Martin Landau

Martin Landau - Film & Theater Personalities, Family and Facts

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Martin Landau Biography Stories 

Martin Landau's Personal Details

Martin Landau was an Oscar-winning American actor

InformationDetail
BirthdayJune 20, 1928
Died onJuly 15, 2017
NationalityAmerican
FamousFilm & Theater Personalities, Actors
City/StateNew Yorkers
SpousesBarbara Bain (m. 1957; div. 1993)
Known asMartin James Landau
ChildrensJuliet Landau, Susan Landau Finch
Universities
  • Pratt Institute
Birth PlaceBrooklyn, New York City, New York
Height185
GenderMale
FatherMorris Landau
MotherSelma Landau
Sun SignGemini
Born inBrooklyn, New York City, New York
Famous asActor
Died at Age89

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Martin Landau's photo

Who is Martin Landau?

Martin Landau was an Oscar-winning American actor who became popular for his role as a gay henchman in Alfred Hitchcock's movie ‘North by Northwest’. From being a cartoonist to a Broadway actor to working in TV series and finally making it big with movies, Landau always experimented with his career choices. A character actor, Landau played a variety of roles in TV and films in a career spanning over seven decades. He has played not just positive roles but also negative and comical characters. He gained immense fame for his character Rollin Hand in the blockbuster TV series ‘Mission: Impossible’. He worked in popular TV shows such as ‘Armstrong Circle Theatre’, ‘Schlitz Playhouse’, ‘The Big Story’, ‘Maverick’ and ‘Rawhide’. He won lots of praise for his impeccable performances in films such as ‘Cleopatra’, ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ and ‘Crimes and Misdemeanors’. He won three Golden Globes for his supporting roles in various films before finally bagging his first Academy Award for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi in ‘Ed Wood’. He continued acting in films and television series, while simultaneously heading the Hollywood branch of the Actors Studio until his death in July 2017.

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Childhood & Early Life

Martin James Landau was born on June 20, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Morris Landau and Selma. His father was a machinist.

Martin completed his schooling from James Madison High School and enrolled in the Pratt Institute and the Art Students League.

When he was around 17 years old, he took up the job of a cartoonist and illustrator with the New York Daily News. In his tenure of five years, he worked on several columns and comic strips such as ‘The Gumps’ and ‘Pitching Horseshoes’.

At the age of 22, he quit his job as a cartoonist and forayed into theatre.

Career

Martin Landau’s first stage performance was for the drama ‘Detective Story’ at the Peaks Island Playhouse in Peaks Island, Maine in 1951. In the same year, he made his off-Broadway debut with ‘First Love’.

In 1955, Landau confirmed a place with the Actors Studio in New York City making him one of the two applicants selected out of the 500 that applied for the spot. At the training academy, he got the opportunity to be trained under Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, and Harold Clurman.

He went on to work as an executive director and co-creative director of the program's West Coast branch.

His venture into Broadway proved to be successful as he replaced the famous star Franchot Tone in the 1956 off-Broadway show ‘Uncle Vanya’.

Landau then got his major breakthrough after he was cast for a touring production of Paddy Chayefsky’s play ‘Middle of the Night’ in 1957. His performance caught the eye of several casting agents that helped him bag multiple television projects.

He went on to appear in television shows such as ‘Armstrong Circle Theatre’, ‘Schlitz Playhouse’, ‘The Big Story’, ‘Maverick’, and ‘Rawhide’.

He made his entry onto the big screen with the movie ‘Pork Chop Hill’ in 1959. However, it was his role as the notorious henchman in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller ‘North by Northwest’, which released in the same year, that earned him fame and recognition.

Landau’s portrayal of a Roman general in the blockbuster movie, ‘Cleopatra’ in 1963 won him accolades for his performance.

He was also seen in two episodes of the science-fiction television series, ‘The Outer Limits’ in 1963.

In 1965, he appeared in another negative role as Caiaphas in the movie ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ and in a comical role as Chief Walks-Stooped-Over in ‘The Hallelujah Trail’.

Martin Landau’s careers’ biggest highlight would be his appearance as Rollin Hand in the television spy series ‘Mission: Impossible’ in 1966. His character was meant to be make occasional appearances in the show but his character was so well-received by the audience that the producers decided to have him as a regular cast member.

He worked on ‘Mission: Impossible’ for around three years before exiting it in 1969 following salary issues. Landau was displeased that the new star, Peter Graves was paid a higher remuneration than him despite having signed a contract which stated that Landau would have parity with any other actor on the show who was paid more than him.

Landau’s decision to quit Mission: Impossible proved to be a bad one as the show went on for another four years while his career seemed to be struggling. In 1970, Landau appeared as the preacher and murder suspect, Logan Sharpe, in the crime drama film, ‘They Call Me Mister Tibbs!’.

He was a part of the cast of the TV movie ‘Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol’ in 1972 and also co-starred in the English sci-fi TV show ‘Space: 1999’ in 1975. Thereafter, Landau featured mostly in minor or straight-to-DVD films or made guest-appearances in television shows.

He took up the titular role in the Broadway play of ‘Dracula’ which was a touring production that ran from 1984 to 1985.

Landau’s career revived after he was cast in a crucial supporting role in the movie ‘Tucker: The Man and His Dream’ in 1988. His good performance earned him a nomination for the Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and bagged him the Golden Globe award.

In 1989, he featured as an adulterous husband in ‘Crimes and Misdemeanors’. This role earned him his second consecutive Oscar nomination for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’.

He eventually bagged the Oscar for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for his role of Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's biopic ‘Ed Wood’ in 1994. The role also earned him his third Golden Globe award.

There onwards, Landau continued to work in television and films. He was seen in the TV movie ‘The Anna Nicole Smith Story’ in 2013 in which he played the role of Anna’s husband J. Howard Marshall II.

Personal Life & Legacy

Martin Landau married actress Barbara Bain on January 31, 1957, and had two daughters Susan and Juliet. They divorced in 1993.

Landau passed away due to hypovolemic shock with metabolic acidosis, intra-abdominal haemorrhage and diffuse atherosclerotic vascular disease on July 15, 2017, at the UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. He was 89 years old.

Trivia

Martin Landau was producer Gene Roddenberry's original choice to play Mr Spock on ‘Star Trek’ in 1966. The role was then played by Leonard Nimoy who also replaced Landau in Mission: Impossible after he quit the show.

Landau’s wife Barbara Bain worked with him in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ TV series.

Before marrying Barbara Bain, he was supposedly in a relationship with Marilyn Monroe

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Martin Landau's awards

YearNameAward

Academy Awards(Oscars)

1995Best Actor in a Supporting RoleEd Wood (1994)

Golden Globe Awards

1995Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureEd Wood (1994)
1989Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureTucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
1968Best TV Star - MaleMission: Impossible (1966)

Martin Landau biography timelines

  • // 20th Jun 1928
    Martin James Landau was born on June 20, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Morris Landau and Selma. His father was a machinist.
  • // 1951
    Martin Landau’s first stage performance was for the drama ‘Detective Story’ at the Peaks Island Playhouse in Peaks Island, Maine in 1951. In the same year, he made his off-Broadway debut with ‘First Love’.
  • // 1955
    In 1955, Landau confirmed a place with the Actors Studio in New York City making him one of the two applicants selected out of the 500 that applied for the spot. At the training academy, he got the opportunity to be trained under Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, and Harold Clurman.
  • // 1956
    His venture into Broadway proved to be successful as he replaced the famous star Franchot Tone in the 1956 off-Broadway show ‘Uncle Vanya’.
  • // 1957
    Landau then got his major breakthrough after he was cast for a touring production of Paddy Chayefsky’s play ‘Middle of the Night’ in 1957. His performance caught the eye of several casting agents that helped him bag multiple television projects.
  • // 31st Jan 1957 To 1993
    Martin Landau married actress Barbara Bain on January 31, 1957, and had two daughters Susan and Juliet. They divorced in 1993.
  • // 1959
    He made his entry onto the big screen with the movie ‘Pork Chop Hill’ in 1959. However, it was his role as the notorious henchman in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller ‘North by Northwest’, which released in the same year, that earned him fame and recognition.
  • // 1963
    Landau’s portrayal of a Roman general in the blockbuster movie, ‘Cleopatra’ in 1963 won him accolades for his performance.
  • // 1963
    He was also seen in two episodes of the science-fiction television series, ‘The Outer Limits’ in 1963.
  • // 1965
    In 1965, he appeared in another negative role as Caiaphas in the movie ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ and in a comical role as Chief Walks-Stooped-Over in ‘The Hallelujah Trail’.
  • // 1966
    Martin Landau’s careers’ biggest highlight would be his appearance as Rollin Hand in the television spy series ‘Mission: Impossible’ in 1966. His character was meant to be make occasional appearances in the show but his character was so well-received by the audience that the producers decided to have him as a regular cast member.
  • // 1966
    Martin Landau was producer Gene Roddenberry's original choice to play Mr Spock on ‘Star Trek’ in 1966. The role was then played by Leonard Nimoy who also replaced Landau in Mission: Impossible after he quit the show.
  • // 1969
    He worked on ‘Mission: Impossible’ for around three years before exiting it in 1969 following salary issues. Landau was displeased that the new star, Peter Graves was paid a higher remuneration than him despite having signed a contract which stated that Landau would have parity with any other actor on the show who was paid more than him.
  • // 1970
    Landau’s decision to quit Mission: Impossible proved to be a bad one as the show went on for another four years while his career seemed to be struggling. In 1970, Landau appeared as the preacher and murder suspect, Logan Sharpe, in the crime drama film, ‘They Call Me Mister Tibbs!’.
  • // 1984 To 1985
    He took up the titular role in the Broadway play of ‘Dracula’ which was a touring production that ran from 1984 to 1985.
  • // 1988
    Landau’s career revived after he was cast in a crucial supporting role in the movie ‘Tucker: The Man and His Dream’ in 1988. His good performance earned him a nomination for the Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and bagged him the Golden Globe award.
  • // 1989
    In 1989, he featured as an adulterous husband in ‘Crimes and Misdemeanors’. This role earned him his second consecutive Oscar nomination for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
  • // 1994
    He eventually bagged the Oscar for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for his role of Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's biopic ‘Ed Wood’ in 1994. The role also earned him his third Golden Globe award.
  • // 2013
    There onwards, Landau continued to work in television and films. He was seen in the TV movie ‘The Anna Nicole Smith Story’ in 2013 in which he played the role of Anna’s husband J. Howard Marshall II.
  • // 15th Jul 2017
    Landau passed away due to hypovolemic shock with metabolic acidosis, intra-abdominal haemorrhage and diffuse atherosclerotic vascular disease on July 15, 2017, at the UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. He was 89 years old.

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Martin Landau's FAQ

  • What is Martin Landau birthday?

    Martin Landau was born at 1928-06-20

  • When was Martin Landau died?

    Martin Landau was died at 2017-07-15

  • Where was Martin Landau died?

    Martin Landau was died in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

  • Which age was Martin Landau died?

    Martin Landau was died at age 89

  • Where is Martin Landau's birth place?

    Martin Landau was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York

  • What is Martin Landau nationalities?

    Martin Landau's nationalities is American

  • Who is Martin Landau spouses?

    Martin Landau's spouses is Barbara Bain (m. 1957; div. 1993)

  • Who is Martin Landau childrens?

    Martin Landau's childrens is Juliet Landau, Susan Landau Finch

  • What was Martin Landau universities?

    Martin Landau studied at Pratt Institute

  • How tall is Martin Landau?

    Martin Landau's height is 185

  • Who is Martin Landau's father?

    Martin Landau's father is Morris Landau

  • Who is Martin Landau's mother?

    Martin Landau's mother is Selma Landau

  • What is Martin Landau's sun sign?

    Martin Landau is Gemini

  • How famous is Martin Landau?

    Martin Landau is famouse as Actor