Martin Kove is an American actor and 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 (2018â2025). He also appeared as Nero the Hero in
Death Race 2000 (1975), and afterward as Clem in
White Line Fever (1975). Kove was a regular on the TV series
Cagney & Lacey (1982â1988), portraying Police Detective Victor Isbecki. He appeared in
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Quentin Tarantino's
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
