the rugged actor who starred in the hit TV series “Mission: Impossible”
and whose career took a comic turn in the disaster spoof “Airplane!,”
has died. He was 83.
Graves was found dead Sunday afternoon in front of his
Graves had just returned from brunch with his family
to celebrate his upcoming 84th birthday. He collapsed on the driveway
before he could reach his house, said
Graves starred in more than 70 television series and feature films, typically playing the straight-laced hero.
He was cast in one of his first major roles in the
1953 classic “Stalag 17,” in which he played an undercover Nazi spy
placed among American POWs in a German camp.
His most memorable role was on the 1960s
Every week, Graves was seen listening to a tape of instructions
detailing anonymous mission attempts carried out in secrecy. He won a
Golden Globe in 1971 for his role.
“Mission: Impossible,” along with other Western,
military and action parts in the 1970s, branded Graves as an actor who
could deliver solid, straight-shooting roles.
But that changed in 1980, when he became the star of the comedy “Airplane!,” in which he played Capt.
Graves initially turned down the role. “I read it
and thought, ‘Gee, this is dangerous,'” Graves told the Los Angeles
Times in late 2009. “It was in terrible taste.”
But the film’s producer,
“They say you are supposed to stretch as an actor, so let’s go stretch it,” he said.
He joined other actors known for serious roles,
Graves was born
Graves adopted his grandfather’s last name to avoid confusion with his brother.
He studied drama at the
One year later, he landed his first movie role in 1951’s “
He later starred in the TV-show “Fury,” playing a horse rancher who
befriends an orphan. The contemporary Western series became a hit and
ran on
During the 1990s, Graves hosted the documentary series “Biography” on A&E.
In an interview with the Times in
Recent roles included a guest part on “House” and 11 episodes on “7th Heaven.”
He recently read for a part on a TV series as a grandfather, Brokaw said.
Graves is also survived by three daughters and six grandchildren.
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