Kurt Martin is a minor recurring character in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. He is the biological father of Zack and Cody Martin and ex-husband of Carey Martin.
He was portrayed by Robert Torti.
Story
Though heard briefly in a video in "Poor Little Rich Girl", Kurt is formally introduced in "Dad's Back", where he visits ex-wife Carey Martin and his kids, Zack and Cody. Though Kurt does not stay long to visit, Zack stows away on his rock band's tour bus after a playful comment by Kurt, telling Zack to come live with him on the road. Despite being on the road, Kurt has to find time to take care of Zack and help him with his homework, and eventually get him back to the Tipton.
Kurt appears again at Christmastime, where he was supposed to take Zack and Cody snowboarding, but was snowed in at the hotel instead, where Cody tried unsuccessfully to get him and Carey back together, "like a family."
Kurt and Carey are currently divorced, though they visit Zack and Cody together on the S.S. Tipton in "Mom and Dad on Deck", saying that they'd love to move onto the ship with the boys. Enjoying their freedom, Zack and Cody hatch a plan to get rid of their parents, and though Kurt and Carey discover this, they eventually decide not to move onto the boat.
He is last seen in the finale, "Graduation on Deck", attending the graduation ceremony along with his ex wife, Carey. Bailey and Maya both greet them and tell them that Cody didn't get into Yale University while Maya confesses that she broke up with Zack due to her belief of long distant relationships being unsuccessful, resulting in the twins feeling depressed enough to stay in their rooms and not attend the graduation ceremony. The parents split up to talk to their kids. Carey talks to Cody that and tells him that it is not his fault that Yale declined Cody's university application. Meanwhile, Kurt tells Zack that Maya isn't the only girl for him. He assures him that he will find other girls and that he understands how he feels. Their parents tell the kids that the other sibling is not going to graduation either for their own personal reasons. Zack and Cody run out at the same time questioning one another as to why they won't attend graduation. They convince each other to attend the graduation ceremony as Carey and Kurt reflect on how well they raised their own kids. They are seated throughout the ceremony next to Arwin, who gets envious of Kurt and is still infatuated with Carey.
Personality
Kurt is really a happy-go-lucky guy who is a kid at heart. He is also an open-minded father and can be mindless at times. His creativity in buying Zack and Cody gifts is revealed in both Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Suite Life on Deck. In the former title, he bought Cody an ancient Chinese calculator, and gave Zack his legendary guitar. In the sequel, he got Zack and Cody a car since they are "out in the ocean, nothing can stop [him from teaching them how to drive]." Overall, he is a loving dad and possibly husband. However, his mindlessness is often viewed as irresponsible, and that is possibly why Carey left him in the first place.
Trivia
- In "Mom and Dad on Deck", Kurt Martin is accidentally written as "Rick Martin" in the credits.
See also
