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

House

American Dad!

Murder, She Wrote

The Mike Douglas Show

Diagnosis: Murder

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

All Movies (103)

• Mystery Reel2022
• Gettysburg - An American Story2014 · as Narrator
• Darkstar: Terror at the Edge of Time2010 · as Narrator
• What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar2009 · as Self
• Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves2005 · as Self
• Behind the Legend: Timon2004 · as Himself - Host
• America on the Move 1876-20002003 · as Host
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action2003 · as Host of Civil Defense Film
• Men in Black II2002 · as Peter Graves
• Don't Ask Don't Tell2002
• These Old Broads2001 · as Bill
• House on Haunted Hill1999 · as Self
• Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel1999 · as Narrator
• Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait1999 · as Self - Host
• Doris Day: It's Magic1998 · as Narrator
• Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life1998 · as Self - Narrator
• Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion1997 · as Self - Host
• Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star1996 · as Narrator
• Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown1996 · as Self - Host
• William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama1996
• Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell1996 · as Narrator
• Abbott & Costello Meet Biography1996 · as Self - Host
• Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker1995 · as Self - Host
• Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons1995 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• The Unexplained: Witches, Werewolves & Vampires1994 · as Host
• Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess1994 · as Self - Host
• Addams Family Values1993 · as Host
• Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent1989 · as Jim Phelps
• Number One with a Bullet1987 · as Capt. Ferris
• The Demon Lover1986 · as Ponsonby
• Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street1984 · as Tom Collins
• The Guns and the Fury1983 · as Mark Janser
• Airplane II: The Sequel1982 · as Capt. Clarence Oveur
• Savannah Smiles1982 · as Harland Dobbs
• 300 Miles for Stephanie1981 · as Capt. McIntyre
• Airplane!1980 · as Capt. Clarence Oveur
• The Memory of Eva Ryker1980 · as Mike Rogers
• Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty1980 · as TV Director
• Death Car on the Freeway1979 · as Lt. Haller
• Parts: The Clonus Horror1979 · as Jeff Knight
• Survival Run1979 · as Kandaris
• Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident1979 · as Alec Franklin
• SST: Death Flight1978 · as Paul Whitley
• Race for Survival1978 · as Narrator
• High Seas Hijack1977 · as Elliott Rhoades
• The Mysterious Monsters1976 · as Himself - Narrator
• Sidecar Racers1975 · as Carson
• Dead Man on the Run1975 · as Jim Gideon
• Where Have All the People Gone1974 · as Steven Anders
• The Underground Man1974 · as Lew Archer
• Paul and Michelle1974 · as Sir Henry
• Scream of the Wolf1974 · as John Wetherby
• The President's Plane Is Missing1973 · as Mark Jones
• Call to Danger1973 · as Doug Warfield
• Under the Law: Arrest and Seize1973 · as Narration
• The All Star Spangled Mission1973
• The Adventurers1970 · as Trustee Banker
• Mission: Impossible - The Falcon1970 · as James Phelps
• The 5-Man Army1969 · as Dutchman
• Mission: Impossible - The Controllers1969 · as Jim Phelps
• Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob1969 · as Jim Phelps
• The Assassination Bureau1969 · as Dragomiloff's Butler (uncredited)
• Mission: Impossible - The Bunker1969 · as James Phelps
• The Dean Martin Christmas Show1968 · as Self (uncredited)
• The Ballad of Josie1968 · as Jason Meredith
• Sergeant Ryker1968 · as Maj. Whitaker
• The Movie Orgy1968 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sleeping Dog1967 · as Sir Geoffrey
• Mission: Impossible - The Slave1967 · as Jim Phelps
• Valley of Mystery1967 · as Ben Barstow
• Gallegher Goes West1966 · as Marshal Neimeyer
• Texas Across the River1966 · as Capt. Stimpson
• A Rage to Live1965 · as Jack Hollister
• A Stranger in My Arms1959 · as Donald Beasley
• Wolf Larsen1958 · as Van Weyden
• Death in Small Doses1957 · as Agent / Tom Kaylor
• Beginning of the End1957 · as Dr. Ed Wainwright
• Bayou1957 · as Martin Davis
• Canyon River1956 · as Bob Andrews
• Hold Back The Night1956 · as Lt. Lee Couzens
• It Conquered the World1956 · as Dr. Paul Nelson
• The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955 · as Capt. Bob Elliott
• Fury1955 · as Jim Newton
• Fort Yuma1955 · as Lt. Ben Keegan
• The Naked Street1955 · as Joe McFarland
• The Night of the Hunter1955 · as Ben Harper
• Wichita1955 · as Morgan Earp
• Robbers' Roost1955 · as Heesman
• The Long Gray Line1955 · as Corporal Rudolph Heinz
• Black Tuesday1954 · as Peter Manning
• The Raid1954 · as Capt. Frank Dwyer
• The Yellow Tomahawk1954 · as Sawyer
• Killers from Space1954 · as Douglas Martin
• Beneath the 12-Mile Reef1953 · as Arnold Dix
• War Paint1953 · as Trooper Tolson
• East of Sumatra1953 · as Cowboy
• Stalag 171953 · as Sgt. Frank Price
• Red Planet Mars1952 · as Chris Cronyn
• The Congregation1952
• Angels in the Outfield1951 · as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
• Fort Defiance1951 · as Ned Tallon
• Rogue River1951 · as Pete Dandridge
• Aliens from Space— · as Doug Martin

All TV Shows (72)

• Minoriteam2005 · as Sheldon Miller
• American Dad!2005 · as Mr. Pibb (voice)
• House2004 · as Myron
• Cold Case2003 · as Anton Bikker (2006)
• Disney's House of Mouse2001 · as Instructor Voice (voice)
• Mickey Mouse Works1999
• The Angry Beavers1997
• 7th Heaven1996 · as John 'Colonel' Camden
• The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA1995 · as Self
• Burke's Law1994 · as General Prescott
• Diagnosis: Murder1993 · as Peter Graves
• Unauthorized Biographies with Peter Graves1993 · as Self - Narrator
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992
• The Complete Churchill1992 · as Presenter
• War and Remembrance1988 · as Palmer Kirby
• Mission: Impossible1988 · as Jim Phelps
• Biography1987 · as Self - Host
• Life with Lucy1986 · as Ben Marshall
• The Golden Girls1985 · as Jerry Kennedy
• Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Edmund Gerard
• Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense1984 · as John Bray
• The Winds of War1983 · as Palmer 'Fred' Kirby
• Simon & Simon1981 · as Wade Christian
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century1979 · as Major Noah Cooper
• The Rebels1979 · as George Washington
• Fantasy Island1978 · as 'Singapore' Eddie Malone
• The Love Boat1977 · as Gerald Whitney
• The Love Boat1977 · as Leonard Culver
• The Love Boat1977 · as Carl Lawrence
• The Duchess of Duke Street1976 · as Sir Evelyn Grant-Wortley
• The Sonny and Cher Show1976
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts1973 · as Self
• Funny Face1971
• Premiere1968
• The Invaders1967 · as Gavin Lewis
• Mission: Impossible1966 · as Jim Phelps
• The F.B.I.1965 · as Manning Fryes
• Laredo1965
• The Dean Martin Show1965
• Run for Your Life1965 · as Jim Carlson
• Court Martial1965 · as Major Frank Whittaker
• Branded1965
• Daniel Boone1964 · as Logan Harris
• 12 O'Clock High1964
• Kraft Suspense Theatre1963 · as Maj. Frank Whitaker
• The Great Adventure1963 · as Daniel Boone
• The Farmer's Daughter1963
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour1962 · as Mark Needham
• The Virginian1962 · as Robert Gaynor
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Whiplash1961 · as Christopher Cobb
• Route 661960
• Cimarron City1958
• Matinee Theater1955
• Fury1955 · as Jim Newton
• Celebrity Playhouse1955
• The Millionaire1955 · as Paul Hartley
• Climax!1954 · as Stanley
• Climax!1954 · as Steve Baxter
• Studio 571954 · as Jim Bailey
• The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse1953
• The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse1953 · as Fred Crain
• Biff Baker U.S.A.1952
• Cavalcade of America1952 · as Maj. Tom Howie
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Dr. James Ewing
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Rocky Kent
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Joel Barker
• Fireside Theater1949
• Studio One1948 · as Glenn Willis
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter