---
name: "Peter Graves"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/peter-graves"
fi1m_id: "peter-graves"
imdb_id: "nm0336335"
tmdb_id: 9111
wikidata_id: "Q156532"
roles: ["Actor","Director"]
born: "18 March 1926"
died: "14 March 2010"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-05T02:26:23.132104+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Peter Graves

## Identity

Peter Graves

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/peter-graves
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** peter-graves
- **IMDb ID:** nm0336335
- **TMDB ID:** 9111
- **Wikidata ID:** Q156532
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Graves, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156532, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336335/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9111

Actor and director. Born 18 March 1926 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Died 14 March 2010.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director
- **Born:** 18 March 1926, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- **Died:** 14 March 2010
- **Active:** 1955–2005
- **Also known as:** Peter Duesler Aurness
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 directing
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 91 (1), 1960s 82 (1), 1980s 89 (1), 1990s 78 (1), 2000s 48 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 74 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Action 1, Crime 1, Drama 1, Family 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $578m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Graves, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156532, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336335/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9111

## Streaming the US now

- **The Criterion Channel:** [*The Night of the Hunter*](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md) (91)
- **Hulu:** [*Airplane!*](https://film.one/film/airplane.md) (89)
- **Apple TV:** [*Mission: Impossible*](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md) (82)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Peter Graves

> Peter Graves makes elaborate schemes seem manageable and foolish dialogue sound like responsible advice. We value that steadiness most when comedy puts it to work; in drama, it can leave the man behind the authority hard to know.

Peter Graves plays Jim Phelps as though the difficult part has already been thought through and everyone can get on with the job. In *Mission: Impossible* (1966), his calm makes the team's elaborate deceptions easier to accept, even when their plausibility needs considerable help. We rate him for giving complicated television that reassurance without asking for much attention himself. Alongside Greg Morris as Barney Collier and Barbara Bain as Cinnamon Carter, he makes competence worth watching. Their composure persuades us to follow schemes that might look considerably less convincing with more excitable people carrying them out.

The early supporting parts include Billy Wilder's *Stalag 17* (1953) and Charles Laughton's *The Night of the Hunter* (1955). Graves replaced Steven Hill as Phelps in 1967, remaining with the original series until 1973. Hill's Daniel Briggs offers a more guarded presence; Graves makes leadership feel settled. The shift from supporting player to team leader suited an actor who could hold our attention through assurance rather than a display of temperament.

*Airplane* (1980) finds the comic use for that certainty, casting him as Captain Clarence Oveur. Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker let Graves, Leslie Nielsen and Robert Stack treat the emergency seriously while the dialogue gives them little sensible to say. We laughed at Graves's Oveur because he kept treating the emergency as a serious professional matter amid all that foolishness. He does not advertise how obligingly he is sending up his own authority. Some of the wordplay is painfully corny, but his delivery keeps even weaker material working.

His earnestness can look stiff, and *Mission: Impossible* does not always let us see enough beyond it. That is a limitation worth accepting for the ingenuity of the schemes and the cast's ability to make them seem practicable, though repeated viewing exposes the formula. Choose *Airplane* for the comedy; try *Mission: Impossible* when a carefully managed deception sounds more appealing than an intimate character study.

## Biography

Peter Graves, born Peter Duesler Aurness, was an American actor. He played Ben Harper in the 1955 film *The Night of the Hunter* and Captain Clarence Oveur in *Airplane!* (1980) and its 1982 sequel.

Graves is primarily known for his television work, especially as Jim Phelps in the series *Mission: Impossible* (1967–1973) and its 1988 revival. His elder brother was actor James Arness. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 18 March 1926 and died in Los Angeles on 14 March 2010.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Men in Black II* (2002), Fi1m 48, as Peter Graves — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md)
- *Addams Family Values* (1993), Fi1m 78, as Host — [page](https://film.one/film/addams-family-values.md)
- *Airplane!* (1980), Fi1m 89, as Capt. Clarence Oveur — [page](https://film.one/film/airplane.md)
- *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), Fi1m 91, as Ben Harper — [page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md)

### Directed (1)

- *Mission: Impossible* (1966), Fi1m 82, as Jim Phelps — [page](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md)

## Complete filmography (149)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Mystery Reel* (2022), Actor
- *Gettysburg - An American Story* (2014), as Narrator
- *Darkstar: Terror at the Edge of Time* (2010), as Narrator
- *Minoriteam* (2005), series, as Sheldon Miller
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Mr. Pibb (voice)
- *House* (2004), series, as Myron — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *America on the Move 1876-2000* (2003), as Host
- *Looney Tunes: Back in Action* (2003), as Host of Civil Defense Film
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Anton Bikker (2006)
- *Men in Black II* (2002), as Peter Graves — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md)
- *Don't Ask Don't Tell* (2002), Actor
- *These Old Broads* (2001), as Bill
- *Disney's House of Mouse* (2001), series, as Instructor Voice (voice)
- *Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel* (1999), as Narrator
- *Mickey Mouse Works* (1999), series, Actor
- *Doris Day: It's Magic* (1998), as Narrator
- *The Angry Beavers* (1997), series, Actor
- *Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star* (1996), as Narrator
- *7th Heaven* (1996), series, as John 'Colonel' Camden
- *William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama* (1996), Actor
- *Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell* (1996), as Narrator
- *The Unexplained: Witches, Werewolves & Vampires* (1994), as Host
- *Burke's Law* (1994), series, as General Prescott
- *Addams Family Values* (1993), as Host — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/addams-family-values.md)
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, as Peter Graves
- *The Complete Churchill* (1992), series, as Presenter
- *Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent* (1989), as Jim Phelps
- *War and Remembrance* (1988), series, as Palmer Kirby
- *Mission: Impossible* (1988), series, as Jim Phelps
- *Biography* (1987), series, Actor
- *Number One with a Bullet* (1987), as Capt. Ferris
- *Life with Lucy* (1986), series, as Ben Marshall
- *The Demon Lover* (1986), as Ponsonby
- *The Golden Girls* (1985), series, as Jerry Kennedy — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-golden-girls.md)
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Edmund Gerard
- *Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense* (1984), series, as John Bray
- *Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street* (1984), as Tom Collins
- *The Guns and the Fury* (1983), as Mark Janser
- *The Winds of War* (1983), series, as Palmer 'Fred' Kirby
- *Airplane II: The Sequel* (1982), as Capt. Clarence Oveur
- *Savannah Smiles* (1982), as Harland Dobbs
- *Simon & Simon* (1981), series, as Wade Christian
- *300 Miles for Stephanie* (1981), as Capt. McIntyre
- *Airplane!* (1980), as Capt. Clarence Oveur — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/airplane.md)
- *The Memory of Eva Ryker* (1980), as Mike Rogers
- *Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty* (1980), as TV Director
- *Death Car on the Freeway* (1979), as Lieutenant Haller
- *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century* (1979), series, as Major Noah Cooper
- *Parts: The Clonus Horror* (1979), as Jeff Knight
- *The Rebels* (1979), series, as George Washington
- *Survival Run* (1979), as Kandaris
- *Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident* (1979), as Alec Franklin
- *SST: Death Flight* (1978), as Paul Whitley
- *Race for Survival* (1978), as Narrator
- *Fantasy Island* (1978), series, as 'Singapore' Eddie Malone
- *High Seas Hijack* (1977), as Elliott Rhoades
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Gerald Whitney, Leonard Culver, Carl Lawrence
- *The Duchess of Duke Street* (1976), series, as Sir Evelyn Grant-Wortley
- *The Sonny and Cher Show* (1976), series, Actor
- *Sidecar Racers* (1975), as Carson
- *Dead Man on the Run* (1975), as Jim Gideon
- *Where Have All the People Gone* (1974), as Steven Anders
- *The Underground Man* (1974), as Lew Archer
- *Paul and Michelle* (1974), as Sir Henry
- *Scream of the Wolf* (1974), as John Wetherby
- *The President's Plane Is Missing* (1973), as Mark Jones
- *Call to Danger* (1973), as Doug Warfield
- *Under the Law: Arrest and Seize* (1973), as Narration
- *The All Star Spangled Mission* (1973), as Jim Phelps
- *Funny Face* (1971), series, Actor
- *The Adventurers* (1970), as Trustee Banker
- *Mission: Impossible - The Falcon* (1970), as James Phelps
- *The 5-Man Army* (1969), as Dutchman
- *Mission: Impossible - The Controllers* (1969), as Jim Phelps
- *Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob* (1969), as Jim Phelps
- *The Assassination Bureau* (1969), as Dragomiloff's Butler (uncredited)
- *Mission: Impossible - The Bunker* (1969), as James Phelps
- *Premiere* (1968), series, Actor
- *Sergeant Ryker* (1968), as Maj. Whitaker
- *The Ballad of Josie* (1967), as Jason Meredith
- *Sleeping Dog* (1967), as Sir Geoffrey
- *Mission: Impossible - The Slave* (1967), as Jim Phelps
- *Valley of Mystery* (1967), as Ben Barstow
- *The Invaders* (1967), series, as Gavin Lewis
- *Gallegher Goes West* (1966), as Marshal Neimeyer
- *Texas Across the River* (1966), as Capt. Stimpson
- *Mission: Impossible* (1966), series, as Jim Phelps · Director — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md)
- *A Rage to Live* (1965), as Jack Hollister
- *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Manning Fryes
- *The Dean Martin Show* (1965), series, Actor
- *Laredo* (1965), series, Actor
- *Run for Your Life* (1965), series, as Jim Carlson
- *Court Martial* (1965), series, as Major Frank Whittaker
- *Branded* (1965), series, Actor
- *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Logan Harris
- *12 O'Clock High* (1964), series, Actor
- *Kraft Suspense Theatre* (1963), series, as Maj. Frank Whitaker
- *The Great Adventure* (1963), series, as Daniel Boone
- *The Farmer's Daughter* (1963), series, Actor
- *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as Mark Needham
- *The Virginian* (1962), series, as Robert Gaynor
- *Whiplash* (1961), series, as Christopher Cobb
- *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor
- *A Stranger in My Arms* (1959), as Donald Beasley
- *Wolf Larsen* (1958), as Van Weyden
- *Cimarron City* (1958), series, Actor
- *Death in Small Doses* (1957), as Agent / Tom Kaylor
- *Beginning of the End* (1957), as Dr. Ed Wainwright
- *Bayou* (1957), as Martin Davis
- *Canyon River* (1956), as Bob Andrews
- *Hold Back the Night* (1956), as Lt. Lee Couzens
- *It Conquered the World* (1956), as Dr. Paul Nelson
- *The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell* (1955), as Capt. Bob Elliott
- *Matinee Theater* (1955), series, Actor
- *Fury* (1955), series, as Jim Newton
- *Fury* (1955), as Jim Newton
- *Fort Yuma* (1955), as Lt. Ben Keegan
- *Celebrity Playhouse* (1955), series, Actor
- *The Naked Street* (1955), as Joe McFarland
- *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), as Ben Harper — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md)
- *Wichita* (1955), as Morgan Earp
- *Robbers' Roost* (1955), as Heesman
- *The Millionaire* (1955), series, as Paul Hartley
- *The Long Gray Line* (1955), as Corporal Rudolph Heinz
- *Black Tuesday* (1954), as Peter Manning
- *Climax!* (1954), series, as Stanley, Steve Baxter
- *Studio 57* (1954), series, as Jim Bailey
- *The Raid* (1954), as Capt. Frank Dwyer
- *The Yellow Tomahawk* (1954), as Sawyer
- *Killers from Space* (1954), as Douglas Martin
- *Beneath the 12-Mile Reef* (1953), as Arnold Dix
- *The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse* (1953), series, as Fred Crain
- *War Paint* (1953), as Trooper Tolson
- *East of Sumatra* (1953), as Cowboy
- *Stalag 17* (1953), as Frank Price
- *Biff Baker U.S.A.* (1952), series, Actor
- *Cavalcade of America* (1952), series, as Maj. Tom Howie
- *Red Planet Mars* (1952), as Chris Cronyn
- *Chevron Theatre* (1952), series, Actor
- *The Congregation* (1952), Actor
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Dr. James Ewing
- *Angels in the Outfield* (1951), as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
- *Fort Defiance* (1951), as Ned Tallon
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Rocky Kent
- *Rogue River* (1951), as Pete Dandridge
- *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Joel Barker
- *Fireside Theater* (1949), series, Actor
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Glenn Willis
- *Aliens from Space*, as Doug Martin

## Gallery

- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-801ff81010eb.jpg) Peter Graves — Wire photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Peter_Graves_-_1967.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-4a42a7401c24.jpg) Peter Graves — Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Actor_Peter_Graves_Playing_the_Clarinet_with_the_Marine_Orchestra_in_the_Grand_Hall_following_a_State_Dinner_Honoring_the_President_of_the_Council_of_Ministers_of_the_Italian_Republic_-_NARA_-_12007080.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Baseline Drive-In theater advertisement for the double feature, sci-fi films Beginning of the End (1957) and The Unearthly (1957). From the 20 September, 1957 S](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-d7b4d72b529f.jpg) Baseline Drive-In theater advertisement for the double feature, sci-fi films Beginning of the End (1957) and The Unearthly (1957). From the 20 September, 1957 S — Republic Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Baseline_Drive-in_Ad_-_20_September_1957%2C_Highland%2C_CA.jpg/1280px-Baseline_Drive-in_Ad_-_20_September_1957%2C_Highland%2C_CA.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Peggie Castle (aka Peggy Castle) and Peter Graves in Beginning of the End (1957) - promotional poster](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-89c5cf9e85ed.jpg) Peggie Castle (aka Peggy Castle) and Peter Graves in Beginning of the End (1957) - promotional poster — unknown (Republic Pictures), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Beginning_of_the_End_%281957%29_poster.JPG/1280px-Beginning_of_the_End_%281957%29_poster.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-24107f7c74bf.jpg) Peter Graves — Image via TMDB
- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-9ac291e1b2a8.jpg) Peter Graves — Image via TMDB
- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-9535a2e58642.jpg) Peter Graves — Image via TMDB
- ![Poster for the American science fiction film Beginning of the End (1957). At bottom is Litho in USA and (numbers look like) 58786 57/530.](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-a1b04fe5987f.jpg) Poster for the American science fiction film Beginning of the End (1957). At bottom is Litho in USA and (numbers look like) 58786 57/530. — Republic Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Beginningoftheend.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Center theater advertisement for the science-fiction film, Killers from Space. 4 March 1954.](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-88d47bc0d6e2.jpg) Center theater advertisement for the science-fiction film, Killers from Space. 4 March 1954. — RKO Radio Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Center_Theatre_Ad_-_4_March_1954%2C_Fremont%2C_CA.jpg/1280px-Center_Theatre_Ad_-_4_March_1954%2C_Fremont%2C_CA.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Peter Graves](https://film.one/media/person/95271/gallery-d13c605b9360.jpg) Peter Graves — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Golden Plate Award 1970: Golden Plate Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/peter-graves