Martin Kove

Martin Kove
Kove at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2024
Born (1946-03-06) 6 March 1946
Occupations
  • Actor
  • martial artist
Years active1971–present
Spouse
Vivienne Love
(m. 1981; div. 2005)
Children2

Martin Kove (/ˈkv/; born March 6, 1946 ) is an American actor and a martial artist. He is best known for his role as John Kreese, the main antagonist of The Karate Kid (1984). Kove reprised the role in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and the television series Cobra Kai (2018–2025). He was a regular on the television series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988), portraying Police Detective Victor Isbecki. Kove also appeared in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).