‘Mission: Impossible’ Star Martin Landau Dies Age 89

The actor worked prolifically in movies and television throughout his life.

July 17, 2017 10:41 am
Martin Landau
Actor Martin Landau at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival opening night after party on April 6, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Getty Images for TCM

Academy Award-winning actor Martin Landau has died at age 89, the New York Times reported over the weekend. Best known for his roles in North by Northwest and the television series Mission: Impossible, his publicist confirmed Saturday that he died of “unexpected complications” following a brief stay at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The actor, who was a former cartoonist for the New York Daily News, worked prolifically in movies and television throughout his life, snagging roles opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra, and opposite Sidney Poitier in They Called Me Mister Tibbs. Forbes reports that later in his career, Landau spent his time teaching, directing, and as executive director at the Actors Studio West, where he guided and assisted the likes of Jack Nicholson and Angelica Huston. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame can be found at 6841 Hollywood Boulevard.

Martin Landau
Martin Landau arrives at the 2009 AFI Fest and Warner Home Video’s DVD Release of “North By Northwest” on November 2, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Martin Landau New York Daily News
Martin Landau at work in the New York Daily News Art Dept in 1951. (NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
NY Daily News via Getty Images
Mission Impossible Martin Landau
Peter Graves as James Phelps, Martin Landau as Rollin Hand and Greg Morris as Barney Collier in the TV series Mission Impossible (CBS via Getty Images)
CBS via Getty Images
Martin Landau and Johnny Depp
Martin Landau and Johnny Depp in Ed Wood (Everett Collection)
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy
Martin Landau Hollywood Walk of Fame
Martin Landau during his Hollywood Walk of Fame induction.(Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
WireImage
Martin Landau Cleopatra
Richard Burton and Martin Landau in Cleopatra (Mary Evans/20th Century Fox)
20TH CENT FOX / Ronald Grant Arc
Martin Landau in the TV serties ‘Space:1999′(Michael Putland/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Martin Landau
James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Adam Williams, Martin Landau in North By Northwest (Everett Collection)
Courtesy Everett Collection
Martin Landau
Actor Martin Landau at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival opening night after party on April 6, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Getty Images for TCM

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.