Until the DVD of the first season of "Mission Impossible" came out a few years ago, a lot of people had forgotten that Peter Graves did not play the iconic role of Jim Phelps throughout the entire series.
Steven Hill, who would later play the district attorney modeled after real-life New York DA Henry Morgenthau on "Law & Order," played Dan Briggs, the man who received those strange missions via reel-to-reel tape recorder, during "MI's" first season.
Hill is an Orthodox Jew, and thus could not film from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, or on major holidays. Under today's standards, accomodations might be made, but Hill had struggles with the show's producers over that and other issues. He was then replaced by Graves.
The show did not achieve high ratings during that first season, despite Lalo Schifrin's memorable opening theme song, possibly the best in television history. But it did win an Emmy for best dramatic series. That and Graves' entry opened the door to "Mission's" glory years.
Here's a link to America Online for "Mission's" 3 most memorable moments:
http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/03/16/peter-graves-on-mission-impossible-3-most-memorable-moments/
Good night, Mr. Phelps.
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Late word, sorry to say, of the death of Fess Parker, who was great at playing two 19th century men: Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Appropriately, Parker had a history degree.
Parker had a second life, as a successful developer and vintner. He was most successful in family life, being married for 50 years. Sadly, he died on his wife's birthday.
The legacies of all his lives remain, including an inn in California. Here's a link to the best-known one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Tu8NskR-E
Hail to the King of the Wild Frontier.
See you next week.
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