Yesterday, Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau passed away at the UCLA Medical Center at the age of 89. TMZ first reported the death of the legendary television and film actor.
Landau’s first step into entertainment was as a cartoonist. At the age of 17, the Brooklyn native found work as an illustrator for the New York Daily News. He worked as an assistant on the daily comic strip The Gumps, working his way up to drawing the Sunday comics. At the start of the 1950s, he quit the job to pursue theater.
In 1957, Landau made both his Broadway and television debut, the latter on the show The Harbormaster. Many small but memorable TV roles followed, as Landau appeared on series like Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, Bonanza, The Rifleman, The Outer Limits and more. Meanwhile, he was landing parts in Hollywood classics such as North By Northwest and Cleopatra.
His career, and pop culture itself, might have taken a radically different path in the mid-1960s. Landau was offered the role of Spock on Star Trek. Of course, he turned down the role that went to Leonard Nimoy. Instead, Landau joined his wife Barbara Bain on Mission: Impossible in 1966, playing master of disguise Rollin Hand.
A decade later, Landau, along with Bain, would eventually get the chance to go to outer space in the cult British sci-fi series Space: 1999 (1975–77). In the late 1980s, the veteran actor landed a string of supporting cinematic roles that garnered great acclaimed.
Landau racked up award nominations for his work in Tucker: The Man and His Dream and Crimes and Misdemeanors. At last, Landau took home an Academy Award for his brilliant turn as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's biopic Ed Wood.
UPDATE: As a tribute to Martin Landau, MeTV will feature appearances by the acclaimed actor in 11 TV series on Saturday, July 22. Included in this special event will be an episode of Mission: Impossible, at 12AM | 11C, in which he portrays the legendary character Rollin Hand, known as “The Man of A Million Faces.”
Saturday, July 22, 2017
10AM | 11C Maverick - “High Card Hangs”
11AM | 10C Wagon Train - “The Cathy Eckhart Story”
12PM | 11C The Big Valley - “The Way to Kill a Killer”
1PM | 12C Gunsmoke - “The Goldtakers”
2PM | 1C Bonanza - “The Gift”
3PM | 2C Rawhide - “Incident Below the Brazos”
4PM | 3C Wanted: Dead or Alive - “The Monster”
5PM | 4C The Rifleman - “The Vaqueros”
6PM | 5C The Wild Wild West - “The Night of the Red-Eyed Madmen”
12A | 11C Mission: Impossible - “The Town”
1AM | 12C Outer Limits - “Man Who Was Never Born”
2AM | 1C Outer Limits - “The Ballero Shield”
People we have lost in 2017
ADAM WEST, TV'S BELOVED BATMAN
He will forever be known as the Caped Crusader. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo
Mary Tyler Moore
The television icon leaves behind a vast legacy. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
BARBARA HALE OF 'PERRY MASON'
The actress who was Della Street passed away at the age of 94. READ MORE
ERIN MORAN OF 'HAPPY DAYS' AND 'JOANIE LOVES CHACHI'
The actress best known as Joanie Cunningham died at 56. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo / Wally Fong
DINA MERRILL, THE BILLIONAIRE HEIRESS WHO PLAYED BATMAN VILLAIN CALAMITY JAN
A Batman villain and one of the richest actresses in history, this socialite sold Mar-a-Lago to Trump. READ MORE
Mike Connors, star of 'Mannix'
The actor will be forever remembered for his tough-guy television role. READ MORE
Don Rickles
The legendary comedian passed away at the age of 90. READ MORE
RICHARD HATCH of 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'
The actor known as Captain Apollo passed away with his son at his side. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
MICHAEL PARKS OF 'THEN CAME BRONSON' AND 'TWIN PEAKS'
From Perry Mason to Kill Bill, few actors have been so effortlessly cool. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
Chuck Barris, host of 'The Gong Show'
The iconic game-show guru passed away at 87. READ MORE
Roger Smith of '77 Sunset Strip'
The actor best known as Jeff Spencer on the hip P.I. series 77 Sunset Strip died at the age of 84. READ MORE
ELENA VERDUGO OF 'MARCUS WELBY, M.D.'
The pioneering Latina actress passed away at 92. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
CURT LOWENS, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, WAR HERO AND 'HOGAN'S HEROES' ACTOR
The fascinating actor known for playing German officers in film and on television passed away at 91. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
JUDGE JOSEPH WAPNER OF 'THE PEOPLE'S COURT'
The popular TV judge passed away at the age of 97. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo
FILM HISTORIAN ROBERT OSBORNE
A personal friend of Lucille Ball, the TCM host passed away 84. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo
Dick Gautier, Hymie the Robot from 'Get Smart'
The actor also starred in 'Mr. Terrific' and provided voices for G.I. Joe and Transformers. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
LAWRENCE MONTAIGNE OF 'STAR TREK'
The actor nearly replaced Leonard Nimoy as Spock. Learn the fascinating story of this character actor. READ MORE
LOLA ALBRIGHT OF 'PETER GUNN'
Albright was best-known for her role as Edie Hart on the television series Peter Gunn. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
CHELSEA BROWN OF 'ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN'
The actress and dancer, pictured on the far right, passed away at 69. READ MORE
Image: The Saturday Evening Post
QUINN O'HARA OF 'THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI'
The Scottish-born actress broke onto the scene in the '60s in Jerry Lewis comedies and beach movies. READ MORE
Image: American International
PETER HANSEN OF 'GENERAL HOSPITAL' AND 'GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.'
For four decades, from 1964 until 2004, Hansen appeared on General Hospital. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
JOHN CYGAN OF 'THE COMMISH' AND 'BOB'
Before his most famous role, Cygan was a regular cast member on the short-lived Bob Newhart sitcom Bob. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
MIGUEL FERRER, SON OF JOSÉ FERRER AND ROSEMARY CLOONEY
Rosemary Clooney's eldest son gave us great characters in 'NCIS: Los Angeles,' 'Twin Peaks' and 'RoboCop.' READ MORE
Francine York, 'Batman' actress and 1960s star
She was the Bookworm's henchwoman — and much more. READ MORE
Image: The Everett Collection
BRUCE LANSBURY, BROTHER OF ANGELA, PRODUCER OF 'WONDER WOMAN' AND 'WILD WILD WEST'
Lansbury also created the Bill Bixby series The Magician. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo / Charles Harrity
JEFFREY HAYDEN, DIRECTOR OF ALL OF OUR FAVORITE TV EPISODES
The notable television director worked on everything from The Andy Griffith Show to Knight Rider. READ MORE
Image: AP Photo
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