In the early 1980s, she appeared in a Highway to Heaven episode in which she and Victor French traded bodies. Alan Spencer, who created Sledge Hammer, chose her for the Doreau role; he also wrote an episode of the series that allowed her to, if not exactly change bodies with Sledge Hammer, at least impersonate him.
Martin married author Michael Crichton in 1987 (she had a small role in Crichton's film Runaway three years earlier), and following the cancellation of Sledge Hammer!, retired from television and film acting. In 1989, they had a daughter, Taylor-Anne. Martin co-wrote, with Crichton, the screenplay to the 1996 film Twister. The couple separated in 2001 and a divorce settlement was reached in 2003. Martin went on to pursue her love of horses and ride competitively. She rode for the American Team in the World Championship competition for Icelandic horses.
