PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Actor Peter Graves was found dead Sunday, March 14, at his home here. The star of TV’s “Mission: Impossible” and scores of movies apparently died of natural causes. He was 83 years old.
MSTies will remember him as powerful CEO Paul Whitley in K13-SST DEATH FLIGHT, as morally upright scientist Paul Nelson in episode 311- IT CONQUERED THE WORLD, as well-meaning-but-culpable scientist Ed Wainwright in episode 517- BEGINNING OF THE END and as immoral politician Jeff Knight in episode 811-PARTS: THE CLONUS HORROR. He also provided the uncredited narration in 418-ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES. He also provided narration for the long-awaited video game Darkstar, which stars several MST3K cast members.
) to help our users cope with "trolls" and other commenters whom they find annoying. Go to our
RIP good sir. The hero of Mission: Impossible, the villain from Stalag 17, and the star of so many episodes of “A+E Biography.” Oh, and MST3K as well.
Fare thee well Mr. Graves.. so you think he will ever be the focus of an episode of Biography?
He learned too late that man was a feeling creature…
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to rest in peace, Sir. You were kind of a big deal to me on a lot of different levels… Stalag 17, Mission Impossible, Airplane, MST3K.
Good night, Mr. Graves. I shall remember you fondly…especially when I watch a gladiator movie.
This is getting eerie! Watched Mitchell 2 weeks ago and Merlin Olsen dies. Watched Beginning of the End last week and now Peter Graves dies! Watching Village of the Giants tonight. I hope Tommy Kirk’s not next!
RIP Captain Oveur!
RIP, Peter Graves, who, just like my wife, went to the University …. of Minnesota. I’ll watch Beginning of the End tonight in your memory.
As a fellow Minnesotan, I find this very sad news. He was an extremely talented actor on so many levels. Drama, action, comedy…. he did them all, and he did them quite well. Oh, and he also attended the University of Minnesota. My condolences to his loved ones. May he rest in peace. :sad:
Aww. Dammit, I always liked him. It’s sad that he and his brother never reconciled. My dad and his brother cut off all relations over thirty years ago and my dad is pushing 90.
Aw man. I love Mission Impossible. One of the best shows of all time. I watched all 7 seasons last year. (thanks internet) Graves was so great with Airplane and Biography. What a pro and how can you not think of Crow’s impression? He was like an extended member of the MST family.
No, I have never been in a Turkish prison.
RIP, Peter Graves
I just watched Beginning of the End this weekend after finally tracking a copy down.
I am again…sad. As a young boy in Okemos, MI I watched Mission:Impossible- much to my mother’s objections (not because of content, it came on at ten o clock on Sunday- who the hell wants to get up the next day and go to school?) Years later, I became enlightened by MST and had a new found love for Mr. Graves. His performance in ICTW will never be topped. RIP my friend. Man is a feeling creature, and no, we don’t all self destruct in five seconds, some of us live to a ripe old age like you did, and we are better for this…
What a great and long career he has had. Another member of our beloved films has passed. :cry:
RIP, Mr Graves. You’d still be alive if some meddling control clone hadn’t ruined everything! In my heart, you’ll be over Unger and under Dunn.
RIP, Mr. Phelps. Wish we could have seen you in M:I 4.
#13 @trickymutha, hey, I spent a couple of years in Okemos as a little kid! Ah, the Meridian Mall …
I enjoy the work of Peter Graves quite a bit and am sorry to hear he is gone. I watched Mission Impossible all the time as a kid and also enjoyed his movies, the good ones and the bad ones. He will be missed.
This is a sad loss. Let’s not forget the other MST-related movie he did: Killers From Space. When The Film Crew riffed on that one, I thought his role was atypically slightly off center but more he was more watchable than in It Conquered The World, even in Beginning Of The End. Always was reliable character actor though, as is his brother. A long and varied career in film and TV. He will be missed to be sure.
This is a horrible day for everyone that loves MST3K. I would say he was the most important actor in MSTory. Leading man in 4 episodes and leading man in one Film Crew episode as well. Hilarious in AIRPLANE…R.I.P.
Well it looks like it’s time to break out clonus. Rest well Mr. Graves.
Very sad. He will be missed.
Looks like he picked the wrong week to stop having brain-stunted clones made for organ-harvesting purposes.
Fare thee well, Mr. Graves. May a flight of gigantic grasshoppers sing thee to thy rest. …and BIOGRAPHY!!! (Couldn’t help myself)
“Hello, I’m Peter Graves. I was wondering if you could direct me to the Pearly Gates, since I’m going to my eternal reward.”
A real pro who bought a touch of class to everything he did. RIP.
“Thank you. I’m Peter Graves.”
“I’m Peter Graves…and I’ll be greatly missed.” One of the franchise players in MST3K, but I also remember him from his role on “Fury.” When that was on WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh weekday mornings, I would actually get up early on those schooldays to watch the show. Even though I don’t really like gladiator movies, I’ll never forget Peter Graves.
RIP Peter Graves.
he was a bigger celeb than James Arness in my eyes.
It’s a bummer he slammed MST3K but he was still a good actor with one of the best signature narrative voices of all time and as said before, he brought class to the projects he worked on.
Maybe Hollywood will finally wise up and greenlight one of the many Peter Graves at the University of Minnesota scripts still floating around. Weinsteins? Joel Silver? Spielberg??? Come on, somebody give this man the honor he deserves.
Also: *ahem* I’m Peter Graves.
Enormous mantises everywhere are celebrating, but we humans will miss you. :sad:
:sad:
He was Peter Graves.
Farewell, Mr. Graves. You shall be missed.
Slowly but surely they all leave us.
Mr. Graves will be missed.
I first met him on Mission Impossible then found him in all his movie incarnations.
Loved him in Airplane.
There are few to replace him in Hollywood today.
Does he hold the record for appearing in the most episodes?
Who else had the fish?
RIP Pete.
(this is no lie, I promise) I got an odd desire to watch “Airplane” today and even went as far as pulling the DVD off the shelf this morning for later when I’m home. Spoooooky….
I forgot to add…I got that “Airplane” desire before learning of Graves’ death. :eek:
Looks like I’ll have to watch Clonus tonight.
Good night, sir.
Another TV icon from my childhood is gone. My pop culture heart can’t take this much more. RIP
“He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature… and, because of it, the greatest in the universe. He learned too late for himself that men have to find their own way, to make their own mistakes. There can’t be any gift of perfection from outside ourselves. And when men seek such perfection… they find only death… fire… loss… disillusionment… the end of everything that’s gone forward. Men have always sought an end to the toil and misery, but it can’t be given, it has to be achieved. There is hope, but it has to come from inside — from man himself.” P. Graves :cry: :cry:
Although he apparently wasn’t too fond of MST3K riffing on some of his lesser film efforts, Peter Graves did figure prominently in the show’s history, through several films as noted above, the Film Crew’s “Killers from Space”, Crow’s famous “Peter Graves at the University of Minnesota” film script sketch, plus provided numerous “Biography” references through several other shows. Some of the show’s best episodes featured Graves.
While TV fans will remember him from “Mission: Impossible” and movie fans for “Airplane”, he’ll always be remembered fondly by MST3K fans. RIP.
Good-Bye, Peter…
You were enjoyed.
Indeed a sad day for all MST3K and Mission Impossible (in which I watched him as a kid for the first time) fans. But his great legacy will continue to go on forever and ever… in our dear hearts.
As quoted by his character, Dr. Nelson in ‘It Conquered The World’:
‘Men have always sought an end to toil and misery. It can’t be given; it has to be achieved. There is hope, but it has to come from inside, from man himself.’
Rest In Peace, Peter Graves.
Fare thee well Mr. Graves.. so you think he will ever be the focus of an episode of Biography?
He already was. Both him and his brother James Arness have been featured on Biography.
A classy man and an actor with conviction, even in cheezy B-Movies.
A sad loss, for mysties and, of course,
the University of Minnesota (now, if someone
would only do a BIOGRAPHY of his years there…
Perhaps his best line in an mst3000 movie was in The
Beginning of the End (something like)
“I can’t help feeling I’m partially responsible.”
Yes, Captain Oveur, I have seen a grown man naked. Thanks for asking.
#33
If you don’t count his voice-over in ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES as an “appearance”, I think he ties with Bruno VeSota, who was also in four MSTs (DADDY-O, ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, GUNSLINGER and THE UNDEAD).
What a nice guy
Bye Peter Graves..you will be missed.
Good luck, Jim.
He was also the narrator in the Angry Beavers Halloween special.
“And so reality became reality once again. Thanks to two of nature’s humblest and densest semi-aquatic mammals.”
“SEND IN MORE PLANES!”
Possibly the single most hysterical moment in MST3K: the credits to parts: the clonus horror, ending with:
As a young boy, James Arness nurtured a howling bitterness in the face of the awesomely superior talent of his brother, Peter Graves.
Peter Graves’ life and career were marked by a generosity of spirit and loving attitude towards his fellow man, which were altogether missing in the pitted soul of James Arness. Often, James Arness’ mother would remark to friends that she loved her son Peter Graves so very, very much; while she hated James Arness and cursed the day her womb had been blighted with such a creature. “James Arness: Ugly and Stupid”…tonight on “Biography.”