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- 1967
Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Council" was the second multipart story of Mission: Impossible's second season. In their most ambitious assignment to date, the IMF must destroy a criminal empire that threatens to drain America's gold reserves. As part of the plan, Rollin concocts a dangerous strategy of his own, one that requires him to impersonate crooked businessman Frank Wayne (Paul Stevens). As it turns out, the success of the mission hinges upon a mob flunkey who has been targetted for extermination--and has already been buried alive. Part One of "The Council" was first broadcast November 19, 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 Council", the IMF's plan to topple a gangland syndicate is threatened when one of the mobsters apparently sees through Rollin's impersonation of crooked businessman Frank Wayne (Paul Stevens). Meanwhile, the real Stevens lies unconscious on the operating table of a master plastic surgeon. And in a startling development, Phelps is the victim of a mob "hit"--or is he? Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, Part Two of "The Council" originally aired on November 26, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, 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)
- 1967
Guest stars Fritz Weaver and Hazel Court are cast as Erik and Catherine Hagar, who operate a fraudulent charity organization from their lavish European estate. The IMF agents attempt to destroy the Hagars' racket by ruining the couple's "perfect" marriage. Essential to the success of this plan is the retrieval of a fortune in platinum, hidden in the Hagars' billiard table. First broadcast November 12, 1967, "Sweet Charity" was written by Barney Slater. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, 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)
- 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)
- 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 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 scene is the tiny European republic of Svardia. Dying prime minister Laryra (Rhys Williams) has arranged to be succeeded by his protégé Milos Pavel (William Windom), little realizing that Pavel intends to set up a Communist dictatorship. In concert with an Oscar-winning Hollywood art director and a distinguished heart surgeon, IMF agents Rollin, Cinammon and Barney carry out an elaborate ruse to scotch Pavel's schemes. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allen Balter and first telecast on March 18 1967, the Mission: Impossible episode "The Train" won an Emmy Award. ~ 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)
- 1967
US Senator William Townsend (Kent Smith), the head of a right-wing extremist group, has been assassinated. Confessing to the crime is Andreas Solowiechek (David Sheiner), a member of a Communist Trade delegation, who insists that he was acting on orders from his own government. In truth, however, the assassination was engineered by Townsend's own followers, who hope to spark a dangerous international incident. It is up to the IMF to force Solowiechek to change his tune. First telecast on February 25, 1967, "The Confession" was written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Ricardo Montalban guest-stars as Gerard Sefra, formerly the sadistic overseer of the defunct Boradur penal colony. Sefra has somehow come into possession of a sample of Cesium 138, the catalyst for a low-cost nuclear arsenal. To prevent Sefra from selling the Cesium to the highest bidder, the IMF agents concoct a scheme to destroy both the catalyst and the villain--a scheme that hinges on digging a tunnel underneath Sefra's stronghold in Boradur. Written by Judith Barrows and Robert Guy Barrows, "Snowball in Hell" originally aired February 18, 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)
- 1967
Having gained control of the African nation of Lombuanda, despotic Henrik Durvard (John Van Dreelen) has compounded this outrage by confiscating a 27,000-carat diamond. He intends to sell the diamond to the highest bidder in order to finance the invasion of his neighboring nations. The IMF's assignment is to retrieve the diamond while simultaneously toppling Durvard from power. As part of a complex "sting", Briggs and Barney pose respectively as the owner and operator of a diamond-manufacturing machine. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Diamond" was originally telecast on February 4 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Though filmed as the twelfth episode of Mission: Impossible, "The Trial" was the seventeenth to be telecast, on January 28, 1967. While visiting an Eastern European nation, Briggs is mistaken for an American tourist and arrested by public prosecutor Josef Varsh (Carroll O'Connor). It is Varsh's intention to stage a propagandastic show trial and condemn Briggs to death, hoping to spark an international incident that will discredit the détente plans of deputy premier Kudnov (David Opatoshu). Though Briggs had deliberately placed himself in jeopardy in order to destroy Varsh, he may not be able to escape his present dilemma--not even with Rollin posing as his defense counsel. "The Trial" was written by Laurence Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, 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)
- 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)
- 1967
A priceless collection of Inca gold treasures has disappeared, threatening the financial stability of Santales, a tiny Latin American republic. The IMF is assigned to retrieve the treasures from master thief Jack Cole (Dan O'Herlihy), a task made doubly difficult by the treacherous terrain of Santales and the presence of a traitor in the nation's government. Mark Lenard, best known as Spock's Vulcan father on Star Trek, appears as Colonel Cardoza. First telecast September 17, 1967, "Trek" was written by Laurence Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Two of the three scientists working on a cobalt bomb have been kidnapped by enemy agent Eric Stavak (Albert Paulsen), who has hidden his captives somewhere in San Francisco. The IMF must protect remaining scientist Dr Robert Webster, who holds the equations for the deadly weapon. Posing as Webster, Phelps pretends to fall into a trap engineered by Stavak--while Barney prepares to simulate a devastating earthquake. Written by William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, "The Survivors" first aired on September 24, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
- 1967
Season two of Mission: Impossible found a new man at the helm of the top-secret Impossible Missions Force: Peter Graves as Jim Phelps, replacing the first season's Steven Hill, who played Dan Briggs. At the time, there was much speculation in the industry over the reason for Hill's departure, with some sources citing creative differences between the actor and the production staff. The most widely accepted theory was that Hill, an Orthodox Jew, refused to work on the set between sundown on Friday and sundown on Saturday. (Over two decades later, Steven Hill became an audience favorite all over again in a role that never required him to work on weekends: District Attorney Adam Schiff on the long-running Law & Order. Otherwise, the rest of the familiar IMF crew remains the same as in season one: sultry Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), master of disguise Rollin Hand (Martin Landau), electronics whiz Barney Collier (Greg Morris), and all-around athlete and muscleman Willie Armitage (Peter Lupus). Beginning with the season opener, "The Widow," wherein the IMF team pools its talents to force the customers of a vicious heroin dealer to do away with the man, this year's "impossible missions," like the previous year's quota, rely heavily upon labyrinthine schemes, elaborate facial makeup, state-of-the-art gadgetry, and an acute understanding of human nature ("bad" human nature, that is) to mete out just desserts to a dizzying array of international villains. Among the season's best episodes are the two-part "The Slave," in which the team utilizes kidnapping and subterfuge to destroy a vast Middle Eastern slavery ring; another two-parter, "The Council," wherein Rollin poses as a Mafia don to prevent the collapse of the American banking system; "The Photographer," featuring Anthony Zerbe as a madman bent on spreading bubonic plague throughout the world, who is thwarted when the IMFers convince him that a nuclear war has begun; "The Killing," in which Cinnamon tricks a band of assassins into "killing" Phelps as part of a scheme to get them to confess all their past misdeeds; "The Money Machine," comprised of a "sting" operation to hoist an African counterfeiter on his own petard; and "The Town," in which a vacationing Phelps must prevent a political assassination all by himself. Mission: Impossible's move from Saturday to Sunday evenings for its second season proved to be extremely beneficial to the series' ratings, though it would not be until season three that the show would finally crack the Top 10. In other developments, series regular Barbara Bain won her second Emmy award in a role for her ongoing portrayal of Cinnamon Carter, and the show once again won the award for Outstanding Dramatic Series. Additionally, the series' legendary theme song, written by Lalo Schifrin, enjoyed 14 weeks on Billboard magazine's Top 100 charts when it was released as a single. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, 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
Mercenary anarchist Imry Rogosh (Fritz Weaver) has concocted a scheme to kill off most of the population of Los Angeles. With only 36 hours at their disposal, the IMF must "break" the unbreakable Rogosh to uncover his plans. Their strategy hinges upon convincing Rogosh that he has been imprisoned in his own country--two years after his arrival in L.A. Originally telecast on October 1, 1966, "Operation Rogosh" was written by Jerome Ross. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, 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)
- 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)
- 1966
The IMF agents arrive in Austria, where widowed American scientist Dr. Martha Zubrovnik (Beartice Straight) has fallen under the influence of the Communists. Though Dr. Zubrovnik is not a traitor, she has been hoodwinked into cooperating with the enemy by phony medium Sigismund Poljact (Donald Davis), who claims to be in contact with the spirit of the scientist's husband Kurt. With the help of genuine psychic consultant Ariana Domi (Martine Bartlett), Rollin and Barney pose as a paranormal research team in order to convince Dr. Zubrovnik that her husband does not want her to cooperate with the enemy. Written by Robert Lewin, "Zubrovnik's Ghost" first aired on November 26, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, (more)
