Barney Martin, the character actor with a hangdog expression who played the beleaguered Amos Hart in the original Broadway production of the musical Chicago, died March 21, 2005, according to zap2it.com. Mr. Martin, 82, who battled cancer, was more widely known for playing Jerry Seinfeld's father, Morty, in the TV series, "Seinfeld."

In Chicago, the musical satire about justice and celebrity in America, Mr. Martin played the sad-clown role of a dull cuckolded husband whose wife kills her lover. Amos admits to the crime. In a turn that purposely recalled the vaudevillian Bert Williams, Mr. Martin sang "Mr. Cellophane." His work is preserved on the original cast album.

According to wire reports, Mr. Martin was an Air Force pilot in World War II and a New York City policeman before he acted in such Broadway shows as South Pacific, The Roast; All Over Town; How Now Now Dow Jones and All American.

Mr. Martin's film work includes "The Producers" and playing Liza Minnelli's father in "Arthur" and its sequel. He was a fixture on TV, doing guest spots on "The Odd Couple," "Hill Street Blues," "St. Elsewhere," "Murphy Brown" and "The Wonder Years."