Martin Landau, Hollywood Great Passes at 89

If you’re a big fan of the Tom Cruise ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise, then you may remember the original black and white ‘Mission Impossible’ television series in the 60s.

The star of that exciting 60s series, Martin Landau, has died at the age of 89 in Los Angeles after complications post-surgery.

Martin Landau was born in Brooklyn in 1928, working at the New York Daily News as a cartoonist after graduating high school only to leave the print industry and focus on becoming an actor. Martin and unknown Steve McQueen were among 500 acting hopefuls that auditioned for the Actors Studio in NYC, run by Lee Strasberg, Ilia Kazan and Harold Clurman; they were the only two accepted in 1955.

His early claim to fame was that of one of the stars in the ensemble of the 60s television series “Mission: Impossible,” but he also won an Oscar for his scary portrayal of Bela Lugosi in “Ed Wood.” Martin also stared in “City Hall” with Robert De Niro, and in the Matt Damon film “Rounders.”

Martin earned multiple Emmy’s, an Oscar, a few Golden Globe awards, but more importantly, he earned the respect and love of his peers. Martin Landau, Hollywood great dead at the age of 89.

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