Interview with Barbara Bain

 

 

In the city as in front of the cameras, Barbara Bain and Martin Landau were an ideal couple. Heroes of cult series "Mission Impossible" and "Space 1999". They are amically separated. The mission of TV Cable Hebdo: to discover and reunite them in Los Angeles ...

 

 

By Léa Noblet (probably end of 90s)

 




You have now a new house...

I sold the great house and I renovated this one while living in it. I adored all the men who did the work, it was noisy, exciting, just like making a movie.


You have left Martin Landau

We've been divorced since 1992 but we knew for a long time, about 10 years, how it would end up. We were successful in keeping the press away from the divorce. Now our daughters are adults.


What do they do?

Susan lives in San Francisco, is a film maker and producer. She is very talented. The younger one, Juliet, is an actress and starred in the last movie of Tim Burton. She lives in Los Angeles. She's pretty and romantic.


And your debuts?

I was cerebral (with a sociology background). But I was a dancer and when I started in dramatic art I felt at home. In my first audition, I was selected and I have never stopped working since.


And Holywood?

I was on the road and the last stop was in California. I was on my honeymoon with Martin Landau whom I met in a theater course. We were recently married, each with work, getting established in LA.


How did you get the role of Cinnamon Carter in Mission Impossible?

The maker of the series had written the role for Martin and I, without realizing it (he told me after) he had written Cinnamon for me, to which he had given my qualities, such as cinnamon, sweet spices.


You knew the series would become a cult?

We knew it was something extraordinary, even though the network found it would be difficult to follow.


Did you feel Cinnamon was a modern woman?

I knew it. In those days, there were 27 televised westerns in America and all the women did not mount on the horse, they only intervened men from fighting or they were saloon hostesses. Cinnamon Carter was on equal footing with the men, she was intelligent and responsible.

Then came the glory

It was superb! The show was meticulously done and we were a team. The film maker fell in love with me and they spoiled me. My role took different dimension... I loved that everywhere in the world people smiled at me, in the airports, people were saying nice things to me. We were careful with the children, we did not want them photographed.


Are you going to remarry?

I do not think so. It's something I did. I had a long experience with marriage (26 years) half good and half not so good. So it's enough.

 

You always see one another?

Yes, we talk, but we had long discussions during all those years.


And your projects?

Some theater. A Long Day's Journey, and Wings, then a Samuel Beckett, Ah! The Beautiful Days. He had supervised the production before he died. It is a difficult role, but to play it at my own risk.


What is the feeling of Barbara Bain today?

I am like a teenager but without anguish. I am at an interesting time in my life that I had not planned.


What had you planned?

To be married forever! It is not expected, but I am adjusting. Now, I am doing only what I want to do, it's rather charming.


 

 
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