Martin Landau, Oscar Winner for 'Ed Wood,' Dies at 89

Martin Landau reportedly passed away at UCLA Medical Center, due to unexpected complications following an unexplained hospitalization.

This is a photo of Martin Landau.
Getty

Image via Getty/Emma McIntyre

This is a photo of Martin Landau.

Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau has died at age 89, according to TMZ. He reportedly passed away at UCLA Medical Center, due to unexpected complications following an unexplained hospitalization.

BREAKING: Publicist says Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau has died following short hospitalization. He was 89.

Landau, who began his career in show business as a cartoonist for the New York Daily News, eventually made the jump to acting in his early 20s. The Brooklyn native got his big break in the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, North by Northwest, and built a bigger following as one of the stars of the original TV series Mission: Impossible. 

Though his history in Hollywood dates back more than five decades, Landau is best known by younger audiences for his portrayal of actor Bela Lugosi in the 1994 biopic, Ed Wood. Playing the man who starred in 1931's Dracula, Landau won the Best Supporting Actor award in 1994, after losing out on the honor in consecutive years (1988-89) for his roles in Tucker: The Man and His Dream and Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Respected almost universally in the film industry, Landau's passing was met with a great deal of sadness on social media, with tributes pouring in from all corners of the pop culture universe.

So sad to read about the passing of Martin Landau. A great talent with a kind heart; always so warm to me. I will miss you. RIP.
RIP Martin Landau. "Crimes & Misdemeanors" 1 of my all time fav performances. Such versatility in his vast work. A simply wonderful actor.
What is going on today? Sad to hear of the passing Martin Landau
And brilliant actor. #RIPMartinLandau https://t.co/ttcMGmoUwJ
RIP, Martin Landau. Amid so many legendary roles, Twilight Zone fans will always appreciate your work in the fifth dimension. pic.twitter.com/EiO1eYS4Qj
RIP the brilliant Martin Landau — what a life, indeed. pic.twitter.com/1gJph6wb6u
My first "job" in production was on a Landau film. He was an absolute delight and an incredible storyteller. What a life, what a career. https://t.co/sN8VCyL8j7

Landau was 89 years old. 

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