The Inaugural Screen Actors Guild Awards aired on NBC from Stage 12 at Universal Studios Hollywood, on February 25, 1995. Unveiled during this evening for the first time was the Guild's new award statuette, The Actor, as well as the first awards for ensembles in drama series and comedy series which honor all of the actors who are the regulars in television series. From this auspicious beginning the Screen Actors Guild Awards has been embraced as one of the most prestigious in the entertainment industry.

Martin James Landau was an American actor, acting coach, producer, and editorial cartoonist. His career began in the 1950s, with early film appearances including a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959). His career breakthrough came with leading roles in the television series Mission: Impossible (1966–1969) and Space: 1999 (1975–1977).