Though he got his start as an actor during the golden age of television in the 1950s, Martin Landau had to wait until the late 1980s until he became a widely recognized commodity. After five years as a cartoonist, Landau switched gears to become an actor, performing in live television productions before graduating to Hollywood features in the 1960s. Toward the latter half of that precarious decade, he landed his first truly memorable role, playing master of disguise Rollin Hand on the hit spy series "Mission: Impossible" (CBS, 1966-1973). Though the show lasted for seven seasons, Landau left after the third because of a contractual dispute, a move that left the actor struggling to find quality roles for almost two decades. Landau had a particularly rough time during the 1980s despite steady work, mainly as a one-dimensional villain in projects more concerned with car chases and explosions than character or story. He finally re-emerged with Oscar-nominated roles in "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" (1988) and "Crimes and Misdemeanors" (1989), eventually winning his first Academy Award for his spot-on portrayal of aging silent film star Bela Lugosi in "Ed Wood" (1994), all of which paved the way for higher profile projects for an actor always capable of quality performances. Martin Landau continued to work steadily in character roles in film and on television for the rest of his life. His death at the age of 89 on July 15, 2017 was greeted with mourning and fond remembrances from fans and peers around the globe.
Highest rated movies
Photos
Martin Landau
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Without Ward | Ward (Character) | - | 2022 |
73% | | Abe (Character) | - | 2017 | |
No Score Yet | | The Red Maple Leaf | Bernard Florence (Character) | - | 2016 |
68% | | Remember | Max Rosenbaum (Character) | $1.2M | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs | Rulon Jeffs (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | | Anna Nicole | J. Howard Marshall (Character) | - | 2013 |
87% | | Frankenweenie | Mr. Rzykruski (Voice) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet | | Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith | Rabbi Albert Lewis (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet | | Mysteria | Hotel Manager (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ivory | Leon Spencer (Character) | - | 2010 |
57% | | 9 | 2 (Voice) | $31.7M | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Harrison Montgomery | Harrison Montgomery (Character) | - | 2008 |
73% | | Lovely, Still | Robert Malone (Character) | $124.7K | 2008 |
No Score Yet | | Billy: The Early Years | Charles Templeton - older (Character) | $320.9K | 2008 |
53% | | City of Ember | Sul (Character) | $7.9M | 2008 |
No Score Yet | | Rabbi Schmulic (Character) | - | 2008 | |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | An Existential Affair | Doctor (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love Made Easy | Don Farinelli (Character) | - | 2006 |
12% | | The Aryan Couple | Joseph Krauzenberg (Character) | - | 2004 |
27% | | Wake | Older Sebastian Riven (Character) | - | 2004 |
30% | | Hollywood Homicide | Wasley (Character) | $30.0M | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Commission | Sen. Richard Russell (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shanghai Ghetto | Narrator | $711.6K | 2002 |
No Score Yet | | Haven | Papa Gruber (Character) | - | 2001 |
42% | | The Majestic | Harry Trimble (Character) | $27.8M | 2001 |
No Score Yet | | The New Adventures of Pinocchio | Geppetto (Character) | - | 2001 |
46% | | Shiner | Frank Spedding (Character) | - | 2000 |
23% | | Ready to Rumble | Sal Bandini (Character) | $12.4M | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Very Mean Men | Mr. White (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet | | The Joyriders | Gordon Trout (Character) | $64.6K | 1999 |
63% | | EDtv | Al (Character) | $22.4M | 1999 |
64% | | Rounders | Abe Petrovsky (Character) | $22.9M | 1998 |
66% | | The X-Files | Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil (Character) | $83.9M | 1998 |
15% | | B.A.P.S | Mr. Donald Blakemore (Character) | $7.2M | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Legend of the Spirit Dog | Storyteller (Voice) | - | 1997 |
60% | | City Hall | Walter Stern (Character) | $20.0M | 1996 |
35% | | The Adventures of Pinocchio | Geppetto (Character) | $15.1M | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Elevator | Roy Tilden (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet | | Joseph | Jacob (Character) | - | 1995 |
9% | | Intersection | Neal (Character) | $20.7M | 1994 |
92% | | Ed Wood | Bela Lugosi (Character) | $5.9M | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Color of Evening | Max Loeb (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Time Is Money | Mac (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | | No Place to Hide | Frank McCoy (Character) | $92.5K | 1993 |
40% | | 12:01 | Dr. Thadius Moxley (Character) | - | 1993 |
18% | | Sliver | Alex Parsons (Character) | $35.5M | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Eye of the Stranger | Mayor Howard Bains (Character) | - | 1993 |
72% | | Mistress | Jack Roth (Character) | $53.6K | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Legacy of Lies | Abraham Resnick (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet | | Something to Live For: The Alison Gertz Story | Jerry Gertz (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Echoes That Remain | Narrator | - | 1991 |
No Score Yet | | By Dawn's Early Light | President (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | | Firehead | Adm. Pendleton (Character) | $71.1K | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Max and Helen | Simon Wiesenthal (Character) | - | 1990 |
92% | | Crimes and Misdemeanors | Judah Rosenthal (Character) | $17.6M | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Paint It Black | Daniel Lambert (Character) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Neon Empire | Max (Character) | - | 1989 |
81% | | Tucker: The Man and His Dream | Abe Karatz/ | $19.2M | 1988 |
No Score Yet | | Empire State | Chuck (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | | Cyclone | Bosarian (Character) | $41.2K | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Delta Fever | Bud (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Death Blow | Judge Shaw (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Run If You Can | Malvani (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | | Sweet Revenge | Cicero (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | | Kung Fu: The Movie | John Martin Perkins III (Character) | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet | | Treasure Island | Old Captain (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Trial by Terror | Unknown (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Access Code | Agency Head (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | | The Pottsville Horror | Garson Jones (Character) | - | 1983 |
67% | | Alone in the Dark | Byron "Preacher" Sutcliff (Character) | - | 1982 |
No Score Yet | | The Fall of the House of Usher | Roderick Usher (Character) | - | 1982 |
No Score Yet | | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | J.J. Pierson (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet | | The Return | Niles Buchanan (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | | Without Warning | Fred "Sarge" Dobbs (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alien Warning | Fred "Sarge" Dobbs (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Last Word | Captain Garrity (Character) | - | 1979 |
5% | | Meteor | General Adlon (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Death of Ocean View Park | Tom Flood (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beyond Reason | Unknown (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | | Shadows in an Empty Room | Dr. George Tracer (Character) | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alien Attack | Commander John Koenig (Character) | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Destination Moonbase Alpha | Commander John Koenig (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Journey Through the Black Sun | Commander John Koenig (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | | The Cosmic Princess | Commander John Koenig (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | | Black Gunn | Capelli (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Situation: Normal A.F.U. | Joe Mellone (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | | Savage | Paul Savage (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol | Johnny Bristol (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | | A Town Called Hell | The Colonel (Character) | - | 1971 |
50% | | They Call Me Mister Tibbs! | Logan Sharpe (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Operation Snafu | Joe Mellone (Character) | - | 1970 |
50% | | Nevada Smith | Jesse Coe (Character) | - | 1966 |
42% | | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Caiaphas (Character) | - | 1965 |
33% | | The Hallelujah Trail | Chief Walks-Stooped-Over (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre | Nelson Orion (Character) | - | 1964 |
56% | | Cleopatra | Rufio (Character) | - | 1963 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock | Dade Coleman (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | | The Gazebo | The Duke/ | - | 1959 |
97% | | North by Northwest | Leonard (Character) | - | 1959 |
86% | | Pork Chop Hill | Lt. Marshall (Character) | - | 1959 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2013 |
85% | 76% | The Simpsons | The Great Raymondo (Guest Voice) | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In Plain Sight | Joseph Thomas / | 2009 |
No Score Yet | 75% | Without a Trace | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2004-2005 2009 |
65% | 82% | Entourage | Bob Ryan (Guest Star) | 2006 2008 |
45% | No Score Yet | The Evidence | Dr. Sol Goldman (Character) | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Inside the Actors Studio | Guest | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Unknown (Character) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Murder, She Wrote | Al Drake (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hotel | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1983 |
66% | 90% | Space: 1999 | Commander John Koenig (Character) | 1975-1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mission: Impossible | Rollin Hand (Character) | 1966-1973 |
No Score Yet | 80% | Columbo | Dexter Paris, Norman Paris (Guest Star) | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Carol Burnett Show | Guest | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gunsmoke | Britton (Guest Star) | 1958 1966 |
100% | No Score Yet | The Man From U.N.C.L.E. | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Branded | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1966 |
No Score Yet | 100% | The Wild, Wild West | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Big Valley | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Man Called Shenandoah | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | I Spy | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mr. Novak | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1963 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Unknown (Character) | 1964 |
92% | 96% | The Twilight Zone | Dan Hotaling (Character) | 1959 1964 |
92% | 92% | The Outer Limits | Andro (Character) | 1963-1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Tall Man | Father Guesclin (Guest Star) | 1961-1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Untouchables | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Rifleman | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bonanza | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wagon Train | Preacher (Guest Star) | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Johnny Ringo | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Johnny Staccato | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1959 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rawhide | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1959 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tales of Wells Fargo | Doc Holliday (Guest Star) | 1959 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lawman | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Marshal Dillon | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1958 |