"Mission: Impossible" (1966) TV series 1966-1973

Creator:

Bruce Geller

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

17 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Failure impossible.

Plot:

An elite covert operations unit carries out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure, death or capture.

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Deception | Superspy | Self Destructing Message | Sweaty Face

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Greg Morris	...	Barney Collier (168 episodes, 1966-1973)
Peter Lupus	...	Willy Armitage (158 episodes, 1966-1973)
Bob Johnson	...	Voice on Tape (158 episodes, 1966-1973)
Peter Graves	...	James Phelps (143 episodes, 1967-1973)
Barbara Bain	...	Cinnamon Carter (77 episodes, 1966-1969)
Martin Landau	...	Rollin Hand / ... (76 episodes, 1966-1969)

Runtime:

50 min (168 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | UK:U (some episodes) | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

This series gave Peter Lupus, who played Willy, the chance to work under his own name. Most of his previous acting career was in Europe where he played the lead role in sword and sandal/mythological muscleman movies under the name "Rock Stevens". This also gave him a chance to act in a role that didn't rely mainly on his physique.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Multiple episodes set in European countries have Barney working on electrical wiring to achieve the team's aim, yet the switchgear, outlets, and other equipment depicted is North American.

Quotes:

Voice on Tape: Good morning Mister Phelps.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Science Project (1985)

Comment

To Actor Tom Cruise from Jim Phelps: PLEASE TAKE NOTES!

Out of all the shows that dealt with espionage out of the golden age of the 1960's,only Mission:Impossible was one the best series ever devised. Each week was always something as the MIF Team battle certain villains and even in one three-parter episode dealt with the Mob! But the gadgets they used and how they got away with all that was very ingenius and very keen,and to this day no other show of its kind has got that! I read somewhere that actor Greg Morris walked off the Mission:Impossible movie set calling it "a total disgrace"! And I don't blame him. Cruise used his pretty-boy looks just for box office status,but completely destroyed the origins of WHAT the TV show was! Its amazing that this very good,well written suspense-filled espionage/spy series(the TV show that is)ran for an impressive 7 seasons on CBS(from 1966-1973) was one of the first ever to keep viewers in tune to what is happening next and goes on to the next phase and so forth. Love those gadgets they had on there! Kudos to Peter Graves,Barbara Bain,Martin Landau,Peter Lupus,Greg Morris,Leonard Nimoy(who joined the cast after his other show Star Trek went off the air)and Lesley Anne-Warren for making it happen!