From: MCK067@aol3tag.com Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 16:39:36 EDT Subject: Space1999: Space Rumors? There were some old stories I read/rumors I heard in regard to Space, the cast, etc., and was wondering if anybody has any info or could lay any of these rumors to rest: This was not a happy cast/crew. Nobody liked Freiberger, Tony Anholt (among others) thought Barbara Bain was a "pain in the a**" and Landau was difficult (apparently they had some strong views about how their characters should be played), Sylvia Anderson didn't like Landau in the role or in general, Catherine Schell hated Bain's guts, and the Landaus were on the verge of divorce by the start of Season 2 (which I find hard to believe, unless they're better actors than anybody realized at the time. I remember an article stating that once Space had wrapped, they were hoping for another series together -- not something you'd hope for if you were planning a divorce). And yet I've read interviews that everything was lovey-dovey on the Space set and the Landau's were utterly devoted to each other (at the time). Also, I've heard Abe Mandell wanted to sack Bain at the end of Season 1 but her contract wouldn't allow it, and that Bain was deathly ill during much of the Season 2 filming. Anybody confirm or deny any of this, or is this just some age-old rumor mill?
From: "Mark Meskin" (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com) Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 16:02:18 -0500 > This was not a happy cast/crew. For the most part, not true. > Nobody liked Freiberger, I think among the writers there was dislike for his mandates, but the interviews all state that Freddie was a likable sort, and that they got along with him OK, even if they didn't like his ideas. > Tony Anholt (among others) thought Barbara Bain was a "pain in the a**" Ive heard this about her from other sources. > and Landau was difficult (apparently they had some strong > views about how their characters should be played), Landau did, and for the most part, he was right. He stood up against Frieburger on a lot of the diaalogue and actions that he thought was out of character. But this is no different than most TV shows. Patrick Stewart is rumored to have threatened to quite over some of his lines. > Sylvia Anderson didn't like Landau in the role or in general, She wanted what's his name, I forget. > Catherine Schell hated Bain's guts, I heard Bain hated Schell. > and the Landaus were on the verge of > divorce by the start of Season 2 One year went by until the second season got the green light. People change. > Also, I've heard Abe Mandell wanted to sack Bain at the end of Season 1 but > her contract wouldn't allow it, and that Bain was deathly ill during much of > the Season 2 filming. Never heard that. > Anybody confirm or deny any of this, or is this just some age-old rumor mill? Could be. But I think you find this kind of crap at EVERY production......just ask Terry Farrel. Mark
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 17:48:34 -0500 From: Mike Lynch (Mike-Lynch@big44foot.com) Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? >> Sylvia Anderson didn't like Landau in the role or in general, > > She wanted what's his name, I forget. I believe it was Robert Culp... somehow I think that it would have been difficult to take Koenig seriously had it been Mr. Culp. Mike
From: djlerda@juno4tag.com Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 19:40:14 EDT > and Landau was difficult (apparently they had some strong > views about how their characters should be played), According to John Muir's "Exploring Space: 1999", Landau's contract had a large percentage of on-screen time. Anytime the care and feeding of actorss precious egos are involved, there's bound to be conflicts. (This also could explain why Koenig got hooked up to the computer in "Space Brain" instread of Kano). I heard that Patrick Stewart and the actress who played the ship's doctor on the second season didn't get along and he threatened to walk if they didn't bring Bev Crusher back. Any truth to this? >> Sylvia Anderson didn't like Landau in the role or in general, > > She wanted what's his name, I forget. They originally approached Catherine Ross and Robert Culp (of I Spy) to play Helena Russell and John Koenig. >> Catherine Schell hated Bain's guts, > >I heard Bain hated Schell. > Once again, according to Muir, there's no love lost between Schell and Gerry Anderson. Seems Schell hasn't gotten a penny in royalties from re-runs or video sales and isn't happy one bit. I hope she got a different agent. >and the Landaus were on the verge of >: divorce by the start of Season 2 > >One year went by until the second season got the green light. People >change. Is that why they had to "double up" the shooting schedule for Year 2? The Powers That Be waited until the last minute to give the go-ahead? >Also, I've heard Abe Mandell wanted to sack Bain at the end of Season 1 >but her contract wouldn't allow it, and that Bain was deathly ill during >much of the Season 2 filming. According to SFX magazine's "Episode Guide to the Galaxy", that masterpiece of television science fiction "The Beta Cloud" was written with the emphasis specifically on Maya and Verdeschi in order to allow Landau and Bain a vacation in the south of France. Whether this was health related, I have no idea. >But I think you find this kind of crap at EVERY >production......just ask Terry Farrel. Er, who's Terry Farrel? David J Lerda
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 20:05:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Paul Apprich (psapp@terra4m.cnct.com) Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? > I believe it was Robert Culp... somehow I think that it would have been > difficult to take Koenig seriously had it been Mr. Culp. Could one imagine Katherine Ross playing Dr Russell? PA
From: Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com) Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 20:04:33 -0500 NO.
From: "Mark Meskin" (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com) Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 20:09:21 -0500 > Is that why they had to "double up" the shooting schedule for Year 2? > The Powers That Be waited until the last minute to give the go-ahead? You got it! > Er, who's Terry Farrel? She WAS Dax on DS-9.....after a contract dispute....they killed off her character and replaced her with a different Trill. Very adult behavior. Who pays...the fans. Claudia Christensen of B5 wanted more screen time and more pay, or she walks....JMS called her bluff, now she's doing conventions just to pay the rent. A LOT of big egos collide in tee-vee land. Mark
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 09:10:42 +0000 Subject: Re: Space1999: Space Rumors? > I believe it was Robert Culp... somehow I think that it would have been > difficult to take Koenig seriously had it been Mr. Culp. From what I've understood Sylvia wanted somebody less hard-boiled than Landau, focusing more on the fragile possibilities for the character, more like Victor Bergman, I suppose, wanting to study how people react to stress under severe circumstances. Perhaps she wanted somebody more like Gerry Anderson to portray Koenig, although the Andersons apparently were having their realtionship a bit strained during Year One, climaxing at the end-of-the-show party according to those who know such things it seems and deciding to seperate before Year Two was put into production. Personally I think Landau was perfect for the role, especially the way he portrayed it in the first four or five episodes where he overrules Victor and Helena in MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, contemplates the situation in BREAKAWAY with a cup of coffee, asks Victor about God in BLACK SUN etc. All of these episodes give great insight to the John Koenig character, I think, and being far from perfect makes him much more interesting in my opinion. After RING AROUND THE MOON, the high point of the series in my opinion, there is much downhill in respect of investigating the original concepts of the show, I think, although there were some very fine philosophical episodes like WAR GAMES and THE LAST SUNSET that seem close to BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, BLACK SUN etc. in spirit. While it is fun to watch and discuss Year Two, speculating about what the writers might have wanted to stress, that season is completely comic-strip, I think, and could just as well have been made as a cartoon, although, as stated above, it is fun to discuss and search for traces of intelligence evidently hidden into some of the episodes. Petter
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com) Subject: Space1999: Landau Blacklisting Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 06:20:40 EDT While it is true Martin Landau was sort of blacklisted in the US after MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, it is not true his appearance in ED WOOD marked a period of forgiveness and proclaimed his return. I believe he received both critical and public acclaim earlier with his small role in TUCKER, A MAN AND HIS DREAM. His evil industrialist character who was out to shut down Tucker's auto company was a joy to watch. Apparently Francis Ford Coppola requested Landau to do it and the movie was thought to be a nothing film. It turned out to the the sleeper hit of that year. He received an Oscar nomination for the role but did not win that time around. He followed this with another acclaimed role in Woody Allen's CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. Again, another Oscar nomination but another loss. ED WOOD eventually followed and this time around he got the Oscar. Thus TUCKER marked the real return of Landau. Of course, he did a lot of B grade stuff after SPACE: 1999 and before TUCKER. I remember METEOR as a mainly bad movie but strangely enough its one of those bad films I don't mind watching. Far worst was his appearance (with Barbara Bain) in THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS ON GILLIGAN'S ISLAND. This for me was a low point in this couple's career and could have easily been the end of them. What were they thinking when they decided to do this. In fact, after this came the couple's split and Landau made only a few rare appearances on TV shows like MURDER, SHE WROTE. I for one am glad Landau returned to the big leagues. David Acheson Site Administrator, Return to Moonbase Alpha http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/4376/moonbase.html
From: Atomic Possum (atomic44possum@toast.net) Subject: Re: Space1999: Landau Blacklisting Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 06:30:40 -0500 David-- That isn't Landau's part in the film. He plays Tucker's business partner and financial man who throws the whole thing into a tizzy when it is discovered that years ago he had done prison time for fraud. Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter