Alvin Louise Martin is an American drug counselor and the first husband of actress Whoopi Goldberg. He is the father of Whoopi’s only child, actress Alex Martin. Martin has kept a private life since his 1979 divorce from Goldberg.
Who is Alvin Martin?
Alvin Martin worked as a drug counselor in New York during the early 1970s. He met a young Whoopi Goldberg while she was in treatment for addiction.
Martin and Goldberg married in 1973.
Their daughter, Alex Martin, was born on May 9, 1974. The couple later divorced in 1979.
Since then, Martin has stayed out of the public eye. He has never sought fame from his connection to Goldberg.
Early Life of Alvin Martin
Alvin Martin was born in Merseyside, England. He later relocated to the United States, where he built his career and family.
Martin’s exact date of birth has not been publicly confirmed.
Public profiles describe him as older than Goldberg at the time they met. He was already working as a professional counselor when she became his patient.
Alvin Martin Age
Alvin Martin’s exact birth date has not been publicly confirmed. Because of this, his precise age as of 2026 is also not publicly confirmed. Martin has kept nearly all personal details out of the public record throughout his life.
Alvin Martin Ethnicity and Nationality
Alvin Martin is of white, or Caucasian, ethnic background. He was born in England but holds American nationality after relocating to the United States. Martin has spent most of his adult life in New York.
Alvin Martin Career
Alvin Martin worked as a professional drug and substance abuse counselor in the early 1970s. He was assigned to help Whoopi Goldberg during her recovery from addiction.
Martin worked at a rehabilitation facility known as Horizon House.
He reportedly later worked as a bank clerk at Chase Manhattan Bank. By the late 1990s, he reportedly held a position with New York City’s Medicaid office.
Martin never pursued a public career after his marriage to Goldberg ended. He has continued to keep his professional life largely private.
How Alvin Martin Met Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg, born Caryn Elaine Johnson, struggled with heroin addiction as a teenager. Her friends staged an intervention and brought her to a rehabilitation center in the early 1970s.
Alvin Martin was assigned as her drug counselor at that facility.
Their professional relationship grew into a romance over time. Goldberg later said Martin played a key role in her recovery.
Alvin Martin and Whoopi Goldberg’s Marriage
Alvin Martin and Whoopi Goldberg married in 1973, when she was 18 years old. Their daughter, Alex, was born on May 9, 1974.
The couple separated before their divorce was finalized in 1979.
Goldberg later moved to California with their daughter. Martin remained in New York and stayed close to their daughter through the years.
In a 2019 interview with The New York Times, Goldberg said she was never sure she had been in love with any of her husbands. Despite this, she has credited Martin with helping her survive addiction in her youth.
Alvin Martin’s Daughter Alex Martin
Alexandrea Alex Martin was born on May 9, 1974, in New York. She followed her mother into acting and producing.
Alex won the title of Miss Golden Globe at the 1994 Golden Globe Awards.
She appeared alongside her mother in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in 1993. Alex also acted in Strange as Angels and American Intellectuals.
Alex Martin has been married to producer Bernard Dean since October 15, 2011. She has three children: Amarah Skye, Jerzey, and Mason.
Alvin Martin’s Grandchildren
Through his daughter Alex, Alvin Martin has three grandchildren. They are Amarah Skye Dean, Jerzey Dean, and Mason Dean.
Amarah Skye Dean gave birth to a daughter, Charlie Rose, on March 15, 2014.
That birth made Alvin Martin a great-grandfather. Whoopi Goldberg has spoken publicly about her own role as a grandmother and great-grandmother through the same family line.
Life After Whoopi Goldberg
Alvin Martin never remarried after his divorce from Whoopi Goldberg. There is no public record of him starting another family.
Martin has no verified social media accounts.
He has avoided interviews and public appearances tied to Goldberg’s fame. Martin is remembered mainly through his daughter and grandchildren, rather than through his own public record.
The Bottom Line
Alvin Martin met Whoopi Goldberg in the early 1970s while working as her drug counselor. Their marriage from 1973 to 1979 produced her only child, Alex Martin.
Born in Merseyside, England, Martin later settled in the United States and kept a private, low profile life. He worked in counseling and reportedly held roles in banking and city government afterward.
Martin’s daughter Alex Martin continues to work as an actress and producer today. Through her, Martin is also grandfather to three grandchildren and great-grandfather to Charlie Rose.
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