Oscar-winning actor Landau dies at 89

Oscar-winning actor Landau dies at 89

LOS ANGELES

A publicist for Martin Landau says the Oscar-winning actor and star of the “Mission: Impossible” TV series has died.

Dick Guttman said Landau died Saturday of unexpected complications during a short stay at UCLA Medical Center. He had just celebrated his 89th birthday.

Landau was the crafty master of disguise for the TV version of “Mission: Impossible,” then capped a long and versatile career with an Oscar for his poignant portrayal of aging horror movie star Bela Lugosi in 1994’s “Ed Wood.”

Landau also gained some measure of fame among “Star Trek” fans for a role he didn’t play, pointy-eared starship Enterprise science officer, Mr. Spock.

“Star Trek” creator Gene Rodenberry had offered him the role, but Landau turned it down.

‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ roars past ‘Spider-Man’

NEW YORK

Monkey business still pays. “War for the Planet of the Apes” took down “Spider-Man: Homecoming” at the North American box office, opening with an estimated $56.5 million in ticket sales.

Though some initially expected a closer race, “Spider-Man” dropped to second with $45.2 million after its $117 million debut last weekend. But director Matt Reeves’ “War for the Planet of the Apes” pulled away thanks to strong reviews for the third installment of the rebooted “Apes” franchise.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore:

1. “War for the Planet of the Apes,” $56.5 million ($46 million international).

2. “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” $45.2 million ($72.3 million international).

3. “Despicable Me 3,” $18.9 million ($71 million international).

4. “Baby Driver,” $8.8 million ($6.2 million international).

5. “The Big Sick,” $7.6 million.

Jodie Whittaker first female star of ‘Doctor Who’

LONDON

British actress Jodie Whittaker was announced Sunday as the next star of the long-running science fiction series “Doctor Who” – the first woman to take a role that has been played by a dozen men over six decades.

Whittaker, best known for playing the mother of a murdered boy in detective drama “Broadchurch,” will replace Scottish actor Peter Capaldi at the end of the year, the BBC said.

Whittaker is the 13th official incarnation of the Doctor, a galaxy-hopping Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels in the Tardis, a time machine shaped like an old-fashioned British police telephone booth.

Associated Press