Rest in Peace: Martin Landau Dead at 89
The legendary, Oscar-winning actor, Martin Landau has passed away at the age of 89. His publicist, Dick Guttman, told the Associated Press that Landau passed on Saturday due to “unexpected complications during a short stay at UCLA Medical Center.” Landau was truly a jack of all trades during his lengthy career in Hollywood, creating numerous unforgettable characters and greatly contributing to the very fabric of filmmaking.
Martin Landau has documented acting credits on 177 works. His major works include his roles in television’s Mission: Impossible from 1966-1969, Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, Francis Ford Coppola’s Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors. Horror fans know Landau best for his unforgettable sympathetic role as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton’s greatest film, Ed Wood. His performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His flawless portrayal of Lugosi at the end of his life in the final scenes of the film takes on a new level of poignancy with the news of Landau’s passing.