| Barbara Bain | |
| Birth Name: | Mildred Fogel |
| Birth Date: | 13 September 1931 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Known For: | Mission: Impossible |
| Years Active: | 1957–present |
| Children: | Susan Landau Finch Juliet Landau |
Barbara Bain (born Mildred Fogel,[1] September 13, 1931[2]) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cinnamon Carter Crawford[3] on the action television series Mission: Impossible (1966–1969), which earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination. She also starred as Dr. Helena Russell on the British-Italian coproduction science-fiction television series (1975–1977). Bain has also appeared in the films Animals with the Tollkeeper (1998), Panic (2000), Forget Me Not (2009) and On the Rocks (2020).
Bain was born Mildred Fogel in Chicago, Illinois,[1] [4] [5] the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants.[6] [7] [8] She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in sociology.[9] Developing an interest in dance, she moved to New York City, where she studied alongside Martha Graham.[9] Dissatisfied with her career as a dancer, she went into modelling; jobs with Vogue, Harper's, and other publications followed.
Still uninspired, however, Bain entered the Theater Studio to study acting, first under Curt Conway, then Lonny Chapman. Progressing to the Actors Studio, she was instructed by Lee Strasberg.[10] [11]
Bain's first acting role was in Paddy Chayevsky's play Middle of the Night, which embarked on a national tour in October 1957.[10] [12] Accompanying Bain was fellow actor and new husband Martin Landau; the final leg of the tour brought the couple to Los Angeles, where they settled permanently.[10] After moving, Bain established herself at the Actors Studio West, where she continued to teach classes and perform scene work.[13]
Bain's earliest television appearances included CBS's Tightrope, with Mike Connors, and three ABC series: The Law and Mr. Jones, Adventures in Paradise, and Straightaway. After a recurring role as David Janssen's romantic interest in Richard Diamond, Private Detective in 1959, she guest-starred as Madelyn Terry in a 1960 episode of Perry Mason, "The Case of the Wary Wildcatter".
In 1963, Bain appeared as Rob Petrie's soon-to-be ex-fiancée in The Dick Van Dyke Show, in the episode "Will You Two Be My Wife?", and in 1964 played the role of Elayna Scott in "The Case of the Nautical Knot" episode of Perry Mason. In 1965, she guest-starred alongside series star Jerry Van Dyke in an episode of My Mother The Car. She appeared in the 1966 final episode of the series alongside Van Dyke.
Between 1966 and 1969, Bain appeared - alongside her husband, Martin Landau - in the major role of Cinnamon Carter in Mission: Impossible. She won three consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Dramatic Actress for her performances in 1967, 1968, and 1969, in addition to a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1968.[14] Bain reprised her character in a 1997 episode of . She starred opposite Landau again in the science-fiction TV series (1975 - 77), as Dr. Helena Russell, and the made-for-TV film The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981).
She guest-starred in the October 29, 1985, episode of Moonlighting, playing Emily Greydon. Bain also appeared in My So-Called Life, playing Angela Chase's grandmother in one episode. Other appearances include "Matryoshka", an episode of the 1990s science-fiction series Millennium.
In 1998, Bain appeared in the Walker, Texas Ranger episode "Saving Grace", as the mother superior. In 2006, she had a minor role in one episode of ("Living Legends"). In 2008, co-starring with her daughter Juliet Landau, Bain voiced the character of Verdona Tennyson in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", an episode of .
On April 28, 2016, Bain was honored with the 2,579th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6767 Hollywood Boulevard. Lifelong friends Edward Asner and Dick Van Dyke were on hand to speak and assist in the unveiling of the star.[15]
Bain married actor Martin Landau in 1957; they divorced in 1993. They have two daughters, film producer Susan Landau Finch and actress Juliet Landau.[16]
Bain suffers from claustrophobia, which the writers of Mission: Impossible incorporated into her character on the show in the episode "The Exchange".[17] [18]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Trust Me | Mary Casal | ||
| 1989 | Skinheads | Martha | ||
| 1990 | The Spirit of '76 | Hipster | ||
| 1997 | Platform Six | Madame Harwin | Short film | |
| 1998 | Animals | The Mother | ||
| 1998 | Gideon | Sarah | ||
| 1998 | Dry Martini | Madame Richaud | Short film | |
| 1998 | Airtime | Short film | ||
| 2000 | Panic | Deidre | ||
| 2000 | Bel Air | Agnes | ||
| 2002 | American Gun | Anne Tillman | ||
| 2009 | In the Mix | Ms. Crump | Short film | |
| 2009 | Forget Me Not | Sister Dolores | ||
| 2010 | Political Disasters | Elizabeth | ||
| 2010 | Nothing Special | Catherine | ||
| 2012 | Match Made | Meredith | Short film | |
| 2014 | Lost Music | Roxanne | Short film | |
| 2015 | Pacific Edge | Coral | Short film | |
| 2016 | Grace | Grace / Grandma | Short film | |
| 2016 | Silver Skies | Eve | ||
| 2018 | Reconnected | Gloria | Short film | |
| 2018 | The Matchmaker | Sarah | Short film | |
| 2018 | Take My Hand | Marie | Short film | |
| 2020 | On the Rocks | Gran Keane | ||
| 2025 | The Eagle Obsession | Self | Documentary |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Harbormaster | Mary Owens | Episode: "The Captain's Gun" | |
| 1959 | Mike Hammer | Dora Church | Episode: "Accentuate the Negative" | |
| 1959 | Philip Marlowe | Donna Raymond | Episode: "Ugly Duckling" (pilot) | |
| 1959 | State Trooper | Madge Slausen | Episode: "Fiddle Dee Dead" | |
| 1959 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Karen Wells | 5 episodes | |
| 1959 | Mr. Lucky | Prudence | Episode: "The Money Game" | |
| 1959 | Alcoa Theatre | Judy Coyne | Episode: "Small Bouquet" | |
| 1959 | Tightrope | Sandra | Episode: "Cold Kill" | |
| 1960 | The Law and Mr. Jones | D.J. | Episode: "Christmas Is a Legal Holiday" | |
| 1960 | Perry Mason | Madelyn Terry | Episode: "The Case of Wary Wildcatter" | |
| 1960–1961 | Adventures in Paradise | Martha Peterson | 2 episodes | |
| 1962 | Straightaway | Melody | Episode: "The Craziest Race in Town" | |
| 1963 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Dorothy | Episode: "Will You Two Be My Wife?" | |
| 1963 | Hawaiian Eye | Anne Munroe | Episode: "Two Million Too Much" | |
| 1963 | Empire | June Bates | Episode: "Hidden Asset" | |
| 1963 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Veronica | Episode: "I Was a Spy for the F.O.B." | |
| 1963 | The Lieutenant | Cissie Van Osten | Episode: "A Touching of Hands" | |
| 1963 | 77 Sunset Strip | Rachel Dent | Episode: "By His Own Verdict" | |
| 1963 | Wagon Train | Lucy Garrison | Episode: "The Fenton Canaby Story" | |
| 1964 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Betty | Episode: "The Night the Monkey Died" | |
| 1964 | Ben Casey | Tutor | Episode: "A Woods Full of Question Marks" | |
| 1964 | Perry Mason | Elayna Scott | Episode: "The Case of the Nautical Knot" | |
| 1964 | Valentine's Day | Unknown | Episode: "The Old School Tie" | |
| 1965 | Get Smart | Alma | Episode: "KAOS in CONTROL" | |
| 1965–1966 | My Mother The Car | Inge / Frankie | Episode: "I'm Through Being A Nice Guy" / "Desperate Minutes" | |
| 1966–1969 | Mission: Impossible | Cinnamon Carter | Main cast (seasons 1–3) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1967–1969) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama | |
| 1969 | The Red Skelton Show | Newspaperwoman | Episode: "Crime Doesn't Pay But It's Tax Free" | |
| 1971 | Murder Once Removed | Lisa Manning | Television film | |
| 1973 | Savage | Gail Abbot | Television film | |
| 1974 | The Waltons | Angelique | Episode: "The First Day" | |
| 1975–1977 | Dr. Helena Russell | Main cast | ||
| 1981 | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | Dr. Olga Schmetner | Television film | |
| 1984 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Julia Huntley | Episode: "A Death in the Family" | |
| 1985 | Moonlighting | Emily Greydon | Episode: "My Fair David" | |
| 1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Christina Golitsyn | Episode: "The Khrushchev List" | |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Julie Barrington | Episode: "Barrington" | |
| 1988 | Murder, She Wrote | Nora Morgan | Episode: "Coal Miner's Slaughter” | |
| 1991 | Murder, She Wrote | Ellen Lombard | Episode: "Unauthorized Obituary" | |
| 1992 | Likely Suspects | Buffy Hines-Baldi | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1994 | My So-Called Life | Vivian Wood | Episode: "Other People's Mothers" | |
| 1997 | The Visitor | Constance MacArthur | Episode: "Reunion" | |
| 1997 | Cinnamon Carter | Episode: "Discards" | ||
| 1998 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Mother Superior | Episode: "Saving Grace" | |
| 1999 | Millennium | Lilly Unser | Episode: "Matryoshka" | |
| 2003 | Strong Medicine | Mrs. March | Episode: "Orders" | |
| 2003 | Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Judy Utemeyer | Television film | |
| 2006 | Mrs. Iris Paul | Episode: "Living Legend" | ||
| 2008 | Verdona | Voice, episode: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" | ||
| 2016 | Code Black | Blanche | Episode: "Exodus" | |
| 2020 | Space Command | Aunt Simone | Episode: "Ripple Effect" |