Depending on your age or proclivity for media, you’ll either remember Peter Graves as “Mission: Impossible” team director Jim Phelps, or as Captain Clarence Oveur in “Airplane!” and its sequel. Graves died this past Sunday from a heart attack at the age of 83.
The brother of “Gunsmoke”’s James Arness, Graves was the recipient of a Golden Globe award in 1971 and is also remembered for his role as host for A&E’s “Biography.” Although known primarily for his dramatic work, his willingness to compromise his dignity for comedy in the “Airplane!” series made him a beloved figure among audiences everywhere. Indeed, it was probably his dramatic work that aided his reception as a comedic figure in those films. His slightly halting rendition of lines like “Joey, have you ever been in a … Turkish prison?” continue to be repeated to this day.
Instantly recognized for his distinguished silver hair, Peter Graves was also a respected figure in commercials for many years. His final onscreen role was John ‘The Colonel’ Camden in “7th Heaven,” and his voice brought life to Mr. Pibb in the cartoon “American Dad” as well as two roles for videogames.
Graves is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Joan Endress, and their three children and six grandchildren.
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