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Peter Graves, Spymaster and Host, Is Dead at 83
The New York Times ^ | March 14, 2010 | MICHAEL POLLAK

Posted on 03/14/2010 7:31:00 PM PDT by Brandonmark

Peter Graves, the cool spymaster of television’s “Mission Impossible” and the dignified host of the “Biography” series, who successfully spoofed his own gravitas in the “Airplane” movie farces, died Sunday. He was 83.

He died of a heart attack at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., said Fred Barman, his business manager.

It was a testament to Mr. Graves’s earnest, unhammy ability to make fun of himself that after decades of playing square he-men and straitlaced authority figures, he was perhaps best known to younger audiences for a deadpan line in “Airplane!” (“Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?”) and one from a memorable Geico car insurance commercial (“I was one lucky woman”).

Born Peter Aurness in Minneapolis, the blond, 6-foot-2 Mr. Graves served in the Army Air Force in 1944-45, studied drama at the University of Minnesota under the G.I. Bill and played the clarinet in local bands before following his older brother, James Arness, to Hollywood

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; hollywood; spy; television
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To: Brandonmark
I like to remember him as the dad on the "Fury" program on Saturday mornings during the 1950's. Here's a photo with Graves as Jim Newton, the dad.


41 posted on 03/14/2010 8:32:03 PM PDT by Poser (Enjoying Prime Rib for 58 Years!)
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To: NorthWoody; Manic_Episode; mikethevike; coder2; AmericanChef; Reaganesque; ER Doc; lesser_satan; ...

WELCOME TO FREE REPUBLIC’S MINNESOTA PING LIST!

133 MEMBERS AND GROWING...!

FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT ON OR OFF THIS LIST!


42 posted on 03/14/2010 8:32:23 PM PDT by MplsSteve
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To: EggsAckley
I loved Peter Graves. I met his brother, James Arness, one time, and he was a really nice man.

From what I read on IMDB, James is a Republican and was a friend of John Wayne and Reagan.

43 posted on 03/14/2010 8:35:06 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
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To: Moonman62

“From what I read on IMDB, James is a Republican and was a friend of John Wayne and Reagan. “

And lived next door to Dick Nixon in San Clemente.


44 posted on 03/14/2010 8:39:36 PM PDT by Poser (Enjoying Prime Rib for 58 Years!)
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To: Brandonmark

Wow!!! He still looked so good in his latest commercials. Go with God, beautiful man.


45 posted on 03/14/2010 8:41:25 PM PDT by DLfromthedesert
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To: Brandonmark

Joey, you like movies about gladiators?


46 posted on 03/14/2010 8:42:57 PM PDT by LouAvul
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To: Brandonmark

I believe that Graves’ last role was a comic turn in an episode of House. He played a older patient in good health, with a wife and a mistress, who wanted a script for fake Viagra so he could cuddle instead of performing. Graves played it perfectly: dignified, earnest, embarrassed, and vague about what he really wanted.


47 posted on 03/14/2010 8:57:33 PM PDT by Rockingham
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To: Brandonmark
Rest in peace, Peter. I waited for many Saturday nights to hear this theme.

And no, I never did like movies about gladiators. :)

48 posted on 03/14/2010 8:58:37 PM PDT by sig226 (Bring back Jimmy Carter!)
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To: Brandonmark
I loved his low-key performances in Mission: Impossible. One of my favorite lines was during one of the briefings, in which they would tantalize us about the upcoming mission: "who's got the plutonium?"
49 posted on 03/14/2010 9:01:56 PM PDT by Sans-Culotte ( Pray for Obama- Psalm 109:8)
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To: All

10 Funniest Quotes from “Airplane”
#6 Peter Graves (Gladiator)
#5 Peter Graves (Roger/Roger)
#1 Peter Graves (Naked Man):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIAUbPDgaAg&feature=related


50 posted on 03/14/2010 9:11:01 PM PDT by Brandonmark (News Coverage)
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To: EggsAckley
I met his brother, James Arness...

Thank you for that comment, I was just looking at his picture in post #6, and noticing how much he looks like James, wondering if they were related.

51 posted on 03/14/2010 9:28:17 PM PDT by taraytarah (Victim of massive tagline layoff.)
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To: Brandonmark
Another truly class act is gone.

RIP Mr. Graves.

You brought the best of Hollywood to us.

52 posted on 03/14/2010 11:33:37 PM PDT by happygrl (Continuing to predict that 0bama will resign)
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To: Brandonmark
He worked in Amurrica too?

Whiplash

Whiplash, Whiplash, Whiplash, Whiplash
In 1851 the Great Australian gold rush
The only law a gun, the only shelter wildbush
Whiplash, Whiplash
The Mulga woods and deserts, the stage thunders by
From Sydney to Camden and on to Gundagai
Whiplash, Whiplash

Ah All the wide brown land of mulga and desert from Camden to Gundagai.

53 posted on 03/15/2010 5:53:27 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy (great thing about being a cynic: you can enjoy being proved wrong.)
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To: Billthedrill
Brilliant work in Stalag 17, but absolute perfection in Airplane.
IIRC, he originally turned down the Airplane role and had to be talked into taking it.
He was really worried the role would damage his reputation and legacy.
54 posted on 03/15/2010 7:42:13 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: MplsSteve; fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; Impy; Norman Bates; LdSentinal; ExTexasRedhead

The original Mission Impossible was a great show. RIP to a great actor.


55 posted on 03/15/2010 3:33:58 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (Liberal sacred cows make great hamburger)
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To: Clintonfatigued; MplsSteve; fieldmarshaldj; Impy; Norman Bates; LdSentinal; ExTexasRedhead

I will always remember Peter Graves as “Security” in “Stalag 17,” one of the greatest movies ever made about WWII. If you haven’t seen this Billy Wilder classic starring William Holden, you should check the Turner Classic Movies listings, because they show it on a fairly regular basis.

May he rest in peace.


56 posted on 03/15/2010 3:39:36 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll protect your rights?)
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To: capecodder

I especially liked “I picked a bad day to stop sniffing glue”.


57 posted on 03/15/2010 3:44:33 PM PDT by brivette (paper)
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To: AuH2ORepublican; Clintonfatigued; fieldmarshaldj; Brandonmark

I hope he’s in a better place now. A place that’s nothing like a Turkish prison. Or the set of the show “7th Heaven”.

RIP


58 posted on 03/16/2010 9:30:30 AM PDT by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN | NO "INDIVIDUAL MANDATE"!!!!!!!)
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