Mission: Impossible actor Martin Landau dies at 89

Martin Landau has been on our screens for more than 60 years.

The American actor first appeared in shows like Alfred Hitchcocks North by Northwest playing a villain before going on to a regular gig on the Mission: Impossible television series, in the role of Rollin Hand, a master of disguise. Roles in movies like Cleopatra, The Greatest Story Ever Told and They Call Me Mister Tibbs! further cemented his career.

A role in Ed Wood earned Landau an Academy Award, after previously being nominated for Crimes and Misdemeanours and Tucker: The Man and His Dream. He also has three Golden Globes, and was nominated for an Emmy five times.

He featured in many television shows over the years, from Space 1999 in 1975 to 1977 to more recent shows like Entourage (2006-2009) and Without a Trace (2004-2009 where he played Frank Malone, the father of Anthony LaPaglia’s character, who has Alzheimer’s Disease.

The star also worked as an acting teacher, and married his Mission Impossible co-star Barbara Bain in 1957, although they divorced in 1993.

The gravelled voice star also appeared on Broadway, his debut in Middle of the Night in 1959.

Landau received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2001.

Before his acting career he did a stint as a cartoonist for the Daily News.

Landau died in hospital of ‘unexpected complications’, reported his publicist, and is survived by his two daughters. 

What role do you remember Martin Landau for the most?