We are very sorry to hear that Martin Landau, best known to Anderson fans as Commander Koenig in Space: 1999, has died aged 89. The death was announced by his publicist Dick Guttman early this morning, saying: “We are overcome with sadness.”
He died on Saturday in Los Angeles of “unexpected complications” following a hospital visit.
Martin was born in New York and started out as a cartoonist for the New York Daily News before moving to the theatre and then cinema acting. He featured in the Alfred Hitchcock film North by North-West and Geppetto in a live-action version of The Adventures of Pinocchio. He is, of course, best known for his role in Mission: Impossible – in which he starred with his then wife Barbara Bain.
He also famously turned down the role of Mr Spock in Star Trek, a role that went to his friend Leonard Nimoy instead.
He is survived by his daughters Susie (a writer-producer) and Juliet (an actress-dancer) from his marriage to Bain; sons-in-law Roy and Deverill; sister Elinor; granddaughter Aria; and godson Dylan.
Although we originally uploaded this video in memory of Gerry Anderson, it seems absolutely appropriate today. “To everything that was!”.
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