Martin Landau | The Complete Pioneers of Television Interview

[@aguage99]

Thank you mr. Landau! I discovered Martin Landau thanks to Space:1999. For me, Space:1999 is Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and all the others (especially of the first season). The spirit of the first season is the force of the serie. Mr Landau is totally right when he says "We were barely surviving". Humans facing never lived before experiences with equipment and tools that are plausible for the time. That's what I love in Space:1999. Thank you!

[@billhosko7723]

Bravo.

[@aguage99]

👍

[@michaelmccafferty7341]

I enjoyed this interview because it gave me a little insight into acting and developing a character. It is much more involved than I thought.

[@alcoholic2412]

His performance as Bela Lugosi was incredible.

[@marsazorean62]

Truth.

[@ИванИванов-с3р6о]

точно

[@badweetabix]

I first watched him in his role in North by Northwest as Leonard, the righthand man of the spy played by James Mason. Landau can project a sinister and intense evilness just by his stare into the camera.

[@TyroneDaviesWELSHMAN]

Total legend. One of my actor favs. Class and talent. A rare combination these days in the arts.

[@drakensberg.multimedia]

I still love Space: 1999 till this day! As a kid in the 70s, I thought Star Trek was boring. But, Space : 1999 was on a different level. It presented thought provoking stories and concepts, with cool action, unique space ships, and quality special effects. And speaking of unique space ships, it doesn't get any cooler and believable that the Eagle transports. So much so, that most of the model builders and concept artists went on to work on a small movie named Star Wars. You can see how the show influenced George Lucas. And no character was cooler than Commander Koenig! Oh, and my 8 year son loves the show and even has several of the eagle ships!

[@brockreynolds870]

I never thought Star trek boring, but I simply liked Space:1999 more because of sheer elegance of the sets and effects, and mostly the serious nature of the conepts presented, the profound and thought provoking stories. People criticized the show for having no humor... why would it? It's not a damn sticom. The one thing about Star Trek that annoyed me were these comedic epligoues each episode had.... some clever or funny little quips, and that hippity hoppity music they would play in the background , to me, diluted the importance of the moral dilemma or situation that was presented. And Babrara was criticized for no being "emotional" enough... which seems rooted in chauvanism to me. She was a clam, reassuring, STOIC presence, which is what a chief medical oficer SHOULD BE. And she also did an enormous amount of emotion with her eyes, some viewers are just too clueless to appreciate her subtelty.

[@billhosko7723]

Excellent Opinions. Thank you very much. @@brockreynolds870

[@January.]

Very interesting and intelligent man. I enjoyed watching him in North by Northwest.

[@bertogauge6125]

Loved Martin growing up, from Outer Limits to Mission Impossible, then later Columbo, live on stage in SJ, & many great movies. Thanks Martin!

[@theironclads]

Martin was admitted to the highly prestigious & competitive N.Y.C.'s Actors Studio with Steve McQueen (Marty & Steve would co-star in Nevada Smith). Later on, Landau was also a teacher at the Actor's Studio.

[@robertwilkscomposer3726]

One of my favorite actors. Insightful interview.

[@jimlaguardia8185]

A truly great actor!

[@YAMISOOLD2009]

Thanks for posting this. As others noted he told us much more about acting than I expected. He took it seriously and taught it and with that in mind it makes sense that he would have a lot to say about the profession and technique. Like many others he was a child hood hero of mine as Commander Koenig. I wish he had spent a little more time talking here about Space: 1999 but he has in other places and in books. I loved what he did share about Mission Impossible and some of his other roles.

[@normasandow-f7b]

Great interview, gave me insight into his character and the rest of the crew. Lucy had great insight into this show and picked a winner. Martin Landau great character as Abraham and Jacob

[@theflorgeormix]

Captivating always. At the heart of every show he was in. What you watch it for.

[@zuluwarrior88]

So insightful of the industry….thank you.

[@CinemaGulp]

Legend

[@davidmerrittjacovino]

Really watch this guy, because people like this will never exist again.

[@billhosko7723]

Aww. So well done. Thank you.

[@fredkelbert1913]

The audio is coming from only the “left channel.”

[@davidmoser3535]

go right

[@alcoholic2412]

Yeah it's mono but I can live with it

[@LovelyAbyssinianCat-ye6bd]

One hell of an actor so was barbra bain very underated martin is one very very good actor so underated

[@davidhailstone7794]

He's right about the horrible dialogue in modern TV and movies. That and waving the damn camera around all the time. Hate it.

[@YAMISOOLD2009]

Yes way too much talking about things that would never get actually said.

[@robvangessel3766]

Ed Wood endeared me to Landau forever.

[@davidkmatthews]

He was by far the best actor in "Mission: Impossible" - but then he was allowed to add a human depth and characterisation that the rest of the cast mysteriously seemed to be denied. (Peter Graves once commented that he was told off by Bruce Geller for allowing his character, Jim Phelps, to visually express delight that the mission had been successful. That "stone-faced professionalism" rule for the characters didn't seem to apply to Martin's performances, thankfully)

[@DSGNflorian]

Martin Landau had a very distinctive and often intriguing presence in the roles he played. Whether it was "North By Northwest", "Mission", "Space 1999" or "Tucker", he always brought a certain unique something to a part. His physique/looks and voice surely were a big part of that presence. To me it's fun to speculate how he would have played Spock in Star Trek. I've always thought he would have been excellent as Spock. However, watching this from 18:30 onwards, I can't help but feel some disappointment over how he puts down the part of Spock and by extension his colleague Leonard Nimoy, who played that part so wonderfully and eventually replaced Landau on "Mission". His take on Spock shows that either he didn't really get that character at all or worse, he harbors some feelings of resentment/envy towards Nimoy, who became much more famous with that role than Landau ever got in the parts he played. It would be a bit sad if Landau felt regret over turning down the part of Spock, although it might explain why he chose to play Commander Koenig in another Sci-Fi show a few years later.

[@filomango69]

I don't think Spock as eventually conceptualized was explained to him that well. And remember, the character Spock also went thru changes from the initial get-go. Landau explained that he turned down the role of Spock right off because it was presented as a cold, unemotional character and that didn't appeal to him

[@MissWitchiepoo]

I really don't think he would have been good as Spock because Leonard Nimoy was Spock and he created the most loved on Star Trek next to Captain Kirk. I don't think Spock would have become so popular if Nimoy hadn't played the role. Spock did feel emotions but hid it so when it comes out once in a while it's very special:)

[@angelomicciche3044]

For me, 70s TV was about two reassuring sets of smiles- Martin Landau on Space 1999 and Tom Baker as Dr. Who. Like Martin, I preferred Series 1 of Space 1999: for a doomed race, the Alphans were pretty good at replacing destroyed Eagles! As for Martin’s Oscar as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood… “Karloff? That limey £&@!€

[@LovelyAbyssinianCat-ye6bd]

When him and barbara left so did i martin knew the part well

[@NancyHernandez-jo3xl]

I like him.

[@January.]

I despise hearing actors incessantly address other actors by their character's name in movies and television shows, too.

[@MissWitchiepoo]

I loved Rosemary's baby one scary movie. I used to watch Space 1999 until I was watching it at a new friend's home and in the middle of it had to go pee. On my way back his friend I had just met was waiting in the next room and threw me on the bed and tried to rape me. Who gets aroused by watching Space 1999 that's just crazy. No one noticed I hadn't come back till I got his hand of my mouth and screamed and thankfully they came running and got me out. So, I have to admit that after that I stopped watching:)

[@patrikez1]

Whats up with the crappy sound on some of these ?.

[@MerlinSmith-t3z]

Kamila Harris

[@DarrenThomas-xi6rz]

Hi there hope all goes as things come back from you Darren Thomas àirwolf Knight rider fan hello lovely day best friend Jan Michael Vincent East Ender's fan pips lodge George Street Milford haven Wales

[@robvangessel3766]

I looked at the original Mission: Impossible and found it demanded a lot of suspension of disbelief. One, they made the intricate plan set up by Steven Hill (a great actor, btw!) or Peter Graves look like it was immediately put into play; when I'd imagine it would typically take months or years to lay out. Okay, so they compressed time for the viewer! The 2nd problem is the myth of latex masks being so foolproof. Mythbusters did a show abt that, proving that no matter how detailed, a mask just doesn't fool people. 3rd, all the American agents fool their quarries no matter what nation they're infiltrating, evidently speaking that foreign language (fictional or Spanish or German) flawlessly. The effect achieved by everyone speaking English with cheesy accents to suggest the region. (Graves being the least convincing).

[@perseus9428]

43:08 There is no "on the other hand" , chief. Up until just a couple of years ago, the "best" actors who got the cushy jobs where almost all Jewish, much like yourself. Let's not uselessly add to the bullshit pile . We all know what's up.

[@ytugtbk]

What a weird guy. And, that's saying something since he's a member of a weird profession. "Mission Impossible" succeeded because it had a catchy intro tune, good premise and scripts, and tied into latent attitudes about the Cold War and CIA skullduggery. Landau came across as a pompous, elitist artist when after the show became a hit he held out for money like an artist turned capitalist. Like so many in the entertainment industry--pure hypocrisy.

[@MerlinSmith-t3z]

Kamila Harris

[@MerlinSmith-t3z]

Kamila Harris