Joe Martin is a fictional character on the

ABC Daytime ABC Daytime (sometimes shortened to ABC-D or ABCD) is a division responsible for the daytime programming block on the ABC Network and syndicated programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows. Histor ...

and

The Online Network Prospect Park is a Hollywood entertainment production company, founded in 2008 by Richard H. Frank, a former executive at the Walt Disney Television, and Jeff Kwatinetz, former CEO of the talent agency The Firm, Inc., and music manager Peter Kat ...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' All My Children''.

Ray MacDonnell Ray MacDonnell (March 5, 1928 – June 10, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Joe Martin, patriarch of the Martin family, on the daytime soap opera ''All My Children'', a role he played for 40 years. Early years MacDo ...

played the character from the show's inception on January 5, 1970, until his retirement on January 5, 2010. He reprised his role for three episodes in March 2011, and again for two episodes in September 2011 for the show's ABC finale. The character is the longest running original character, the second being his former daughter-in-law

Erica Kane Erica Kane is a fictional character from the American ABC Daytime soap opera ''All My Children''. The character was portrayed by actress Susan Lucci from her debut on January 16, 1970, until the last broadcast television episode on September 23, ...

. In 2005, MacDonnell received a

Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

at the

Daytime Emmy The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...

s. MacDonnell's 2010 retirement was brought on by the production of the show moving from New York to Los Angeles. The character of Joe along with his longtime wife Ruth leave town and retire to Florida. MacDonnell reprised his role as Joe Martin on the Prospect Park's continuation of ''All My Children''.

Storylines

Dr. Joe Martin, the head of one of the founding families in Pine Valley, was a widower raising two children,

Jeff Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...

and Tara, when he met Ruth Brent, a nurse at the hospital where he worked. He fell hard for her but she married and had to resist his love and attraction. But Ruths alcoholic husband died in a car accident and Joe comforted her. The two fell in love and married in April 1972. The 1970s were a challenging time for the Martin marriage which was tested numerous times. Joes daughter Tara and Ruths son Phil married and had a troubled marriage which also caused rifts between Joe and Ruth. In 1976, Ruth had an affair with a younger man named David Thorton and he even asked her to run off with him. She accepted his proposal and made plans to divorce Joe but the night she was ask for her divorce Joe collapsed. Ruth realized her love for Joe was stronger than ever and broke it off with David. In 1978, the couple made plans to adopt a boy of their own named Tad, and the plans were thrown into trouble by the reappearance of Tad's biological father Ray Gardner. Ray threatened and blackmailed the Martins and when Joe refused to give into his demands, he attacked and raped Ruth in a parking lot. Ruth was left in a coma and nearly dead. Ray was sent to prison. Ruth survived the trauma. In 1979, the Martins had a surprise child of their own,

Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horac ...

. In 1981, the Martins briefly separated over his feelings for a patient he was treating but the couple reconciled as always. When Charles Tyler, Chief of Staff, died, Joe assumed his position. His history at Pine Valley Hospital has been nearly impeccable, except for a brief time when he was forced to step down by allegations made by conniving

David Hayward Dr. David Hayward is a fictional character from the ABC and The Online Network serial drama ''All My Children''. The role has been portrayed by Vincent Irizarry, off and on, from November 27, 1997, to September 2, 2013. The character has been ...

. Joe has survived a tornado that almost took Tad's life, had a massive heart attack brought on by a confrontation with

Dimitri Marick Dimitri Marick is a fictional character from the American ABC soap opera ''All My Children''. The role has been most notably portrayed by Michael Nader, previously famed for his role on '' Dynasty''. Former head writers Agnes Nixon and Lorraine B ...

, and dealt with all the problems that have affected his children. He is the patriarch of Pine Valley and usually the steady voice of reason.

External links

Joe Martin
fro
soapcentral.com

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Joe All My Children characters Fictional physicians Television characters introduced in 1970 Male characters in television