Series Description

The Mission Impossible TV show was a 60 minute spy action series on CBS and each episode started in the same way. The head of the "Impossible Missions Force", a top-secret government group of operatives, starts a tape recorder and finds out about his latest assignment. Throughout most of the series, they would have to stop some petty dictator or powerfull bad guy from whatever evil plot they had against the U.S. or Democracy in general. The elaborate use of electronic gadgetry, masters of disguise, and detailed plans that require split-second timing made this TV show an "on the edge of your seater" viewing experience!

Mission Impossible Cast

Steven Hill .... Daniel Briggs
Peter Graves .... Jim Phelps
Barbara Bain .... Cinnamon Carter
Greg Morris .... Barney Collier
Peter Lupus .... Willy Armitage
Martin Landau .... Rollin Hand
Leonard Nimoy .... Paris
Bob Johnson .... Voice on Tape

Mission Impossible Trivia

The Mission Impossible TV show was so popular that it attracted some of the biggest guest stars of the time! Here's a few of them: Elizabeth Ashley, Ed Asner (Lou Grant), Tom Bosley (Happy Days), Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt), Jack Cassidy, Joan Collins, Robert Conrad (Baa Baa Black Sheep), Tyne Daly (Judging Amy), Will Geer (The Waltons), Robert Goulet, Fernando Lamas, Larry Linville (MASH), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), Darren McGavin, Lee Meriwether (Time Tunnel), Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban (Fantasy Island), Vic Morrow (Combat), Pernell Roberts (Bonanza), William Shatner (Star Trek), Martin Sheen (The West Wing), Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap), Loretta Swit (MASH), and Ray Walston (My Favorite Martian).

Martin Landau was not originally hired as a regular cast member. He was a guest star in Mission Impossible's pilot episode and his character was so popular that he appeared (still as a guest star) in most of the first season's episodes. He was hired as a regular (under contract) for the 2nd and 3rd seasons, but he had a dispute with Paramount Studios over the 4th season contract and left the show. Leonard Nimoy was brought in as the new "Master of Disguise" for the TV show. This was great for him as the Star Trek series, where he played "Mr. Spock", had just ended production. Nimoy became unhappy with his parts and left at the end of the fifth season. He was not replaced.

The opening segment always included the tape-recorded mission objectives and went as follows:
Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it .... (Then came the details of each mission) .... As always, should you or any member of your I.M. Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self destruct in five seconds.

The Mission Impossible TV show won 3 emmys and was nominated for a fourth. It also won 2 Golden Globe Awards and was nominated for another five! In 1968, it also won a Grammy for best original score for a movie or TV show.

Peter Graves is the brother of James Arness (Marshall Matt Dillon on the series, "Gunsmoke").

Barbara Bain was married to fellow cast member Martin Landau (till 1993). She was also the first actress to win three Emmys in a row (1967, 68 and 69) for her role on Mission Impossible. Two years after this series ended, Martin and Barbara also worked together on the series, "Space 1999".

CBS Studios originally rejected Mission Impossible. Fortunately, Lucille Ball decided to produce it at Desilu Studios and eventually got it on the air at CBS. Lucy was a little concerned about the complicated plot-lines. Would the viewers sit "glued to their tvs" for an entire hour to keep track of what was going on? That actually turned out to be a "plus" for Mission Impossible! Viewers wouldn't channel surf for fear of missing even a few seconds of the show. That resulted in commercials being watched and increased advertising revenues!

Other TV Series:

Mission Impossible (1988)

Theatrical Movies

Mission Impossible
Mission Impossible II
Mission Impossible III