In brief
Martin Landau (June 20, 1928 – July 15, 2017) was an American actor renowned for his versatile performances across film and television, particularly his Academy Award-winning role as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood (1994).
Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Morris Landau, an Austrian-born machinist, and Selma (née Buchman) Landau, he grew up immersed in cinema, idolizing Charlie Chaplin from an early age. After attending James Madison High School and briefly studying art at Pratt Institute, Landau forwent a promising career as an editorial cartoonist—having been hired by the New York Daily News at age 17—to pursue acting in 1955.
Martin Landau was born on June 20, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Morris Landau, an Austrian-born machinist who had aspired to a career as a singer, and Selma Landau (née Buchman), a homemaker. Morris balanced his machinist work with unfulfilled artistic ambitions, while Selma managed the household for their three children, including Martin and his sisters.
Photographs
Hero photograph: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
