Barbara Bain Movies
A former University of Illinois sociology major, ash-blonde leading lady Barbara Bain studied for a theatrical career at New York's Actors Studio and Neighborhood Playhouse. While attending an actor's workshop in 1956, Barbara made the acquaintance of an intense young performer named Martin Landau. It was love at first sight, and they married in 1957. Landau and Bain strove to maintain separate careers, and while her husband tended to work more often than she did, Barbara was well-represented with guest appearances on such series as Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Get Smart and The Dick Van Dyke Show. In 1964, the Landaus worked together for the first time on an episode of The Greatest Show on Earth. They didn't care much for the experience, and vowed not to co-star again -- at least, not until producer Bruce Geller made them an offer they couldn't refuse with the weekly TV suspenser Mission: Impossible. Cast as silken espionage agent Cinammon Carter, Bain won three consecutive Emmies for her work on the series (if you're wondering why Cinammon never adopted elaborate disguises, as did practically everyone else on the program, it is because Bain suffered from claustrophobia, and could not abide being hemmed in by heavy makeup). Then, after three seasons' worth of Mission: Impossible, the Landaus quit the series in 1969, citing poor scripts and insufficient creative challenges. In later years, Bain would comment ruefully that leaving the show ruined her career. The record doesn't quite bear this out: indeed, during the early 1970s she racked up an impressive list of TV movie appearances, and was offered a great deal of money to reteam with Landau in the syndicated sci-fi TV series Space: 1999 (1975-77). In 1989, Bain appeared in her very first theatrical feature, Trust Me (1989), playing a truculent, dishonest art collector. Though long-divorced from Martin Landau, Barbara Bain did not express an aversion to the possibility of playing a cameo alongside her ex-husband in the 1996 film version of Mission: Impossible, should either one of them be asked to do so (alas, they weren't). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1968
Boarding the S.S. Star of Suez, the cleverly disguised agents of the IMF attempt to prevent Communist agent Yorgi Petrosian (Michael Strong) from getting his hands on a valuable microfilm. Unbeknownst to himself, gun salesman Victor Tomar (William Smithers) is in possession of the film, which is affixed to a priceless emerald. The recovery of the film is contingent upon a meticulously staged poker game. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Emerald" first aired on January 21, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Promising to smuggle wealthy Eastern Europeans across the Iron Curtain, banker Alfred Belzig 9James Daly) lures the hapless escapees to their deaths, then deposits the victims' money in his own bank to finance a neo-Nazi party. The IMF hopes to put Belzig out of business permanently by stealing his $3 million nest egg from his safety deposit box. Assisting the agents this time out is Paul Lebarre (Pierre Jalbert, a convicted bank robber who may not be entirely trustworthy. Originally telecast October 1 1967, "The Bank" was written by Brad Radnitz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
The focus in this Mission: Impossible episode is on Cinnamon Carter, who has been captured behind the Iron Curtain. Chief interrogator Strom (John Vernon) discovers that Cinnamon suffers from a mortal terror of small, confined spaces, and uses this knowledge as a means of breaking her cover and exposing her fellow IMF agents. To rescue Cinnamon before she can reveal all, the IMF must arrange a prisoner exchange--which cannot take place until they kidnap a prisoner of their own. One of the best of the "character-centered" episodes, "The Exchange" was written by Laurence Heath, and first aired on January 5, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Racketeer Lewis Parma (Vincent Gardenia) intends to take control of the food distribution industry and pose exorbitant consumer prices. To destroy Parma, the IMF agents must extract information from the gang leader's most trusted lieutenant, a man named Ducho (Luke Askew). The plan hinges upon a terrifyingly realistic gas-chamber execution--with Rollin as the condemned man. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allen Balter, "The Execution" originally aired November 10 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The IMF agents pose as caterers to prevent mob boss Jack Wellman (Simon Oakland) from infiltrating the government of an unnamed state government. While Briggs, Rollin and Willy prepare a lavish dinner for Wellman and his cronies, Barney undertakes a delicate safecracking operation--while Cinnamon tackles the challenge of convincing the other mobsters that Wellman has betrayed them. "The Frame" was written by frequent Mission: Impossible contributors William Read Woodfield and Allen Balter. The episode first aired on January 21 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Having stolen $10 million, Albert Jenkins (Donnelly Rhodes) allows himself to be arrested for another offense under an assumed name, secure in the belief that, by the time his 14-year sentence has been served, the statute of limitations will have expired and he will be able to recover his stolen loot. It is up to the IMF to persuade Jenkins to reveal the whereabouts of the money. This assignment requires a phony medical diagnosis, which will convince Jenkins to allow himself to be cryogenically frozen: The next step is to convince him that he has awakened in the year 1983. Written by Paul Playdon, "The Heir" was originally broadcast on December 22, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
East European resistance leader Anton Reisner (Richard Garland) is being held in a prison cage surrounded by escape-proof glass. The cage can only be opened automatically via a newly created security device. The IMF agents hope to trick Reisner's captor Major Zelinko (Lloyd Bochner) into activating the release mechanism before the prisoner can be broken by torture. Watch for future MASH star Larry Linville as Captain Gulka. Scripted by Paul Playdon from a story by Alf Harris, "The Cage" was first telecast on February 2, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Mission: Impossible launched its third season on September 29 1968 with the episode titled "The Heir Apparent." To save a Balkan monarchy from falling into the hands of Envir Quaisette (Charles Aidman), the IMF concocts a plan built around the legend of Princess Celine, the real heiress to the kingdom, who disappeared as a child and has not been seen for nearly half a century. It is up to Cinnamon to pose as the blind, elderly Celine. But in order to convince her followers that she is the genuine article, Cinnamon must be able to open Celine's puzzle box and reveal its secrets--a task better suited to her IMF colleagues Barney and Willy. "The Heir Apparent" was written by Robert E. Thompson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
Written by Paul Playdon, "The Interrogator" opens as enemy submarines converged off the Atlantic Coast, poised to launch a nuclear attack against the United States. Racing against time, the IMF agents must persuade captured spy Novan Kruger (Henry Silva) to reveal his country's war plans. Utilizing a new and dangerous drug, the agents subject Kruger to a maelstrom of devilishly clever mind tricks to pry loose his secrets. First telecast on April 20, 1969, "The Interrogator" was the last episode of Mission: Impossible's third season, as well as the final joint series appearance of regulars Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Gerald S. O'Loughlin guest-stars as Burt Gordon, the suspected head of a nationwide organization of contract killers. To get the goods on Gordon, Phelps and Cinnamon pose as a married couple and move next door to the suspect. The next step is to convince Gordon that he has murdered Phelps--and that he is being haunted by his victim's ghost. Nominated for several Emmy Awards, "The Killing" was written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, and was first broadcast on February 25, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The scene is Zurich, Switzerland, where four young men, all sons of top-ranking Nazi officials, have gathered. Armed with information that will lead them to the long-hidden personal fortune of Adolf Hitler, the men hope to establish a Fourth Reich. The IMF's mission is to intercept the money (a daunting three million dollars) before it falls into the wrong hands--an assignment that requires Rollin to impersonate one of the four neo-Nazis. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Legacy" was originally telecast on January 7, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The IMF is assigned to infiltrate a South American stronghold, where a group of unregenerate Nazis have gathered in hopes of reestablishing the Third Reich. Much to the agents' amazement, the leader of the Nazis is the infamous Martin Bormann! Will the agents be able to convince the old but wily Bormann that Briggs and Rollin are former members of Hitler's inner circle? Written by Mann Rubin, "The Legend" first aired on February 11 1967, during the same week that the cast of Mission: Impossible appeared on the cover of TV Guide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Mercenary leader Colonel Han Krim (Pernell Roberts) promises to bring freedom to emerging African nations, all the while robbing the economic resources of those nations to fatten his own coffers. In order to discredit Krim and return his ill-gotten gains to their rightful owners, the IMF stages a spectacular gold heist. Only one possible crimp in the plan: There are only five IMF agents, while Krim boasts over three hundred followers. First telcast October 27, 1968, "The Mercenaries" was written by Laurence Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
Steve Ihnat guest-stars as eponymous master spy Stefan Miklos in this psychologically complex Mission: Impossible episode. Discovered to be a double agent, Walter Townsend (Jason Evers) is fed false information by the Americans. In order to throw Miklos off the track, the IMF must convince him that Townsend's information is genuine. Once again, Rollin dons elaborate makeup and a thick accent to pose as the central villain--and once again, Barney and Willy pose as workers from the ubiquitious "Kompani die Gaz." Edward Asner also appears in this episode, as a man named Simpson. First telecast January 12, 1969, "The Mind of Stefan Miklos" was written by Paul Playdon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
African stockbroker Walter DuBruis (Brock Peters) is poised to destroy the economy of Ghalea by flooding the nation with counterfeit money. His partner in crime is master forger Raf Tagoor (Michael Shilo), who has come into possession of a shipment of genuine currency paper. Assigned to dispose of DuBruis and Tagoor before they can carry out their scheme, the IMF agents concoct an elaborate scam involving a bogus counterfeiting computor. Originally broadcast October 29 1967, "The Money Machine" was written by Richard M. Sakal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Frequent Mission: Impossible director Alf Kjellin appears in this episode as art museum director Stefan Prohosh, the ousted party chairman of a small Eastern Bloc country. Hoping to regain his power, Prohosh steals a secret alloy which has been welded into a metal sculpture. The IMF's mission is to switch the alloy with a counterfeit sample--an assignment that requires an extremely noisy series of diversions. Scripted by John D. F. Black from a story by Black and Edward DeBlasio, "The Phoenix" was originally broadcast on March 3, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Anthony Zerbe guest-stars as David Redding, a high-profile fashion photographer--and treacherous double agent. In league with 150 fellow spies, Redding intends to destroy the U.S. with a deadly bubonic plague epidemic. With only 72 hours at their disposal, the IMF agents must stop Redding and his confederates in their tracks. The episode's highlights include the eye-popping still photography of Bob Willoughby and a disturbingly realistic nuclear holocaust. First broadcast December 17, 1967, "The Photographer" was written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
Milos Kuro (John Colicos), minister of culture in an Eastern Bloc nation, plans to use an anti-American play to sabotage the peacful negotations between pro-Western premier Leon Vados (Barry Atwater) and the United States. To that end, Kuro, hires a travelling theatrical troupe to do his dirty work. Unfortunately for Kuro, the troupe is comprised entirely of IMF agents (with the exception of Willy, who does not appear in this episode). Written by Lou Shaw, "The Play" was originally telecast on December 8, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The first season of Mission: Impossible came to a close with the April 22, 1967 episode "The Psychic." Some valuable NATO secrets have been appropriated in a hostile corporate takeover by ruthless industrialist Alex Lowell (Barry Sullivan). The IMF heads to South America, where Lowell has relocated in hopes of selling the documents to the highest bidder. With Cinammon posing as a psychic, the other IMF agents lure Lowell into a cleverly rigged high-stakes poker game. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Baltar, "The Psychic" marked Steven Hill's final appearance as IMF head Dan Briggs.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
Briggs is forced to play along with powerful mobster boss Frank Egan (William Smithers when the daughter of Briggs' friend Joe Mantell is kidnapped. In order to secure the girl's release, Briggs and the IMF must themselves kidnap the key witness against Egan in an upcoming Grand Jury investigation. This pulse-pounding Mission: Impossible episode was a radical--and effective--departure from the series' usual format. Originally telecast November 5 1966, "The Ransom" was written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Once more penetrating the Iron Curtain, the IMF agents attempt to rescue rocket scientist Helmut Cherlotov (Joseph Campanella), who has developed a high-tech antiballistic missle system. Unfortunately, Cherlotov, who was supposed to have defected to the West along with his wife Karen (Mala Powers), has had a change of heart, and doesn't want to leave. It is up to Rollin, posing as an East German official, to convince Cherlotov to join Karen in the U.S. Originally telecast January 14, 1967, "The Reluctant Dragon" was written by Chester Krumholz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The sacred gold seal of the Far Eastern nation of Kuala Rokat has been stolen. Masterminding the heist is American industrialist Taggart (Darren McGavin), who intends to hold on to the seal despite the danger of a major diplomatic breakdown. The IMF is assigned to recover the seal, a job that requires a trained cat named Rusty and a healthy dose of the occult. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Seal" made its first network TV appearance on November 5 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
The IMF is faced with an assignment that virtually requires them to be in two places at once. First, they must prevent the murder of Professor Napolsky (Edward Colmans), who has defected to the West. Simulatenously, they must discredit the more dangerous of the two enemy spy groups who are determined to kill the professor. Hans Gudegast, who later billed himself as Eric Braeden, appears as one of the chief assassins. First telecast December 17, 1966, "The Short Tail Spy" was written by Julian Barry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
The first multipart adventure of Mission: Impossible's second season, "The Slave" was written by William Read Woodfield and Alan Balter. The scene is the Persian Gulf state of Elkabar, where King Ibn Borca (Joseph Ruskin) supervises a vicious but entirely legal slave ring with the aid of his crony Karl de Groot (Warren Stevens). To depose Borca and end the slave trade in Elkabar, the IMF agents must resort to drastic measures...with the lovely Amara (Antoinette Bower), the wife of Borca's nephew Fasar (David Mauro), as the innocent pawn. Part one of the two-part "The Slave" was first broadcast on October 8, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
In the second half of the two-part Mission: Impossible adventure "The Slave", the IMF force has kidnapped Amara (Antoinette Bower), the niece of corrupt Elkabaran King Ibn Borca (Joseph Ruskin), Fasar (David Mauro), and sold her into slavery. It is all part of a plan to end the slave trade in Elkabar, and to topple Borca from power. Crucial to the scheme is Cinnamon's masquerade as a potential slave and Phelp's pose as a trader. Originally telecast October 15, 1967, Part Two of "The Slave" was written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
