Sandy Martin's illustrious acting career began at the tender age of 15, touring the country alongside Martha Raye in the production of Good-bye Charley. As she honed her craft, she eventually settled in New York City, where she worked with esteemed theatres such as Lincoln Center, La Mama, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Playwrights Horizon, and The American Place Theatre, amassing an impressive repertoire of over 70 stage productions.
Martin's success on stage led her to write the screen adaptation of the hit play Hothouse, which she packaged with her friends Amy Madigan and Ed Harris, both of whom she had worked with on the award-winning world premiere of Prairie Avenue by Edward Allen Baker.
Her collaboration with Moctesume Esparza and Robert Katz, founders of Esparza/Katz Prod., marked the beginning of a long and fruitful working relationship that spanned over a decade. Starting as a Development Executive, Martin worked her way up to become the Associate Producer of the company, contributing to critically acclaimed feature films such as Milagro Bean Field Wars, Selena, Gettysburg, and Bowl Of Beings.
During her tenure with Esparza/Katz Prod., Martin wrote several treatments and screenplays, including Underdogs, Thirteenth Duke, The James Dean Story, and Ms. Prez, a screenplay co-authored with Patrick O'Neal about the first African American Woman President.
In addition to her work in film and television, Martin has also produced and directed two documentaries: The Great Meddler, about the founding of the American Society for the Protection Of Cruelty To Animals, and The United Farm Workers - A Tribute to Caesar Chavez.
As a testament to her versatility, Martin has also ventured into the world of comedy, scoring recurring roles on HBO's drama Big Love as the enigmatic Selma Green and on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Mac's Mom. She has also made guest appearances on numerous hit shows, including CSI, Nip Tuck, Shameless, Saving Grace, Weeds, Cold Case, 2 Broke Girls, Parenthood, The Closer, and Rizzoli & Isles.
Most recently, Martin has continued to expand her acting repertoire, taking on the role of Grandma in the animated version of Napoleon Dynamite for Fox, as well as starring in the critically acclaimed West Coast premiere of Tennessee William's A House Not Meant To Stand at the Fountain Theatre, earning a nomination for an Ovation Award for Best Female Lead in 2011.
