatre closed in 1989, after 116 productions, featuring major stars and directors. The theater was donated to Palm Beach Community College to use as a performing arts/educational facility.
In 2001, a group of citizens formed the non-profit Palm Beach Playhouse Inc. and purchased the building for $2.67 million. It underwent a complete renovation and reopened as the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in February, 2004 and continues to thrive today.