For many years, there's been a persistent rumor in comics fandom -- debunked in detail here -- that claims that Martin Landau was a comic book illustrator who went by the name of Ken Landau, not long before Mr. L. became an actor. Not so. Martin Landau did, however, work as an illustrator/cartoonist for The Daily News and later assisted artist Gus Edson on the comic strip The Gumps when he was a very young man in the mid-to-late 1940s.
So, he worked on comic strips, not comic books. There is a difference, don'tcha know!
And by the way, although he eventually became an actor, Landau never stopped drawing. He painted, he drew caricatures... He just didn't draw professionally.
And by the way, although he eventually became an actor, Landau never stopped drawing. He painted, he drew caricatures... He just didn't draw professionally.
And here's another (unrelated) little tidbit for you. Years before playing the role of Bela Lugosi (the actor best known for playing Count Dracula, of course), Martin Landau also played the famous count in a 1985 stage production of Dracula. A photo of him in that role ends this post!
Thanks for your time.
Sure had a thing for vampires it would seem. Neat how he just enjoyed drawing and didn't draw much attention to it after turning to acting.
ReplyDeleteYes. I guess he was just a well-rounded person, not just a talented actor.
DeleteLove the love you show to His actor who was actually a great artist in his style with Caricatures. I wish I could see more of his work as so many actors seem to be great with painting like Landau but also Henry Fonda and Jack Lord. Landau could do a mean impersonation of Hitchcock. He was interviewed by the late great Elwy Yost. You should check it out
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware he could imitate Hitchcock, but I'm not surprised. I'll look for that interview. Thanks!
DeleteI told you ! I loved this man!
ReplyDeleteYep, he was quite a talent.
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