- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Patricia Martínez better known as Patrice Martinez was a Mexican-American actress. She had a strong background in theatre acting. However, her talents were not limited to the stage. Her resume manifests a "well-rounded" acting career that is complemented by her film and television credits. She began her career in her early teens, when she was working as an extra in Convoy (1978) starring Kris Kristofferson and directed by Sam Peckinpah. After catching the director's eye, Peckinpah offered her a speaking role.
Still a teenager, Patrice became the lead stage actress for "La Compañía", a bilingual theatrical repertory company founded by her mother, Margarita Martínez, and her mentor, Jose Rodríguez. Graduating early from high school, this diligent actress followed the footsteps of some very distinguished actors when she decided to seek formal training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, one of the world's most prestigious and respected drama schools. Among 3000 aspiring actors from around the world vying for the only 23 coveted entries that were offered, Patrice was awarded the sole scholarship of her term. Upon her graduation from RADA, she was honored with five of the most prominent awards the academy has to commend.
Patrice returned to the US after finishing her studies at RADA and moved from her home state of New Mexico to California. After being in Hollywood for only a couple of months, she was cast in a lead role in her first feature film, A Walk on the Moon (1987). Shortly thereafter she was cast in another leading role in the hit comedy ¡Three Amigos! (1986) starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short and directed by John Landis.
Producer Chas. Floyd Johnson selected her as Tom Selleck's love interest in Magnum, P.I. (1980), and out of all his leading ladies she was the only one asked back to reprise her role in the final episode. In the interim she guested on Miami Vice (1984) with Don Johnson and Edward James Olmos. She also appeared in the films Beetlejuice (1988) with Alec Baldwin and Geena Davisand The Effects of Magic (1998), among others. She even managed to sneak in appearances in a few music videos with Morris Day and a double feature with Robbie Robertson.
One of the highlights of her professional career was when she began to appear in international productions, such as her role in the series Zorro (1990), shot was for the Family Channel in Spain. Thereafter she worked on several other European projects, namely Winnetous Rückkehr (1998) for German television.
- IMDb mini biography by: Select Artists (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
- SpousesDaniel Camhi(April 1987 - January 1992) (divorced)?(? - December 24, 2018) (her death)
- ParentsBennie Martinez
- RelativesBenita Andre(Sibling)Benito Martinez(Sibling)
- Made her leading film debut in ¡Three Amigos! (1986).
- Her mother was cast in Sam Peckinpah's Convoy (1978). When the producers needed some children for a scene, Martinez hesitated to go with her mother at first because she had volleyball and baseball practice. She agreed to go when her mother told her that Kris Kristofferson was in it, whom Martinez had a crush on having just seen him in A Star Is Born (1976).
- As youngsters, she and her siblings participated with the repertory theater company "La Compania de Teatro de Albuquerque", founded by her mother.
- Grew up in the South Valley section of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- At the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, she was one of only three non-British students among 23 accepted altogether. When she ran out of money in London, she waited on tables and cleaned rooms at her boarding house in exchange for room and board.
- Everything I had heard about her was true! She was a stunning beauty, who was also kind, generous, gracious, funny and amazingly talented. - Actress Dyana Ortelli about Patrice Martinez.
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