Marty Ingels, Actor-Comedian-Talent Agent Who Got His Start at Pasadena Playhouse, Dies at 79

Marty Ingels, the comic and voice-over actor who started his career as an actor at the Pasadena Playhouse and would later became one of the industry’s most powerful talent agents, died of a massive stroke Wednesday at Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana, California. He was 79.

Born in Brooklyn as Martin Ingerman in 1936, Ingels served in the Army and moved on to become an actor. He got his break while working at the Pasadena Playhouse and later on charmed audiences when he starred in the short-lived ABC comedy “I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster,” with John Astin in the 1960s.

He appeared in the movies as well, landing roles in “The Picasso Summer” and “If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium.”

Later, Ingels would transition into voice-over roles, landing parts in commercials, cartoons and even voiced “Pac-man” in the arcade game-inspired series.

It was at that time that he opened a talent agency, Ingels Inc., where he worked with actors like John Wayne, Orson Welles and Marlon Brando.

Ingles married Shirley Jones in 1977. The coupled chronicled their marriage in their co-written autobiography “Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story” in 1990 and often made appearances together.

Ingels is survived by Jones, three stepsons from Jones’ earlier marriage, a niece, and 12 grandchildren.