Joe Martin (All My Children)

Infobox soap character
series = All My Children
name = Joe Martin



caption1 = Ray MacDonnell as Joe Martin
first = 5 January 1970-
occupation = Doctor of Internal Medicine.
Chief of Staff at Pine Valley Hospital (resigned March 15 2002; reappointed in 2003).
Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
spouse = Ruth Parker Martin
Helen Martin (dissolved by her death)
children =Jeff Martin (son Helen Martin)
Tara Martin (daughter)
Bobby Martin (son)
Tad Martin (adopted son)
Jake Martin Jr. (son)
grandchildren =Josh Madden (grandson)
Charlie Brent (grandson)
Kelsey Jefferson (granddaughter)
Jamie Martin (adopted grandson)
Kathy Mershon (adopted granddaughter)
Jenny Carey (adopted granddaughter)
Great-Grandchildren
Samuel "Sam" Grey (great-grandson)
Unnamed Brent (sex unknown, born off-screen)(great grandchild)
romances = Ruth Parker Martin (lovers)
parents = Henry Martin (father, deceased)
Katherine "Kate" Martin (mother, deceased)
siblings = Paul Martin (brother)
nieces/nephews = Elizabeth "Beth" Martin (niece, deceased)
portrayer = Ray MacDonnell
color = #C80815

Dr. Joseph "Joe" Martin Sr. is a long-running character on the American soap opera "All My Children". The character has been played by Ray MacDonnell since the show's premiere in 1970 to the present. Along with Erica Kane and his wife Ruth Martin, he is one of three original characters still present on the show.

Character History

The Martin family is one of the founding families of Pine Valley. Joe was a widower in January 1970 trying to raise his children, Jeff and Tara, in the Martin family home with the help of his wonderful mother, Kate. Joe fell in love with Ruth Brent, a nurse at Pine Valley Hospital, who was married to an abusive man, Ted Brent. After Ted's death in an automobile accident, Joe and Ruth were married. Together they adopted son, Tad and had a change-of-life baby, Joey. (There was also a son Bobby, who went to the attic in search of his skis and has never been seen or missed since). Joe had a brief attraction to Leora Sanders, a patient of his, who was being abused by her husband, Kirk. Joe and Ruth separated briefly over his feelings for Leora. After the death of his very good friend and co-worker, Dr. Charles Tyler, Joe inherited the position of Chief of Staff at Pine Valley Hospital. Over the years, Joe has helped to build and keep his nuclear family together and more recently has rebuilt the Martin family home which was destroyed during the tornado that almost took Tad's life. Joe has been the solid rock upon which everyone in Pine Valley has turned to at one time or another for sound advice and fatherly love.

Joe's life nearly came to a premature end in July 1997 when, after a heated confrontation with Dimitri, Joe suffered a massive heart attack. Joe was unconscious for a long time and there was fear that he would suffer brain damage from lack of oxygen. Fortunately, there was no brain damage. There was, however, irreparable damage to his heart.

In March 2002, Joe was forced into stepping down as Chief of Staff of Pine Valley Hospital when David threatened to expose some medical mistakes Joe had made. The mistakes were attributed to Joe's age as well as the fact that he was not as up-to-date on the latest medical breakthroughs as his counterparts. As Joe stepped aside, his son, Jake, was named to his former post.

Joe was thrilled to learn the truth from Tad about Josh being Jeff and Erica's son, but reluctantly agreed with Erica that telling Josh might not be the smartest thing. He was even happier when his son, Jeff, came home after a long absence.

External links

* [http://www.soapcentral.com/amc/whoswho/joe.php Joe Martin] from [http://www.soapcentral.com/ soapcentral.com]