'Peter Graves', who starred in television's beloved 'Mission Impossible' and films including 'Stalag 17' and 'Airplane!' died of natural causes in Pacific Palisades, California, on Sunday. He was 83.
Graves played the lead, Jim Phelps, in the 'Mission: Impossible' series for six seasons, and then came back in 88' for ABC's remake of the show. He also starred as Capt. Clarence Oveur in the 80' comedy 'Airplane!' and in the sequel, as well.
Born as 'Peter Aurness' in Minneapolis, Graves entered the showbiz at an early age, he started out as a radio announcer at the age of 16. Following a stint in the Air Force, he studied drama at the University of Minnesota. After graduation he came to Hollywood, where his older brother 'James Arness' was already starring in Gunsmoke. Graves' first film was 51's 'Rogue River'. A host of smaller roles in films, most of the time Westerns, and
then he went into TV, including horror films such as 'Killers From Space'.
Among his films were a German spy in 53's 'Stalag 17', directed by 'Billy Wilder', and 'The Yellow Tomahawk'.
In the 60s, he went into TV and played the lead in NBC series 'Fury', also 'Whiplash' in 60-61. He had repeating roles on 'The Love Boat', 'Fantasy Island' and '7th Heaven'.
Later down the road, Graves was the host of 'Biography' on A&E.
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