Biography
Peter Graves was born Peter Duesler Aurness on March 18, 1926 on Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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.
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Filmography
all 157
Movies 94
TV Shows 63
self 24
Narrator 4
Director 2
Voice 1
Mystery Reel (2022)
Movie
Narrator
Gettysburg - An American Story (2014)
Movie
Uncle George Vickery
Jack's Family Adventure (2010)
Movie
Self
What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar (2009)
Movie
Sheldon Miller
Minoriteam (2005)
TV
Self
Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves (2005)
Movie
Mr. Pibb (voice)
American Dad! (2005)
TV
6.24
Myron
House (2004)
TV
7.74
Self - Host
Behind the Legend: Timon (2004)
Movie
Host
America on the Move 1876-2000 (2003)
Movie
Host of Civil Defense Film
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
Movie
7.33
Anton Bikker (2006)
Cold Case (2003)
TV
6.2
Self (archive footage)
Charles Laughton Directs 'The Night of the Hunter' (2002)
Movie
Peter Graves
Men in Black II (2002)
Movie
6.21
Bill
These Old Broads (2001)
Movie
Self - Host
Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel (1999)
Movie
Mickey Mouse Works (1999)
TV
Self - Host
Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait (1999)
Movie
Narrator
Doris Day: It's Magic (1998)
Movie
Self / Narrator
Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life (1998)
Movie
The Angry Beavers (1997)
TV
6.5
Himself - Host
Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion (1997)
Movie
Self - Host
Jackie Chan - From Stuntman to Superstar (1996)
Movie
John 'Colonel' Camden
7th Heaven (1996)
TV
5.67
Host
Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown (1996)
Movie
William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama (1996)
Movie
Self - Host
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography (1996)
Movie
Self - Host
Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker (1995)
Movie
Screen Actors Guild Awards (1995)
TV
Self - Narrator (voice)
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons (1995)
Movie
Self - Host
Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess (1994)
Movie
Self - Host
Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill (1994)
Movie
General Prescott
Burke's Law (1994)
TV
Narrator
The Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe (1994)
Movie
Host
Addams Family Values (1993)
Movie
5.76
Peter Graves
Diagnosis: Murder (1993)
TV
6.46
Narrator
Unauthorized Biographies with Peter Graves (1993)
TV
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
TV
5.75
Palmer Kirby
War and Remembrance (1988)
TV
Jim Phelps
Mission: Impossible (1988)
TV
Self - Host / Narrator / Self
Biography (1987)
TV
Captain Ferris
Number One with a Bullet (1987)
Movie
Ben Marshall
Life with Lucy (1986)
TV
Dr. Doug Paul Martin in 'Killers from Space'
Horrible Horror (1986)
Movie
Jerry Kennedy
The Golden Girls (1985)
TV
6
Edmund Gerard
Murder, She Wrote (1984)
TV
7
Vicar John Bray
Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1984)
TV
Tom Collins
Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street (1984)
Movie
5.25
Mark Janser
The Guns and the Fury (1983)
Movie
Palmer 'Fred' Kirby
The Winds of War (1983)
TV
7.17
Capt. Clarence Oveur
Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
Movie
5.27
Harland Dobbs
Savannah Smiles (1982)
Movie
Simon & Simon (1981)
TV
6
Capt. McIntyre
300 Miles for Stephanie (1981)
Movie
Captain Clarence Oveur
Airplane! (1980)
Movie
5.58
Mike Rogers
The Memory of Eva Ryker (1980)
Movie
TV Director
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty (1980)
Movie
Lieutenant Haller
Death Car on the Freeway (1979)
Movie
Major Noah Cooper
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
TV
6
Jeff Knight
Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979)
Movie
George Washington
The Rebels (1979)
Movie
Kandaris
Survival Run (1979)
Movie
Alec Franklin
Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident (1979)
Movie
Elliott Rhoades
High Seas Hijack (1977)
Movie
Gerald Whitney / Carl Lawrence / Leonard Culver
The Love Boat (1977)
TV
6.85
Paul Whitley
SST: Death Flight (1977)
Movie
Self - Narrator
The Mysterious Monsters (1976)
Movie
The Sonny & Cher Show (1976)
TV
Carson
Sidecar Racers (1975)
Movie
Jim Gideon
Dead Man on the Run (1975)
Movie
Steven Anders
Where Have All the People Gone (1974)
Movie
Lew Archer
The Underground Man (1974)
Movie
Sir Henry
Paul and Michelle (1974)
Movie
John Wetherby
Scream of the Wolf (1974)
Movie
Mark Jones
The President's Plane Is Missing (1973)
Movie
Self
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (1973)
TV
Doug Warfield
Call to Danger (1973)
Movie
Self
Funny Face (1971)
TV
Trustee Banker
The Adventurers (1970)
Movie
Jim Phelps
Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob (1969)
Movie
Dutchman
The Five Man Army (1969)
Movie
Self (uncredited)
The Dean Martin Christmas Show (1968)
Movie
Premiere (1968)
TV
Jason Meredith
The Ballad of Josie (1968)
Movie
Maj. Whitaker
Sergeant Ryker (1968)
Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy (1968)
Movie
Bankman
I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967)
Movie
Ben Barstow
Valley of Mystery (1967)
Movie
Gavin Lewis
The Invaders (1967)
TV
6
Marshal Neimeyer
Gallegher Goes West (1966)
Movie
Capt. Stimpson
Texas Across the River (1966)
Movie
Jim Phelps / Director
Mission: Impossible (1966)
TV
6.33
Jack Hollister
A Rage to Live (1965)
Movie
Manning Fryes
The F.B.I. (1965)
TV
The Dean Martin Show (1965)
TV
6.67
Laredo (1965)
TV
6
Jim Carlson
Run for Your Life (1965)
TV
Maj. Frank Whittaker / Major Frank Whittaker
Court Martial (1965)
TV
Branded (1965)
TV
5.91
Logan Harris
Daniel Boone (1964)
TV
5.75
12 O'Clock High (1964)
TV
4.75
Maj. Frank Whitaker
Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)
TV
Daniel Boone
The Great Adventure (1963)
TV
The Farmer's Daughter (1963)
TV
Mark Needham
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962)
TV
5
Robert Gaynor
The Virginian (1962)
TV
Self
The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
TV
Chris Cobb / Christopher Cobb
Whiplash (1961)
TV
Route 66 (1960)
TV
Donald Beasley
A Stranger in My Arms (1959)
Movie
Van Weyden
Wolf Larsen (1958)
Movie
Cimarron City (1958)
TV
Tom Kaylor
Death in Small Doses (1957)
Movie
Dr. Ed Wainwright
Beginning of the End (1957)
Movie
2.67
Martin Davis
Bayou (1957)
Movie
Bob Andrews
Canyon River (1956)
Movie
Lt. Lee Couzens
Hold Back The Night (1956)
Movie
Dr. Paul Nelson
It Conquered the World (1956)
Movie
Capt. Bob Elliott
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
Movie
Matinee Theater (1955)
TV
Jim Newton / Cyrus
Fury (1955)
TV
Lt. Ben Keegan
Fort Yuma (1955)
Movie
Celebrity Playhouse (1955)
TV
Ben Harper
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Movie
4
Joe McFarland
The Naked Street (1955)
Movie
5.89
Morgan Earp
Wichita (1955)
Movie
Heesman
Robbers' Roost (1955)
Movie
Rudolph Heinz
The Long Gray Line (1955)
Movie
Paul Hartley
The Millionaire (1955)
TV
Peter Manning
Black Tuesday (1954)
Movie
Steve Baxter / Stanley
Climax! (1954)
TV
Studio 57 (1954)
TV
Capt. Frank Dwyer
The Raid (1954)
Movie
Sawyer
The Yellow Tomahawk (1954)
Movie
Dr. Doug Paul Martin
Killers from Space (1954)
Movie
Arnold Dix
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953)
Movie
Where's Raymond? (1953)
TV
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1953)
TV
Cowboy
East of Sumatra (1953)
Movie
Trooper Tolson
War Paint (1953)
Movie
Sgt. Frank Price
Stalag 17 (1953)
Movie
4
Biff Baker U.S.A. (1952)
TV
Maj. Tom Howie
Cavalcade of America (1952)
TV
Chris Cronyn
Red Planet Mars (1952)
Movie
Actor
The Congregation (1952)
Movie
Dr. James Ewing
Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)
TV
8.33
Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Angels in the Outfield (1951)
Movie
Ned Tallon
Fort Defiance (1951)
Movie
Rocky Kent
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
TV
Pete Dandridge
Rogue River (1951)
Movie
Jim Newton
Fury (1950)
Movie
Joel Barker
Lux Video Theatre (1950)
TV
Fireside Theater (1949)
TV
Glenn Willis
Studio One (1948)
TV
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
TV
6
Bomber Crew Member
Winning Your Wings (1942)
Movie
Paul Whitley
SST: Death Flight
TV
Ratings
Average 5.71
Based on 2.01 Million movie and tv ratings over time
1942
1956
1971
1958
2022
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Gallery
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1926-03-18
Deathday2010-03-14 (83 years old)
Birth NamePeter Duesler Aurness
Birth PlaceMinneapolis, United States of America
SiblingsJames Arness
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsPeter Duesler Aurness
AwardsAmerican Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Plate Award, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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