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- 1973
In this drama, a young woman is devastated to find out that her mother is involved with a younger man. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Alien Attack is a jerry-built feature film comprised of two episodes from the TV sci-fi series Space: 1999. Martin Landau stars as John Koenig, commander of Moonbase Alpha, a futuristic research colony. Landau's then-wife Barbara Bain co-stars as the base's chief medical officer Dr. Helena Russell, while Barry Morse is on hand as Prof. Victor Bergman. The first half of Alien Attack consists of the inaugural Space 1999 episode "Breakaway," wherein a huge atomic-waste explosion hurls the moon-and of course Moonbase Alpha-out of the Earth's orbit (thereby establishing the series' premise). This episode is arbitrarily coupled with #22 in the series, "War Games"; in this one, Koenig and Russell plead with warmongering aliens Anthony Valentine and Isla Blair to spare Alpha from destruction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
James Coburn stars in this disappointing drama about a man who tracks the gun he believes killed his daughter. Living out his twilight years in a dreary, snowbound Vermont town, tragedy strikes when his beloved daughter (Virginia Madsen) returns home for the holidays. While out doing some last minute shopping, she is shot and killed, seemingly by a nameless local thug. Crushed by her tragic and sudden death Coburn's hard-working everyman falls to pieces and decides to set out on in search of the weapon that laid the final blow. Also in search of his estranged granddaughter, Coburn crisscrosses the country as he comes into contact with the various owners of the titular weapon, hearing each of their diverse stories. ~ Rachel Deahl, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Coburn, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1997
Michael Di Jiacomo made his directorial debut with this allegory that opens with a 12-minute black-and-white prologue about three French filmmakers who encounter the tuba-playing Tollkeeper (Mickey Rooney) on a silent stretch between two ghost towns in the Utah desert. In NYC, an armed thief (John Turturro) holds up despairing cabdriver Henry (Tim Roth), who tells him to go ahead and pull the trigger. With the thief gone, Henry's next passengers are the three Frenchmen seen earlier, and he takes them into New England where he's so spellbound by the beautiful Fatima (Mili Avital) that he takes a job with her irritating mother in order to maintain his pursuit of Fatima. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Roth, Mili Avital, (more)
- 2000
Christopher Coppola directs this droll re-working both of Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Paul Morrissey's Heat (1972). Washed up child actor and pizza delivery guy Curson Beeley (Marc Coppola) is taken in by retired TV executive Agnes Fuchs (Barbara Bain). In her estate, Beeley lives a pampered life of luxury while Fuchs quietly tries to resurrect his career. As his television comeback seems more and more likely to happen, Beeley's life becomes complicated on other fronts -- his ex-girlfriend continues to harass him, Fuchs becomes increasingly demanding in bed, and he is plagued by a bizarre outbreak of boils. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Bain, Noah Blake, (more)
- 1975
This sci-fi adventure was the pilot for a television series Space: 1999. It is set in the next century just after an enormous blast from an alien ship destroys half the moon and sends the rest hurtling through space. Unfortunately, upon the chunk of speeding rock is the research station Alpha which contains 311 people helmed by cool-headed Commander Koenig. Now the Alpha castaways must not only continue to survive, they must also keep up on their research to discover what happened and why. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1999
- NR
In the comic fable Gideon, the residents of the Lakeview Retirement Home are drifting through their final years with quiet dissatisfaction. A former cook (Carrol O'Connor) can't stand the food, a former fighter (Mike Connors) wishes he could still box, a one-time philosophy professor (Charlton Heston) has no one to discuss life's issues with, and a long-time artist (Shirley Jones) isn't allowed to paint the way she likes. Then one day Gideon (Christopher Lambert), younger than the rest but suffering from mental retardation, joins the group. While Gideon's I.Q. is lower than the other residents, his people skills are unusually keen, and his simple yet profound outlook on life soon gives everyone a new lease on life and makes the days something to look forward to again. Christopher Lambert co-produced as well as starring in the title role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lambert, Shelley Winters, (more)
- 1972
A made-for-TV mystery, Goodnight, My Love is bolstered by a top-flight cast and a clever script. The plot revolves around a pair of down-and-out detectives: tall and disheveled Richard Boone, and short and immaculate Michael Dunn. Boone and Dunn are hired by icy blonde Barbara Bain to locate her missing fiance, but it's clear that she isn't telling them the whole story. The two gumshoes tangle with gangsters, racetrack touts and a sinister Maltese Falcon style fat man (Victor Buono) before learning the whole story behind the disappearance. Goodnight, My Love is filled with the many little vignettes that separate a fair mystery from a truly good one--including the unexpected killing off of a major character, a moment that manages to be both chilling and amusing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
A nuclear explosion causes chaos in space, in this British made-for-television sci-fi thriller. The moon seems to be headed for disaster after a nuclear explosion sends it out of orbit and heading for a black sun. Some stranded moon-base personnel may be doomed -- unless someone comes to their rescue. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Under the guise of an LSD addict, US secret agent Vincent Deane (Jacques Denbeaux) has managed to hide some top-secret information in one of his "doped" sugar cubes. Unfortunately, Deane is arrested and placed in a Communist-controlled rehabilitation clinic. Posing as Deane's wife, Cinnamon infiltrates the clinic, hoping to retrieve the cube, while Rollin, impersonating Deane's contact, has himself arrested and placed in the selfsame clinic. Veteran Czech character actor Francis Lederer appears as Brobin. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "A Cube of Sugar" first aired on April 1 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1968
The IMF agents are assigned to recapture $1,000,000 in gold bullion, which was targetted for a pro-Democracy underground group but has been confiscated by the Communists. The money is being held under maximum-security conditions at a hotel where an important chess tournament is being held. Complications ensue when Nicholas Groat (Don Francks), an international thief posing as a chess master, draws up plans to steal the bullion himself. Originally broadcast on January 14, 1968, "A Game of Chess" was written by Richard M. Sakal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
IMF agents Rollin and Cinnamon are assigned to an Iron Curtain nation, where they hope to retrieve a reel of recording wire containing details of an enemy chemical-warfare project. To avoid detective, Rollin poses as dockworker, while Cinnamon impersonates a news photographer. Finding the reel is the "easy" part: The problem now is to get the wire out of the country, which is festooned with agents from a variety of unfriendly countries. Written by Ellis Marcus, "A Spool There Was" first aired on November 12, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Eastern European movie mogul Miklos Klaar (J.D. Cannon) plans to combine genuine American newsreel footage with faked "re-enactments" to show US soldiers committing atrocities in Southeast Asia. The IMF's assignment is to discredit Klaar in the eyes of his government. Series regular Barbara Bain steals the show by posing as an aspiring young actress who will do anything to land a film role. "Action!" was written by Robert Lewin; the episode was first broadcast on March 4, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
European business tycoon Carl Vandaam (Alf Kjellin) hopes to recoup his lost fortune by building a hydrogen bomb and selling it to the highest bidder. The IMF's mission is to stop Vandaam in his tracks, a strategy that requires Rollin to pose as one of the potential buyers. The more dangerous aspect of the mission is to remove the plutonium from the completed bomb without blowing up everyone and everything in sight. "Doomsday" was written by Laurence Heath; the episode made its network broadcast debut on February 16, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Powerful but gullible German industrialist Otto Kelmann (Wilfred Hyde-White) is on the verge of handing over his munitions empire to a "new Hitler" named Colonel Marcus Von Frank (Hans Gudegast), aka Eric Braeden). It is up to the IMF to smash Marcus' movement by forcing Kelmann to realign his thinking. This is the episode in which IMF agent Rollin Hand convincingly poses as the real Adolf Hitler. Written by Mann Rubin, the man responsible for the thematically similar first-season Mission: Impossible episode "The Legend", "Echo of Yesterday" first aired on December 10, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
Lloyd Bridges guest-stars as Anasta Poltroni, heads of an international drug ring. Under the alias of Ted Carson, Poltroni has avoided prosecution by finding sanctuary in a country that has no extradition treaty with United States. To lure Poltroni out of hiding, the IMF concocts a characteristically elaborate scheme which requires Cinammon and Briggs to pose as a married couple. Watch for the Lincoln convertible that is destroyed in the course of the episode: the car belonged to Lucille Ball, head of the Desilu studio where Mission: Impossible was filmed. First broadcast on December 3 1966, "Fakeout" was written by Leigh Chapman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
The IMF's mission is to smash the unholy alliance between East European officials Skarbeck (Fritz Weaver) and Lom (Kevin Hagen) and enable a pro-US candidate to win an important government post. The plan requires Cinammon to pose as a recently deceased cabaret entertainer, with Rollin impersonating her Joel Grey-like partner. The episode's highlights include her impression of Marlene Dietrich, and her rendition of three songs: "Buy My Glass of Wine", "10 Tiny Toes" and "The Lady 'Bove the Bar". The lyrics were written by series producer Bruce Geller, while two of the songs were composed by Mission: Impossible musical director Lalo Shifrin. Scripted by Laurence Heath, "Illusion" first aired on April 13, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
Kellerman (Anthony Zerbe), chief of security in an Iron Curtain country, suspects that defector Orin Selby (John Crawford) is actually a double agent for the Americans. Having captured the only person who knows Selby's true identity, Kellerman holds the man in a booby-trapped cell in a state of perpetual torture. To protect Selby's cover, the IMF must discredit Kellerman and rescue his prisoner. A young A young Martin Sheen appears as Kellerman's nerdish aide Brocke, whose naivete--and affection for a duplicitous young woman named Stephanie (Diana Ewing)--plays right into the IMF's hands. First telecast on February 23, 1969, "Live Bait" was scripted by James D. Buchanan, Ronald Austin and Michael Adams, from a story by Adams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
The IMF agents arrive in the Iron Curtain country of Lubjanka. Their mission: to topple the regime of dictator Janos Karq (William Keene), "The Butcher of the Balkans." The success of their scheme depends upon the photographic memory of embittered ex-agent Barrish (Albert Paulsen). If all else fails, the IMF will be forced to rely upon "Alternate Plan X59"--which may mean certain death for all concerned. Written by Robert Lewin, "Memory" first aired September 24, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
Guest star Joan Collins plays the title character in this offbeat Mission: Impossible episode. While on a particularly delicate recovery mission, Phelps is shot, wounded and left for dead. Upon awakening, he finds that he has been nursed back to health by the beautiful Nicole. Despite being trained to trust no one, Phelps begins to fall in love with Nicole--while she pumps him for information on behalf of her boss, enemy intelligence officer Anton Valdas (Logan Ramsey). Written by Stuart Hagmann, "Nicole" first aired on March 30, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1969
General Zek (Titos Vandis) conspires with munitions manufacturer Ismir Najiid (Sandor Szabo) to kill Middle Eastern potentate King Said (Joe E. Tata) with a truckload of nitroglycerin. The conspirators then plan to place the blame for the assassination on a neighboring country, thereby sparking a war that will enable Zek to assume command of both nations. To preserve the balance of power, the IMF must steal the highly volatile nitro, save the King, and discredit Zek. Mark Lenard, best known as Spock's father on Star Trek, makes his second Mission: Impossible appearance as Aristo Skora. Originally telecast on March 23, 1969, "Nitro" was written by Laurence Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
Nehemiah Persoff guest-stars as Prince Iben Kostas, absolute ruler of a tiny Middle Eastern country whose income derives solely from a famous gambling casino. In order to prevent Kostas from raising the money necessary to wage war upon a neighboring oil-rich country, the IMF must arrange to break the casino's bank. The amount needed to destroy Kostas was $1.5 million, which was real money when this episode first aired on October 22, 1966. "Odds on Evil" was written by frequent Mission: Impossible contributor. William Read Woodfield ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
The first of Mission: Impossible's multipart adventures, "Old Man Out" began its two-episode run on October 8, 1966. The IMF agents disguise themselves as a carnival troupe in order to rescue 80-year-old freedom fighter Anton Cardinal Vossek (Cyril Delevanti) from an impregnable Balkan prison. Aiding the agents this time out is Briggs' old friend Crystal Walker (Mary Ann Mobley), a hire-wire artist. Part One of "Old Man Out" was written by Ellis Marcus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1966
In Part Two of "Old Man Out," the IMF is still posing as a carnival troupe: Briggs as a mind reader, Cinnamon as his assistant, Willy as a strongman, Barney as a clown, and freelance agent Crystal Walker (Mary Ann Mobley) as a high-wire artist and Rollin as a light-fingered roustabout. It is all part of a plan to rescue Iron Curtain freedom fighter Cardinal Vossek (Cyril Delevanti) from a high-security Balkan prison. The plan hits a snag when Vossek is moved to solitary confinement. The solution to this crisis may well rest in the curious calliope tune which is heard over and over throughout the episode. Written by Ellis Marcus, Part Two of "Old Man Out" was originally broadcast on October 15, 1966.
October 15 1966.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
October 15 1966.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Communist agent Stephan Gomalk (Michael Strong) intends to take control of the small European democracy ruled by his "friend", President Beyron Rurich (Pernell Roberts). Caught in the middle is archaeologist William Bennett (Aaron Fletcher), who stumbled onto Gomalk's scheme, suffered a heart attack, and has been placed under maximum security by the villain's henchmen. The IMF agents have only 24 hours to rescue Bennett and squelch Gomalk's plans--and this will require a convincingly staged assassination attempt. Written by John O'Dea and Arthur Rowe, "Operation 'Heart'" first aired October 22, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
