OS ANGELES, March 24 (AP) - Barney Martin, a former New York City detective who went into show business and became best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld's father, Morty, on the television comedy "Seinfeld," died on Monday at his home here. He was 82.

The cause was cancer, Jennifer Glassman, his publicist, said.

Born on March 3, 1923, in Queens, Mr. Martin was a navigator in the Air Force during World War II before starting a 20-year career as a New York police detective.

He showed a talent for making deputy police commissioners laugh during presentations.

In the 1950's he began writing on the side for comedy shows like "Name That Tune" and "The Steve Allen Show."

Mr. Martin got his start in film when Mel Brooks featured him in "The Producers" in 1968.

His role as Goring in that movie sent Mr. Martin into Broadway theater, where he appeared in several musicals, including "All American" and "How Now Dow Jones."

He is credited with creating the role of Roxie's unappreciated husband, Amos Hart, in the musical "Chicago."

Mr. Martin also appeared in several television series, including "The Tony Randall Show," "Us," "Sydney" and "Zorro and Son."

In "Seinfeld," Mr. Martin was the third actor to play Seinfeld's father and became the one most identified with the role of Morty, the Florida retiree.

He said at the show's wrap party in 1998 that "playing Jerry's dad was like having whipped cream on top of a mountain of ice cream."