Martha Ellen Scott was born on September 22, 1912, in Jamesport, Missouri, to Letha McKinley and Walter Alva Scott, an engineer and garage owner. Her mother was a second cousin of U.S. President William McKinley.

The Scott family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and later to Detroit, Michigan, when Martha was 13 years old. She became interested in acting in high school and pursued this passion by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama from the University of Michigan in 1934.

Her professional career began with Shakespearean productions at the Century of Progress world's fair in Chicago in 1934. She made her Broadway debut in 1938, playing Emily Webb in Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town," a role that earned her critical acclaim.

Two years later, she reprised the role in the film adaptation of "Our Town," earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Her career in film and television spanned over four decades, during which she appeared in major epics such as "The Ten Commandments" (1956) and "Ben-Hur" (1959), often playing the mother of Charlton Heston's character.

Martha Scott was married twice, first to Carlton Alsop from 1940 to 1946, and later to composer Mel Powell from 1946 until his death in 1998. She had three children and lived a fulfilling personal life, balancing her career and family responsibilities.

She passed away on May 28, 2003, at the age of 90, and is buried with her husband Mel Powell.