Peter Graves

Peter Graves

Known for
Acting
Born
March 18, 1926
Died
March 14, 2010 (aged 83)
Birthplace
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

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

Photos

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Filmography

—
Aliens from Space poster

Aliens from Space

Movie · as Doug Martin

2022
Mystery Reel

Mystery Reel

Movie

2014
Gettysburg - An American Story

Gettysburg - An American Story

Movie · as Narrator

2010
Darkstar: Terror at the Edge of Time poster

Darkstar: Terror at the Edge of Time

Movie · as Narrator

2009
What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar poster

What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar

Movie · as Self

2005
Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves poster

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves

Movie · as Self

2005
American Dad! poster

American Dad!

TV · as Mr. Pibb (voice) · 1 ep

2005
Minoriteam poster

Minoriteam

TV · as Sheldon Miller · 1 ep

2004
Behind the Legend: Timon poster

Behind the Legend: Timon

Movie · as Himself - Host

2004
House poster

House

TV · as Myron · 1 ep

2003
America on the Move 1876-2000 poster

America on the Move 1876-2000

Movie · as Host

2003
Looney Tunes: Back in Action poster

Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Movie · as Host of Civil Defense Film

2003
Cold Case poster

Cold Case

TV · as Anton Bikker (2006) · 1 ep

2002
Men in Black II poster

Men in Black II

Movie · as Peter Graves

2002
Don't Ask Don't Tell

Don't Ask Don't Tell

Movie

2001
These Old Broads poster

These Old Broads

Movie · as Bill

2001
Disney's House of Mouse poster

Disney's House of Mouse

TV · as Instructor Voice (voice) · 1 ep

1999
Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel poster

Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel

Movie · as Narrator

1999
House on Haunted Hill poster

House on Haunted Hill

Movie · as Self

1999
Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait poster

Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait

Movie · as Self - Host

1999
Mickey Mouse Works poster

Mickey Mouse Works

TV · 1 ep

1998
Doris Day: It's Magic poster

Doris Day: It's Magic

Movie · as Narrator

1998
Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life poster

Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life

Movie · as Self - Narrator

1997
Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion poster

Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion

Movie · as Self - Host

1997
The Angry Beavers poster

The Angry Beavers

TV · 1 ep

1996
Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown

Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown

Movie · as Self - Host

1996
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography poster

Abbott & Costello Meet Biography

Movie · as Self - Host

1996
William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama poster

William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama

Movie

1996
Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell poster

Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell

Movie · as Narrator

1996
Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star

Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star

Movie · as Narrator

1996
7th Heaven poster

7th Heaven

TV · as John 'Colonel' Camden · 11 eps

1995
Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker poster

Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker

Movie · as Self - Host

1995
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons poster

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons

Movie · as Self - Narrator (voice)

1995
The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA poster

The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1994
The Unexplained: Witches, Werewolves & Vampires poster

The Unexplained: Witches, Werewolves & Vampires

Movie · as Host

1994
Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess poster

Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess

Movie · as Self - Host

1994
Burke's Law poster

Burke's Law

TV · as General Prescott · 1 ep

1993
Addams Family Values poster

Addams Family Values

Movie · as Host

1993
Diagnosis: Murder poster

Diagnosis: Murder

TV · as Peter Graves · 1 ep

1993
Unauthorized Biographies with Peter Graves

Unauthorized Biographies with Peter Graves

TV · as Self - Narrator · 4 eps

1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno poster

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV · 1 ep

1992
The Complete Churchill

The Complete Churchill

TV · as Presenter · 4 eps

1989
Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent poster

Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent

Movie · as Jim Phelps

1988
Mission: Impossible poster

Mission: Impossible

TV · as Jim Phelps · 35 eps

1988
War and Remembrance poster

War and Remembrance

TV · as Palmer Kirby · 1 ep

1987
Number One with a Bullet poster

Number One with a Bullet

Movie · as Capt. Ferris

1987
Biography poster

Biography

TV · as Self - Host · 2 eps

1986
The Demon Lover poster

The Demon Lover

Movie · as Ponsonby

1986
Life with Lucy poster

Life with Lucy

TV · as Ben Marshall · 1 ep

1985
The Golden Girls poster

The Golden Girls

TV · as Jerry Kennedy · 1 ep

1984
Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street poster

Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street

Movie · as Tom Collins

1984
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense poster

Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense

TV · as John Bray · 1 ep

1984
Murder, She Wrote poster

Murder, She Wrote

TV · as Edmund Gerard · 1 ep

1983
The Guns and the Fury poster

The Guns and the Fury

Movie · as Mark Janser

1983
The Winds of War poster

The Winds of War

TV · as Palmer 'Fred' Kirby · 7 eps

1982
Airplane II: The Sequel poster

Airplane II: The Sequel

Movie · as Capt. Clarence Oveur

1982
Savannah Smiles poster

Savannah Smiles

Movie · as Harland Dobbs

1981
300 Miles for Stephanie poster

300 Miles for Stephanie

Movie · as Capt. McIntyre

1981
Simon & Simon poster

Simon & Simon

TV · as Wade Christian · 1 ep

1980
Airplane! poster

Airplane!

Movie · as Capt. Clarence Oveur

1980
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty poster

Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty

Movie · as TV Director

1980
The Memory of Eva Ryker poster

The Memory of Eva Ryker

Movie · as Mike Rogers

1979
Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident poster

Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident

Movie · as Alec Franklin

1979
Parts: The Clonus Horror poster

Parts: The Clonus Horror

Movie · as Jeff Knight

1979
Survival Run poster

Survival Run

Movie · as Kandaris

1979
Death Car on the Freeway poster

Death Car on the Freeway

Movie · as Lieutenant Haller

1979
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century poster

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

TV · as Major Noah Cooper · 1 ep

1979
The Rebels poster

The Rebels

TV · as George Washington · 2 eps

1978
SST: Death Flight poster

SST: Death Flight

Movie · as Paul Whitley

1978
Race for Survival poster

Race for Survival

Movie · as Narrator

1978
Fantasy Island poster

Fantasy Island

TV · as 'Singapore' Eddie Malone · 1 ep

1977
High Seas Hijack poster

High Seas Hijack

Movie · as Elliott Rhoades

1977
The Love Boat poster

The Love Boat

TV · as Gerald Whitney, Leonard Culver, Carl Lawrence · 2 eps

1976
The Mysterious Monsters poster

The Mysterious Monsters

Movie · as Himself - Narrator

1976
The Sonny and Cher Show poster

The Sonny and Cher Show

TV · 1 ep

1976
The Duchess of Duke Street poster

The Duchess of Duke Street

TV · as Sir Evelyn Grant-Wortley · 1 ep

1975
Sidecar Racers poster

Sidecar Racers

Movie · as Carson

1975
Dead Man on the Run poster

Dead Man on the Run

Movie · as Jim Gideon

1974
Paul and Michelle poster

Paul and Michelle

Movie · as Sir Henry

1974
Where Have All the People Gone poster

Where Have All the People Gone

Movie · as Steven Anders

1974
Scream of the Wolf poster

Scream of the Wolf

Movie · as John Wetherby

1974
The Underground Man poster

The Underground Man

Movie · as Lew Archer

1974
Dinah! poster

Dinah!

TV · as Self · 3 eps

1973
The President's Plane Is Missing poster

The President's Plane Is Missing

Movie · as Mark Jones

1973
Call to Danger poster

Call to Danger

Movie · as Doug Warfield

1973
Under the Law: Arrest and Seize poster

Under the Law: Arrest and Seize

Movie · as Narration

1973
The All Star Spangled Mission poster

The All Star Spangled Mission

Movie · as Jim Phelps

1973
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts poster

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

TV · as Self · 2 eps

1971
Funny Face poster

Funny Face

TV · 1 ep

1970
The Adventurers poster

The Adventurers

Movie · as Trustee Banker

1970
Mission: Impossible - The Falcon poster

Mission: Impossible - The Falcon

Movie · as James Phelps

1969
The 5-Man Army poster

The 5-Man Army

Movie · as Dutchman

1969
The Assassination Bureau poster

The Assassination Bureau

Movie · as Dragomiloff's Butler (uncredited)

1969
Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob poster

Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob

Movie · as Jim Phelps

1969
Mission: Impossible - The Bunker poster

Mission: Impossible - The Bunker

Movie · as James Phelps

1969
Mission: Impossible - The Controllers poster

Mission: Impossible - The Controllers

Movie · as Jim Phelps

1968
The Movie Orgy poster

The Movie Orgy

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

1968
The Dean Martin Christmas Show poster

The Dean Martin Christmas Show

Movie · as Self (uncredited)

1968
Sergeant Ryker poster

Sergeant Ryker

Movie · as Maj. Whitaker

1968
Premiere

Premiere

TV · 1 ep

1967
The Ballad of Josie poster

The Ballad of Josie

Movie · as Jason Meredith

1967
Valley of Mystery poster

Valley of Mystery

Movie · as Ben Barstow

1967
Mission: Impossible - The Slave poster

Mission: Impossible - The Slave

Movie · as Jim Phelps

1967
Sleeping Dog poster

Sleeping Dog

Movie · as Sir Geoffrey

1967
The Invaders poster

The Invaders

TV · as Gavin Lewis · 1 ep

1966
Texas Across the River poster

Texas Across the River

Movie · as Capt. Stimpson

1966
Gallegher Goes West poster

Gallegher Goes West

Movie · as Marshal Neimeyer

1966
Mission: Impossible poster

Mission: Impossible

TV · as Jim Phelps · 143 eps

1966
Court Martial

Court Martial

TV · as Major Frank Whittaker · 20 eps

1965
A Rage to Live poster

A Rage to Live

Movie · as Jack Hollister

1965
The F.B.I. poster

The F.B.I.

TV · as Manning Fryes · 1 ep

1965
Laredo poster

Laredo

TV · 1 ep

1965
Run for Your Life poster

Run for Your Life

TV · as Jim Carlson · 1 ep

1965
The Dean Martin Show poster

The Dean Martin Show

TV · 1 ep

1965
Branded poster

Branded

TV · 2 eps

1964
Daniel Boone poster

Daniel Boone

TV · as Logan Harris · 1 ep

1964
12 O'Clock High poster

12 O'Clock High

TV · 1 ep

1963
The Great Adventure poster

The Great Adventure

TV · as Daniel Boone · 2 eps

1963
Kraft Suspense Theatre poster

Kraft Suspense Theatre

TV · as Maj. Frank Whitaker · 2 eps

1963
The Farmer's Daughter poster

The Farmer's Daughter

TV · 1 ep

1962
The Virginian poster

The Virginian

TV · as Robert Gaynor · 1 ep

1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour poster

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

TV · as Mark Needham · 1 ep

1961
Whiplash poster

Whiplash

TV · as Christopher Cobb · 34 eps

1961
The Mike Douglas Show poster

The Mike Douglas Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1960
Route 66 poster

Route 66

TV · 2 eps

1959
A Stranger in My Arms poster

A Stranger in My Arms

Movie · as Donald Beasley

1958
Wolf Larsen poster

Wolf Larsen

Movie · as Van Weyden

1958
Cimarron City poster

Cimarron City

TV · 1 ep

1957
Beginning of the End poster

Beginning of the End

Movie · as Dr. Ed Wainwright

1957
Death in Small Doses poster

Death in Small Doses

Movie · as Agent / Tom Kaylor

1957
Bayou poster

Bayou

Movie · as Martin Davis

1956
It Conquered the World poster

It Conquered the World

Movie · as Dr. Paul Nelson

1956
Hold Back the Night poster

Hold Back the Night

Movie · as Lt. Lee Couzens

1956
Canyon River poster

Canyon River

Movie · as Bob Andrews

1955
The Night of the Hunter poster

The Night of the Hunter

Movie · as Ben Harper

1955
The Long Gray Line poster

The Long Gray Line

Movie · as Corporal Rudolph Heinz

1955
Fury poster

Fury

Movie · as Jim Newton

1955
The Naked Street poster

The Naked Street

Movie · as Joe McFarland

1955
Wichita poster

Wichita

Movie · as Morgan Earp

1955
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell poster

The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell

Movie · as Capt. Bob Elliott

1955
Fort Yuma poster

Fort Yuma

Movie · as Lt. Ben Keegan

1955
Robbers' Roost poster

Robbers' Roost

Movie · as Heesman

1955
Fury poster

Fury

TV · as Jim Newton · 117 eps

1955
The Millionaire poster

The Millionaire

TV · as Paul Hartley · 1 ep

1955
Matinee Theater poster

Matinee Theater

TV · 1 ep

1955
Celebrity Playhouse

Celebrity Playhouse

TV · 1 ep

1954
Killers from Space poster

Killers from Space

Movie · as Douglas Martin

1954
Black Tuesday poster

Black Tuesday

Movie · as Peter Manning

1954
The Yellow Tomahawk poster

The Yellow Tomahawk

Movie · as Sawyer

1954
The Raid poster

The Raid

Movie · as Capt. Frank Dwyer

1954
Climax! poster

Climax!

TV · as Stanley, Steve Baxter · 1 ep

1954
Studio 57 poster

Studio 57

TV · as Jim Bailey · 1 ep

1953
Stalag 17 poster

Stalag 17

Movie · as Frank Price

1953
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef poster

Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

Movie · as Arnold Dix

1953
War Paint poster

War Paint

Movie · as Trooper Tolson

1953
East of Sumatra poster

East of Sumatra

Movie · as Cowboy

1953
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

TV · as Fred Crain · 2 eps

1952
Red Planet Mars poster

Red Planet Mars

Movie · as Chris Cronyn

1952
The Congregation

The Congregation

Movie

1952
Cavalcade of America poster

Cavalcade of America

TV · as Maj. Tom Howie · 1 ep

1952
Biff Baker U.S.A. poster

Biff Baker U.S.A.

TV · 1 ep

1952
Chevron Theatre

Chevron Theatre

TV · 1 ep

1951
Rogue River poster

Rogue River

Movie · as Pete Dandridge

1951
Fort Defiance poster

Fort Defiance

Movie · as Ned Tallon

1951
Angels in the Outfield poster

Angels in the Outfield

Movie · as Radio Announcer (uncredited)

1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame poster

Hallmark Hall of Fame

TV · as Dr. James Ewing · 1 ep

1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars poster

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

TV · as Rocky Kent · 1 ep

1950
Lux Video Theatre poster

Lux Video Theatre

TV · as Joel Barker · 1 ep

1949
Fireside Theater

Fireside Theater

TV · 4 eps

1948
Studio One poster

Studio One

TV · as Glenn Willis · 1 ep

1948
The Ed Sullivan Show poster

The Ed Sullivan Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1944
Golden Globe Awards poster

Golden Globe Awards

TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep