Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)

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

Stars:

Greg Morris, Peter Lupus, Peter Graves

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 14 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Greg Morris	...	Barney Collier (171 episodes, 1966-1973)
Peter Lupus	...	Willy Armitage (159 episodes, 1966-1973)
Peter Graves	...	James Phelps (143 episodes, 1967-1973)
Barbara Bain	...	Cinnamon Carter (78 episodes, 1966-1969)
Martin Landau	...	Rollin Hand (76 episodes, 1966-1969)

Storyline

Jim Phelps is the head of a super-secret government agency ("Impossible Missions"), and is often given secret anonymous covert missions to attempt; quite often they are unmasking of criminals or the rescuing of hostages. He picks his team depending on which tasks need to be done. One thing is vital on an Impossible Mission: the mission must be carried out in entire secrecy, often relying on high-tech equipment and elaborate deceptions.

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Plot Keywords:

mission | deception | gadget | tape recorder | famous opening theme | 

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Taglines:

Failure impossible.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 September 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Misión imposible

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Desilu Productions, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min 50 min (168 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

In numerous episodes a large, white, ornate archway with a metal gate was used, usually as the entrance to a prison. This was, in reality, the old main gate at Paramount studios where the series was filmed.

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Goofs

In numerous episodes one of the characters will unscrew an electrical outlet, then reach in and pull it out of the wall by grasping the sides of the outlet. This would put their fingers in direct contact with the wiring resulting in, at the very least, a severe shock.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Voice on Tape: As always, should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. Good luck, Jim. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.

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Crazy Credits

Only two things stayed unchanged in the opening: the striking of the match and the actual display of the title. The rest of the opening title showed clips which varied from episode to episode.

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Connections

Spoofed in America's Next Top Model: Do You Light the Way I Look? (2009)

User Reviews

Rarely equalled, never surpassed

One of my fondest memories of TV viewing in the late 60's and 70's, was the weekly hour of tension which Mission Impossible provided. There was the initial bewilderment of trying to work out how on earth the brief flashes of peculiar devices and tension-ridden confrontations could possibly be woven into a coherent plot. Next, there were the wonderfully mundane locations in which Peter Graves would retrieve the briefing materials and the tape which invariably dissolved in a cloud of smoke.

After all the introduction, the remaining fifty minutes was sometimes an anti-climax. More often, it was very satisfying to see the initial vignettes fitted jigsaw-pattern into the plot. Perhaps towards the very end of the series, the plots became a little stilted or physically impossible; but invariably entertaining.

Like most fans of the original series, I found the over-hyped film of the same name to be an facile and shallow work with no redeeming features. I would die happy seeing a film in which Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Greg Morris et al. emerge creaking from retirement to save the day, and as they so often did, drive off leaving thwarted villains to turn on each other.