Catacombs Reference LibraryPublicity
US Top Talent
Catacombs Reference LibraryThis document is dated 29th August 1973, just after Landau and Bain had been cast, and Bellak and Gernreich recruited. There are still 26 full hour episodes (not 24). In addition to the 4 page press release are two 2-page actor biographies, giving the character names- Commander John Robert Koenig and Dr. Helena Russell.
Martin Landau, Barbara Bain to Star; George Bellak is
Story Editor; Rudi Gernreich to Design Futuristic Costumes
Martin Landau and his wife, three-time Emmy Award-winner Barbara Bain, have been signed to star in "Space: 1999" - a brand new one-hour science-fiction adventure series produced for network television by Independent Television Corporation, it was announced today by Abe Mandell, president OF ITC.
Below-the-line "stars" for this precedent making series include story editor George Bellack and designer Rudi Gernreich, Mandell also revealed.
Shooting starts in November, and the first 26 episodes will be in the can in time for the 1974-75 season. Budgeted at $250,000 an episode, l' Space:1999" will contain outer-space special effects and other production values that would increase the cost of the series by half again as much if made in Hollywood, Mandell said. Like most of the company's properties, the series will be filmed in England, home of ITC's parent company, Associated TeleVision, Ltd.
"Space: 1999" is the first ITC property that has been given a completely American orientation, including at its inception leading American stars, story-editor, script-writers, designer and others. Mandell notes that for the first time in 20 years his
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Company is custom-tailoring a series specifically for U. S. audiences, although as usual the property will be marketed throughout the world.
"The ingredients for a network quality American series are network quality American stars and stories," said Mandell, adding, "The Landaus are certainly two of the best known American stars in the business.
Martin Landau's world-wide fame on was preceded by a long and successful career on the legitimate stage, in Hollywood movies and on television, where he appeared on almost every major series, including "Playhouse 90", "Omnibus," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "The Defenders," "Studio One," "The Big Valley" and many others, including other science-fiction programs such as "The Outer Limits" and "The Twilight Zone." His most recent appearances have been on "Columbo", and the 90 minute made-for-television movie, "Savage." Landau's motion picture roles include those in "North by Northwest", "Pork Chop Hill", "The Gazebo," "Cleopatra," The Greatest Story Ever Told", "The Hallelujah Trail," "Nevada Smith," "They Call Me Mister Tibbs", and others, including a movie version of the hit series, "Mission: Impossible Vs. The Mob."
Among Mr. Landau's many stage roles are those in "Detective Story," "Stalag 17", "Wedding Breakfast," "Middle of the Night, "Uncle Vanya", "Goat Song," "The Penguin," "First Love," "Heaven Can Wait" and others.
Barbara Bain (Mrs. Landau) is the only actress to have won three Emmys in succession in the dramatic field since the Television Academy's inception. Her television credits also include the famous television series, among them "Studio One", "Kraft Theatre," "Philco Playhouse", "Omnibus", "Bonanza", "The Greatest Show
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on Earth," "The Dick Van Dyke Show "Wagon Train" and more, including, of course, her long run on "Mission: Impossible."
On stage, she has appeared in "Miss Julie," "Desire Under the Elms "The Wedding Breakfast," "Middle of the Night "Richard the Third," "Don Juan in Hell" and many others.
Both Landaus are life members of the world-renowned Actors Studio, where Martin is also a coach, teacher and director. Barbara was one of his students, and has also studied with Lee Strasberg, Curt Conway, Sanford Meisner and Martha Graham.
Rudi Gernreich, who will design the futuristic costumes for "Space: 1999," is not only the best-known and most dramatic designer in the United States, but the only one famous for his designs predicting clothes for the year 2000 A.D., which were published in a Life Magazine cover story.
"Those were just for earth men and women," Mandell notes. "Now Gernreich can 'update' his futuristic designs, and also create costumes for at least 26 alien worlds as well."
Mr. Bellak, one Of the most prolific writers and editors in the U.S.,has been nominated for an Emmy and is the winner of the WGA Award. His television credits include those for "The Defenders", "Cannon," "The Nurses," "East Side - West Side" and many more, going back to the classic stories on "Playhouse 90," "Studio One," "CBS Playhouse" and others. He has also been a contract writer at Columbia Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox. For the stage, Bellak wrote "The Troublemakers, produced on Broadway, in London and ten European countries. Another play, Edge of the Sword, was awarded the DuBose Heywood Playwriting Award and "Far Far From Home" has been purchased by MGM for stage and screen.
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Bellak and the Landaus will relocate in England for at least a year, during which time the first 26 episodes of "Space: 1999" will be written and filmed. It is being produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who produced ITC's sales success, UFO, last season and who, for the past 12 years have produced science-fiction feature films for Universal and United Artists and outer-space TV series for ITC.
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MARTIN LANDAU
(Commander John Robert Koenig)
BIO
When you've played almost every imaginable role on earth, the only way to go is up. That's the direction Martin Landau takes when he stars as Commander John Koenig on ITC 's new science-fiction action/adventure series, "Space: 1999."
The versatile Brooklyn-born actor originally studied fine art at Pratt Institute and the Art Students League, before he joined the New York Daily News art deportment as a staff artist. A short time later, Landau decided to give up his at the News for a career in the theatre.
Martin Landau started out the way many young hopefuls do in the theatre - summer stock. That first summer in stock made him aware of how much he had learn about acting. When he returned to New York in September, he set out to make up the deficit by attending acting classes, appearing with little theatre groups and performing in off-Broadway plays. Some of the professionals he worked with during that period were Lee Curt Conway, Lenny Chapman and Sanford Meisner.
As Landau learned his craft, he gradually began to attract attention. He auditioned for the world renowned Actors Studio and was one of only three actors chosen that season,
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out of over two thousand applicants, to become lifetime members.
Landau began appearing professionally on more and more stages. He toured in "Detective Story" and "Stalag 17". On Broadway he played in Paddy Chayefsky's long-run hit, "Middle of the Night" with Edward G. Robinson.
Landau, in addition to his own career, began to teach other young actors the skills he'd learned. It was in one of his classes that he met young actress/ model, Barbara Bain. When "Middle of the Night" went on tour it was a honeymoon for the Landaus.
After the tour the Landaus visited Los Angeles, supposedly for a two-week vacation, and were still there a year later. Both of them were working steadily in films and television.
Landau made his movie debut in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller, "North By Northwest". Some of his other film credits include "Pork Chop Hill", "The Halleluiah Trail", "Nevada Smith," "The Gazebo", "Cleopatra, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs."
His numerous television appearances include "Playhouse 90", "Omnibus", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Bonanza", "The Defenders", "Wagon Train", "I Spy", "Studio One," "The Big Valley", "Kraft Music Hall", and "Columbo".
It was just after "Nevada Smith" was completed that Landau got a call from his friend Bruce Geller. Geller asked him if he would appear in the first episode of "Mission: Impossible" playing five roles. Landau agreed to do "just the one episode".
Eighty shows later, Landau was still playing the character Rollin Hand, master of disguise. The hit series was the first opportunity for the Landaus to appear together since they toured in "Middle of the Night." ITC's new series, Space: 1999" again reunites them as a starring team.
With their daughters, Susan Meredith and Juliet Rose, the Landaus have moved to England to film "Space: 1999".
BARBARA BAIN
(Dr. Helena Russell)
BIO
Barbara Bain, the only actress to have won three Emmys in succession in the dramatic field since the inception of the television Academy, now brings her talents to ITC's new science-fiction action/adventure series, "Space: 1999", in which she co-stars with her husband, Martin Landau.
A lifetime member of the world-renowned Actors Studio, Barbara is a native of Chicago. She graduated from the University OF Illinois with a B.A. in sociology and headed for New York. There she studied modern dance with Martha Graham. To pay rent and tuition, she was a high fashion model, appearing on the pages Of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Mademoiselle.
Barbara found that neither modeling nor dancing suited her career ambitions. She was all set to dust off her sociology degree when she paid a visit io Curt Conway's acting group one evening and decided to make her commitment to drama.
It was in Conway's class that she later met a young actor named Martin Landau. They were married a short time later and spent their honeymoon touring in the national company of the Paddy Chayefsky hit, "Middle of The Night." When the tour ended
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they went to Hollywood for a short vacation and remained because they were both getting steady acting assignments.
Barbara's credits include "Miss Julie", "Desire Under The Elms", "The Wedding Breakfast", "Richard the Third " and "Don Juan in Hell", among others.
Some of her early appearances on television were in such shows as "Wagon Train", "Bonanza", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "Get Smart", "Studio One", "Kraft Theatre", "Omnibus", "Philco Playhouse", "Kraft Music Hall", "The Greatest Show on Earth", the ABC Movie OF the Week, "Goodnight My Love" and the CBS Movie Of Week, "Murder My Sweet".
These numerous guest appearances eventually brought her the coveted role of Cinnamon Carter on "Mission: Impossible". It was this portrayal of the sexy and sophisticated agent that won her the three consecutive Emmys.
The great thing about "Mission: Impossible" for Barbara (in addition to all those Emmys) was the chance to work professionally with her husband. It was the first time they had appeared together since they toured in "Middle OF Night".
"Space: 1999" brings the Landaus together on a television series once again. To film the new series, they have moved England with their daughters, Susan Meredith and Juliet Rose.