Barbara Bain | |
|---|---|
 Bain in 2006 | |
| Born | Mildred Fogel (1931-09-13)September 13, 1931 (age 94) |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1957–present |
| Known for | Mission: Impossible Space: 1999 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Susan Landau Finch Juliet Landau |
Barbara Bain (bornMildred Fogel;[1] September 13, 1931[2]) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cinnamon Carter Crawford[3] on the action television seriesMission: Impossible (1966–1969), which earned her threePrimetime Emmy Awards, as well as aGolden Globe Award nomination. She also starred as Dr. Helena Russell on the British-Italian coproduction science-fiction television seriesSpace: 1999 (1975–1977). Bain has also appeared in the filmsAnimals with the Tollkeeper (1998),Panic (2000),Forget Me Not (2009) andOn the Rocks (2020).
Bain was born Mildred Fogel in Chicago, Illinois,[1][4][5] the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants.[6][7][8] She graduated from theUniversity of Illinois with abachelor's degree insociology.[9] Developing an interest in dance, she moved to New York City, where she studied alongsideMartha Graham.[9] Dissatisfied with her career as a dancer, she went intomodeling; jobs withVogue,Harper's, and other publications followed.
Still uninspired, however, Bain entered the Theater Studio to study acting, first underCurt Conway, thenLonny Chapman. Progressing to theActors Studio, she was instructed byLee Strasberg.[10][11]
Bain's first acting role was inPaddy Chayevsky's playMiddle of the Night, which embarked on a national tour in October 1957.[10][12] Accompanying Bain was fellow actor and new husbandMartin Landau; the final leg of the tour brought the couple to Los Angeles, where they settled permanently.[10] After moving, Bain established herself at theActors Studio West, where she continued to teach classes and perform scene work.[13]
Bain's earliest television appearances includedCBS'sTightrope, withMike Connors, and threeABC series:The Law and Mr. Jones,Adventures in Paradise, andStraightaway. After a recurring role asDavid Janssen's romantic interest inRichard Diamond, Private Detective in 1959, she guest-starred as Madelyn Terry in a 1960 episode ofPerry Mason, "The Case of the Wary Wildcatter".
In 1963, Bain appeared as Rob Petrie's soon-to-be ex-fiancée inThe Dick Van Dyke Show, in the episode "Will You Two Be My Wife?", and in 1964 played the role of Elayna Scott in "The Case of the Nautical Knot" episode of Perry Mason. In 1965, she guest-starred alongside series starJerry Van Dyke in an episode ofMy Mother The Car. She appeared in the 1966 final episode of the series alongside Van Dyke.
Between 1966 and 1969, Bain appeared—alongside her husband, Martin Landau—in the major role of Cinnamon Carter inMission: Impossible, winning three consecutiveEmmy Awards for Best Dramatic Actress for her performances in 1967, 1968, and 1969, in addition to aGolden Globe Award nomination in 1968.[14] Bain reprised her character in a 1997 episode ofDiagnosis: Murder. She starred opposite Landau again in the science-fiction TV seriesSpace: 1999 (1975–77) as Dr. Helena Russell and in the made-for-TV filmThe Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981).
She guest-starred in the October 29, 1985, episode ofMoonlighting, playing Emily Greydon. Bain also appeared inMy So-Called Life, playingAngela Chase's grandmother in one episode. Other appearances include "Matryoshka", an episode of the 1990s science-fiction seriesMillennium.
In 1998, Bain appeared in theWalker, Texas Ranger episode "Saving Grace", as the mother superior. In 2006, she had a minor role in one episode ofCSI: Crime Scene Investigation ("Living Legends"). In 2008, co-starring with her daughterJuliet Landau, Bain voiced the character of Verdona Tennyson in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", an episode ofBen 10: Alien Force.
On April 28, 2016, Bain was honored with the 2,579th star on theHollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6767 Hollywood Boulevard. Lifelong friendsEdward Asner andDick Van Dyke were on hand to speak and assist in the unveiling of the star.[15]
Bain married actorMartin Landau in 1957; they divorced in 1993. They have two daughters, film producerSusan Landau Finch and actressJuliet Landau.[16] Bain suffers fromclaustrophobia, which the writers ofMission: Impossible incorporated into her character on the show in the episode "The Exchange".[17][18]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Trust Me | Mary Casal | |
| Skinheads | Martha | ||
| 1990 | The Spirit of '76 | Hipster | |
| 1997 | Platform Six | Madame Harwin | Short film |
| 1998 | Animals | The Mother | |
| Gideon | Sarah | ||
| Dry Martini | Madame Richaud | Short film | |
| Airtime | |||
| 2000 | Panic | Deidre | |
| Bel Air | Agnes | ||
| 2002 | American Gun | Anne Tillman | |
| 2009 | In the Mix | Ms. Crump | Short film |
| Forget Me Not | Sister Dolores | ||
| 2010 | Political Disasters | Elizabeth | |
| Nothing Special | Catherine | ||
| 2012 | Match Made | Meredith | Short film |
| 2014 | Lost Music | Roxanne | |
| 2015 | Pacific Edge | Coral | |
| 2016 | Grace | Grace / Grandma | |
| Silver Skies | Eve | ||
| 2018 | Reconnected | Gloria | Short film |
| The Matchmaker | Sarah | ||
| Take My Hand | Marie | ||
| 2020 | On the Rocks | Gran Keane | |
| 2025 | The Eagle Obsession | Self | Documentary |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Harbormaster | Mary Owens | Episode: "The Captain's Gun" |
| 1959 | Mike Hammer | Dora Church | Episode: "Accentuate the Negative" |
| Philip Marlowe | Donna Raymond | Episode: "Ugly Duckling" (pilot) | |
| State Trooper | Madge Slausen | Episode: "Fiddle Dee Dead" | |
| Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Karen Wells | 5 episodes | |
| Mr. Lucky | Prudence | Episode: "The Money Game" | |
| Alcoa Theatre | Judy Coyne | Episode: "Small Bouquet" | |
| Tightrope | Sandra | Episode: "Cold Kill" | |
| 1960 | The Law and Mr. Jones | D.J. | Episode: "Christmas Is a Legal Holiday" |
| Perry Mason | Madelyn Terry | Episode: "The Case of Wary Wildcatter" | |
| 1960–1961 | Adventures in Paradise | Martha Peterson | 2 episodes |
| 1962 | Straightaway | Melody | Episode: "The Craziest Race in Town" |
| 1963 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Dorothy | Episode: "Will You Two Be My Wife?" |
| Hawaiian Eye | Anne Munroe | Episode: "Two Million Too Much" | |
| Empire | June Bates | Episode: "Hidden Asset" | |
| The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Veronica | Episode: "I Was a Spy for the F.O.B." | |
| The Lieutenant | Cissie Van Osten | Episode: "A Touching of Hands" | |
| 77 Sunset Strip | Rachel Dent | Episode: "By His Own Verdict" | |
| Wagon Train | Lucy Garrison | Episode: "The Fenton Canaby Story" | |
| 1964 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Betty | Episode: "The Night the Monkey Died" |
| Ben Casey | Tutor | Episode: "A Woods Full of Question Marks" | |
| Perry Mason | Elayna Scott | Episode: "The Case of the Nautical Knot" | |
| Valentine's Day | Unknown | Episode: "The Old School Tie" | |
| 1965 | Get Smart | Alma | Episode: "KAOS in CONTROL" |
| 1965–1966 | My Mother the Car | Inge / Frankie | Episode: "I'm Through Being a Nice Guy" / "Desperate Minutes" |
| 1966–1969 | Mission: Impossible | Cinnamon Carter | Main cast (seasons 1–3) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1967–1969) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama |
| 1969 | The Red Skelton Show | Newspaperwoman | Episode: "Crime Doesn't Pay But It's Tax Free" |
| 1971 | Murder Once Removed | Lisa Manning | Television film |
| 1973 | Savage | Gail Abbot | Television film |
| 1974 | The Waltons | Angelique | Episode: "The First Day" |
| 1975–1977 | Space: 1999 | Dr. Helena Russell | Main cast |
| 1981 | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | Dr. Olga Schmetner | Television film |
| 1984 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Julia Huntley | Episode: "A Death in the Family" |
| 1985 | Moonlighting | Emily Greydon | Episode: "My Fair David" |
| 1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Christina Golitsyn | Episode: "The Khrushchev List" |
| CBS Summer Playhouse | Julie Barrington | Episode: "Barrington" | |
| 1988 | Murder, She Wrote | Nora Morgan | Episode: "Coal Miner's Slaughter” |
| 1991 | Murder, She Wrote | Ellen Lombard | Episode: "Unauthorized Obituary" |
| 1992 | Likely Suspects | Buffy Hines-Baldi | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1994 | My So-Called Life | Vivian Wood | Episode: "Other People's Mothers" |
| 1997 | The Visitor | Constance MacArthur | Episode: "Reunion" |
| Diagnosis: Murder | Cinnamon Carter | Episode: "Discards" | |
| 1998 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Mother Superior | Episode: "Saving Grace" |
| 1999 | Millennium | Lilly Unser | Episode: "Matryoshka" |
| 2003 | Strong Medicine | Mrs. March | Episode: "Orders" |
| Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Judy Utemeyer | Television film | |
| 2006 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Mrs. Iris Paul | Episode: "Living Legend" |
| 2008 | Ben 10: Alien Force | Verdona | Voice, episode: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" |
| 2016 | Code Black | Blanche | Episode: "Exodus" |
| 2020 | Space Command | Aunt Simone | Episode: "Ripple Effect" |
Wasn't Martin Landau married to a UI alum?
The versatile, Oscar-winning actor, who died July 15, was married to Emmy-winning actress Barbara Bain, who attended the UI under her real name, Mildred Fogel, from 1948 to '50, but did not graduate. However, she was the 1950 UI Homecoming queen.
Actress Barbara Bain is 77.Actor Richard Kiel is 69. Rock singer David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears) is 67. Actress Jacqueline Bisset is 64.See also:
Actor Barbara Bain is 91. [...] Singer David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears is 81. [...] Actor Jacqueline Bisset is 78.
Barbara was born in Chicago, attended public schools there and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in sociology.
At Wilshire Boulevard Temple's Westside campus this month, the actress, who was raised in an assimilated Jewish home...
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