Peter Graves
Biography
Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010) was an American actor. While growing up in Minnesota, he excelled at sports and music (as a saxophonist), and by age 16, he was a radio announcer at WMIN in Minneapolis. After two years in the United States Air Force, he studied drama at the University of Minnesota and then headed to Hollywood, where he first appeared on television and later made his film debut in Rogue River (1951). Numerous film appearances followed, especially in Westerns. However, Graves is primarily recognized for his television work, particularly as Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible (1966). Peter Graves died of a heart attack on March 14, 2010, just four days before his 84th birthday.
Known For
American Dad!
2005
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
House
2004
Diagnosis: Murder
1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
The Love Boat
1977
The Love Boat
1977
The Love Boat
1977
Murder, She Wrote
1984
Cold Case
2003
Golden Globe Awards
1944
Mission: Impossible
1966
Filmography
American Dad!
as Mr. Pibb (voice) · 2005
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self · 1961
House
as Myron · 2004
Diagnosis: Murder
as Peter Graves · 1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
· 1992
The Love Boat
as Gerald Whitney · 1977
The Love Boat
as Leonard Culver · 1977
The Love Boat
as Carl Lawrence · 1977
Murder, She Wrote
as Edmund Gerard · 1984
Cold Case
as Anton Bikker (2006) · 2003
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Presenter · 1944
Mission: Impossible
as Jim Phelps · 1966
Matinee Theater
· 1955
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
as Mark Needham · 1962
Climax!
as Stanley · 1954
Climax!
as Steve Baxter · 1954
The Virginian
as Robert Gaynor · 1962
Studio One
as Glenn Willis · 1948
Simon & Simon
as Wade Christian · 1981
The Golden Girls
as Jerry Kennedy · 1985
Daniel Boone
as Logan Harris · 1964
The F.B.I.
as Manning Fryes · 1965
Route 66
· 1960
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self · 1948
Dinah!
as Self · 1974
Fantasy Island
as 'Singapore' Eddie Malone · 1978
7th Heaven
as John 'Colonel' Camden · 1996
Run for Your Life
as Jim Carlson · 1965
The Invaders
as Gavin Lewis · 1967
Mission: Impossible
as Jim Phelps · 1988
Kraft Suspense Theatre
as Maj. Frank Whitaker · 1963
The Angry Beavers
· 1997
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
as Major Noah Cooper · 1979
Disney's House of Mouse
as Instructor Voice (voice) · 2001
Biography
as Self - Host · 1987
Biography
· 1987
The Millionaire
as Paul Hartley · 1955
Branded
· 1965
The Dean Martin Show
· 1965
Studio 57
as Jim Bailey · 1954
Men in Black II
as Peter Graves · 2002
12 O'Clock High
· 1964
Laredo
· 1965
Mickey Mouse Works
· 1999
Airplane!
as Capt. Clarence Oveur · 1980
Lux Video Theatre
as Joel Barker · 1950
The Farmer's Daughter
· 1963
Burke's Law
as General Prescott · 1994
Addams Family Values
as Host · 1993
The Great Adventure
as Daniel Boone · 1963
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
as Self · 1973
War and Remembrance
as Palmer Kirby · 1988
Cavalcade of America
as Maj. Tom Howie · 1952
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
· 1953
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
as Fred Crain · 1953
The Duchess of Duke Street
as Sir Evelyn Grant-Wortley · 1976
Fury
as Jim Newton · 1955
Chevron Theatre
· 1952
The Winds of War
as Palmer 'Fred' Kirby · 1983
The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA
as Self · 1995
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense
as John Bray · 1984
The Sonny and Cher Show
· 1976
Life with Lucy
as Ben Marshall · 1986
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
as Host of Civil Defense Film · 2003
Airplane II: The Sequel
as Capt. Clarence Oveur · 1982
The Night of the Hunter
as Ben Harper · 1955
Biff Baker U.S.A.
· 1952
Fireside Theater
· 1949
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Dr. James Ewing · 1951
House on Haunted Hill
as Self · 1999
Cimarron City
· 1958
Minoriteam
as Sheldon Miller · 2005
Funny Face
· 1971
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Rocky Kent · 1951
The Rebels
as George Washington · 1979
Angels in the Outfield
as Radio Announcer (uncredited) · 1951
Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street
as Tom Collins · 1984
Whiplash
as Christopher Cobb · 1961
Texas Across the River
as Capt. Stimpson · 1966
Stalag 17
as Frank Price · 1953
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
as Capt. Bob Elliott · 1955
Parts: The Clonus Horror
as Jeff Knight · 1979
The Ballad of Josie
as Jason Meredith · 1967
The Long Gray Line
as Corporal Rudolph Heinz · 1955
The 5-Man Army
as Dutchman · 1969
These Old Broads
as Bill · 2001
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage) · 1968
The Naked Street
as Joe McFarland · 1955
The Adventurers
as Trustee Banker · 1970
A Rage to Live
as Jack Hollister · 1965
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef
as Arnold Dix · 1953
Beginning of the End
as Dr. Ed Wainwright · 1957
The Memory of Eva Ryker
as Mike Rogers · 1980
Number One with a Bullet
as Capt. Ferris · 1987
Sleeping Dog
as Sir Geoffrey · 1967
The Assassination Bureau
as Dragomiloff's Butler (uncredited) · 1969
Premiere
· 1968
The President's Plane Is Missing
as Mark Jones · 1973
The Raid
as Capt. Frank Dwyer · 1954
The Congregation
· 1952
It Conquered the World
as Dr. Paul Nelson · 1956
Celebrity Playhouse
· 1955
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
as Self (uncredited) · 1968
Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident
as Alec Franklin · 1979
Wichita
as Morgan Earp · 1955
Doris Day: It's Magic
as Narrator · 1998
Death Car on the Freeway
as Lieutenant Haller · 1979
Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob
as Jim Phelps · 1969
Where Have All the People Gone
as Steven Anders · 1974
Valley of Mystery
as Ben Barstow · 1967
A Stranger in My Arms
as Donald Beasley · 1959
Mission: Impossible - The Falcon
as James Phelps · 1970
Sergeant Ryker
as Maj. Whitaker · 1968
SST: Death Flight
as Paul Whitley · 1978
Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star
as Narrator · 1996
Court Martial
as Major Frank Whittaker · 1966
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty
as TV Director · 1980
High Seas Hijack
as Elliott Rhoades · 1977
Savannah Smiles
as Harland Dobbs · 1982
Hold Back the Night
as Lt. Lee Couzens · 1956
Red Planet Mars
as Chris Cronyn · 1952
Black Tuesday
as Peter Manning · 1954
Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker
as Self - Host · 1995
Paul and Michelle
as Sir Henry · 1974
Death in Small Doses
as Agent / Tom Kaylor · 1957
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
as Self - Narrator (voice) · 1995
War Paint
as Trooper Tolson · 1953
The All Star Spangled Mission
as Jim Phelps · 1973
Scream of the Wolf
as John Wetherby · 1974
Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell
as Narrator · 1996
Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess
as Self - Host · 1994
Dead Man on the Run
as Jim Gideon · 1975
Mission: Impossible - The Bunker
as James Phelps · 1969
Robbers' Roost
as Heesman · 1955
The Yellow Tomahawk
as Sawyer · 1954
Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life
as Self - Narrator · 1998
Behind the Legend: Timon
as Himself - Host · 2004
Under the Law: Arrest and Seize
as Narration · 1973
East of Sumatra
as Cowboy · 1953
Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown
as Self - Host · 1996
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography
as Self - Host · 1996
Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves
as Self · 2005
Mission: Impossible - The Controllers
as Jim Phelps · 1969
300 Miles for Stephanie
as Capt. McIntyre · 1981
Killers from Space
as Douglas Martin · 1954
Mission: Impossible - The Slave
as Jim Phelps · 1967
The Guns and the Fury
as Mark Janser · 1983
Fort Yuma
as Lt. Ben Keegan · 1955
The Underground Man
as Lew Archer · 1974
What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar
as Self · 2009
The Unexplained: Witches, Werewolves & Vampires
as Host · 1994
Rogue River
as Pete Dandridge · 1951
Fort Defiance
as Ned Tallon · 1951
Don't Ask Don't Tell
· 2002
Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent
as Jim Phelps · 1989
Wolf Larsen
as Van Weyden · 1958
Darkstar: Terror at the Edge of Time
as Narrator · 2010
Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel
as Narrator · 1999
Survival Run
as Kandaris · 1979
Unauthorized Biographies with Peter Graves
as Self - Narrator · 1993
Call to Danger
as Doug Warfield · 1973
The Demon Lover
as Ponsonby · 1986
Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion
as Self - Host · 1997
Sidecar Racers
as Carson · 1975
Fury
as Jim Newton · 1955
Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait
as Self - Host · 1999
Gallegher Goes West
as Marshal Neimeyer · 1966
Gettysburg - An American Story
as Narrator · 2014
Canyon River
as Bob Andrews · 1956
The Complete Churchill
as Presenter · 1992
Aliens from Space
as Doug Martin
America on the Move 1876-2000
as Host · 2003
Bayou
as Martin Davis · 1957
The Mysterious Monsters
as Himself - Narrator · 1976
William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama
· 1996
Race for Survival
as Narrator · 1978
Mystery Reel
· 2022