A child actress for most of her career, she first achieved recognition as the title character of the NBC drama series National Velvet (1960–1962).

Lori Martin was born Dawn Catherine Menzer in Glendale, California, at 10:02 a.m.; her fraternal twin sister, Doree, arrived four minutes later.

She had a younger brother, Stephen Menzer, and an older sister, Jean Coulter, a veteran Hollywood stuntwoman who doubled for the lead actresses on Ironside and Charlie's Angels.

She appeared in several television series, including Medic, Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Leave It to Beaver, and Whirlybirds.

[citation needed] In 1962, at age 14, Martin gained further attention in the role of Nancy Bowden in the film Cape Fear, in which the character played by Robert Mitchum intends to do harm to her family.

The director of the film, J. Lee Thompson, originally wanted Hayley Mills for Martin's part.

Recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood in September 1963, the girl group-styled "The Home of the Boy I Love", backed with "Mine 'Til Monday" (Del Fi 4201), was mistakenly released with songwriting credits given to the successful team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil when in fact it was produced by Barry Mann and written by lesser known hit-man Sylvester Bradford, who wrote the 1958 hit "Tears On My Pillow".

After Cape Fear, Martin made guest appearances in such television series as The Donna Reed Show, Slattery's People, Sam Benedict, Breaking Point, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Leave It To Beaver, My Three Sons, and Family Affair.

"[2] Lori Martin, known legally as Dawn Breitenbucher, died on April 4, 2010, in Oakhurst, California, two weeks before her 63rd birthday, as a result of suicide via gunshot wound.

She was survived by her son, Brett Breitenbucher, and her siblings, Doree Thompson Kelly, Jean Marek and Stephen Menzer, as well as extended family.