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

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Creator:

Bruce Geller
(more)

Seasons:

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

Release Date:

17 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | 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 | Misdirection | Dictatorship | Cult TV

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 9 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)

(more)

Series Directed by
Reza Badiyi		(17 episodes, 1969-1972)
Barry Crane		(15 episodes, 1969-1973)
Paul Krasny		(14 episodes, 1968-1973)
Lee H. Katzin		(11 episodes, 1967-1968)
Leonard Horn		(10 episodes, 1966-1971)
Leslie H. Martinson		(9 episodes, 1971-1973)
Paul Stanley		(7 episodes, 1967-1968)
John Llewellyn Moxey		(7 episodes, 1969-1972)
Charles R. Rondeau		(6 episodes, 1966-1971)
Alexander Singer		(5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Sutton Roley		(5 episodes, 1968-1972)
Murray Golden		(5 episodes, 1969-1971)
Virgil W. Vogel		(5 episodes, 1970-1973)
Lewis Allen		(4 episodes, 1967-1973)
Gerald Mayer		(4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Marvin J. Chomsky		(4 episodes, 1970-1971)
Bernard L. Kowalski		(3 episodes, 1966)
Richard Benedict		(3 episodes, 1967-1969)
Alf Kjellin		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Michael O'Herlihy		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Stuart Hagmann		(3 episodes, 1969)
Marc Daniels		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert Totten		(2 episodes, 1968)
Terry Becker		(2 episodes, 1970-1972)

Series Writing credits
Bruce Geller		(168 episodes, 1966-1973)
Allan Balter		(24 episodes, 1966-1968)
William Read Woodfield		(24 episodes, 1966-1968)
Laurence Heath		(23 episodes, 1966-1972)
Paul Playdon		(14 episodes, 1968-1971)
Ken Pettus		(10 episodes, 1969-1971)
Harold Livingston		(9 episodes, 1970-1972)
Arthur Weiss		(7 episodes, 1970-1972)
James L. Henderson		(7 episodes, 1971-1972)
Samuel Roeca		(6 episodes, 1971-1972)
Leigh Vance		(5 episodes, 1969-1972)
Stephen Kandel		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)
Ellis Marcus		(4 episodes, 1966)
Edward J. Lakso		(4 episodes, 1967-1973)
Jerrold L. Ludwig		(4 episodes, 1968-1970)
Ed Adamson		(4 episodes, 1970-1972)
Norman Katkov		(4 episodes, 1970-1972)
Howard Browne		(4 episodes, 1971-1973)
Robert Lewin		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Mann Rubin		(3 episodes, 1967-1971)
Barney Slater		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
John D.F. Black		(3 episodes, 1968-1971)
Ronald Austin		(3 episodes, 1969-1972)
James D. Buchanan		(3 episodes, 1969-1972)
Jackson Gillis		(3 episodes, 1970-1972)
Howard Berk		(3 episodes, 1971-1972)
Richard M. Sakal		(2 episodes, 1967-1968)
Lou Shaw		(2 episodes, 1968-1973)
Sy Salkowitz		(2 episodes, 1968)
Robert E. Thompson		(2 episodes, 1968)
Judy Burns		(2 episodes, 1969-1971)
Walter Brough		(2 episodes, 1970-1972)
Henry Sharp		(2 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Produced by
Bruce Geller	....	executive producer / producer (137 episodes, 1966-1973)
Barry Crane	....	associate producer / producer (121 episodes, 1966-1972)
Joseph Gantman	....	producer (52 episodes, 1966-1968)
Herbert F. Solow	....	executive in charge of production (47 episodes, 1966-1968)
Bruce Lansbury	....	producer (36 episodes, 1969-1972)
Stanley Kallis	....	producer (32 episodes, 1968-1970)
John W. Rogers	....	associate producer (25 episodes, 1967-1968)
Robert F. O'Neill	....	associate producer (20 episodes, 1967-1968)
Laurence Heath	....	producer (10 episodes, 1970-1973)
Allan Balter	....	producer (7 episodes, 1968)
William Read Woodfield	....	producer (7 episodes, 1968)
Robert E. Thompson	....	producer (2 episodes, 1968)

Series Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin		(17 episodes, 1966-1973)
Richard Markowitz		(9 episodes, 1969-1970)
Robert Drasnin		(8 episodes, 1967-1971)
Jerry Fielding		(7 episodes, 1967-1969)
Gerald Fried		(6 episodes, 1966-1969)
Walter Scharf		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Richard Hazard		(3 episodes, 1969-1972)
Benny Golson		(3 episodes, 1970-1971)
Robert Prince		(2 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Cinematography by
Keith C. Smith		(46 episodes, 1968-1970)
Ronald W. Browne		(45 episodes, 1970-1973)
Michel Hugo		(23 episodes, 1967-1968)
Gert Andersen		(18 episodes, 1966-1969)
Charles Straumer		(7 episodes, 1966)
Gerald Perry Finnerman		(3 episodes, 1967)
Andrew J. McIntyre		(3 episodes, 1968)
Fred J. Koenekamp		(2 episodes, 1968)

Series Film Editing by
David Wages		(28 episodes, 1967-1971)
John Loeffler		(28 episodes, 1968-1973)
Jerry Taylor		(15 episodes, 1969-1973)
Robert Watts		(14 episodes, 1966-1968)
Robert L. Swanson		(14 episodes, 1967-1971)
Paul Krasny		(11 episodes, 1966-1967)
William Cairncross		(8 episodes, 1968-1970)
Arthur Hilton		(6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Larry Strong		(6 episodes, 1971-1973)
Stanley Rabjohn		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Neil MacDonald		(4 episodes, 1967)
John A. Fegan Jr.		(4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Jodie Copelan		(4 episodes, 1969)
Michael Pozen		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Casting by
Joseph D'Agosta		(77 episodes, 1966-1969)
Jim Merrick		(47 episodes, 1969-1971)
William J. Kenney		(15 episodes, 1968-1969)
Betty Martin		(11 episodes, 1971-1972)

Series Art Direction by
Gibson Holley		(70 episodes, 1969-1973)
Bill Ross		(50 episodes, 1967-1969)
Jan Van Tamelen		(25 episodes, 1966-1967)
Rolland M. Brooks		(21 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Set Decoration by
Lucien Hafley		(142 episodes, 1966-1973)

Series Makeup Department
Adele Taylor	....	hairstylist / hair stylist (139 episodes, 1966-1973)
Robert Dawn	....	makeup artist (112 episodes, 1967-1973)
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jay Sebring	....	hair designer: Steve Hill (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Douglas S. Cramer	....	executive vice president in charge of production (74 episodes, 1968-1971)
William Cairncross	....	in charge of post-production / post-production supervisor (52 episodes, 1969-1972)
Paul Krasny	....	in charge of post-production (51 episodes, 1968-1970)
Bill Heath	....	post-production executive (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
John A. Fegan Jr.	....	post-production supervisor (28 episodes, 1970-1972)
William Eatherly	....	production supervisor (27 episodes, 1966-1967)
Bill Derwin	....	production manager (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Edward Haldeman	....	production manager (25 episodes, 1968-1969)
Gordon A. Webb	....	production manager (23 episodes, 1970-1971)
Robert L. Swanson	....	post-production supervisor (9 episodes, 1969)
Michael P. Schoenbrun	....	production manager (9 episodes, 1971-1972)
Donald R. Rode	....	post-production supervisor (3 episodes, 1972)
Jack Sonntag	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael P. Schoenbrun	....	assistant director (24 episodes, 1969-1971)
Victor Vallejo	....	assistant director (22 episodes, 1967-1969)
John W. Rogers	....	assistant director (11 episodes, 1966-1967)
Harry Hogan III	....	assistant director (10 episodes, 1970-1971)
Gordon A. Webb	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ted Butcher	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1968-1969)
Ric Rondell	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1967)
Jerome M. Siegel	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Al Kraus	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1968-1969)
Gene De Ruelle	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1969-1970)
Wilbur Mosier	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1966)
Bill Derwin	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1971-1972)
Dale Coleman	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1967)
David Hawks	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1967)
Jim Myers	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1969)
Bob White	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1971-1972)
Ray Taylor Jr.	....	assistant director (unknown episodes, 1971-1972)
Max Stein	....	assistant director (unknown episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Art Department
Arthur Wasson	....	supervising property master / property master (83 episodes, 1966-1972)
William M. Bates	....	property master (22 episodes, 1967-1969)
Robert O. Richards	....	property master / supervising property master (19 episodes, 1969-1971)
Art Lipschultz	....	property master (7 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Sound Department
Dominick Gaffey	....	production mixer (118 episodes, 1967-1973)
Joseph G. Sorokin	....	supervising sound editor / sound editor (63 episodes, 1966-1969)
Gordon L. Day	....	re-recording mixer (59 episodes, 1968-1971)
Michael Colgan	....	sound editor (29 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joel Moss	....	re-recording mixer (27 episodes, 1970-1972)
Tommy Thompson	....	sound engineer (25 episodes, 1966-1967)
Elden Ruberg	....	re-recording mixer (19 episodes, 1967-1968)
Frank R. White	....	sound editor (14 episodes, 1970-1971)
John Post	....	sound editor (11 episodes, 1966-1967)
William Andrews	....	sound effects editor (10 episodes, 1971-1972)
Doug Grindstaff	....	supervising sound editor (6 episodes, 1969)
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor (4 episodes, 1967)
Jay M. Harding	....	re-recording mixer (3 episodes, 1972)
Carl Daniels	....	sound engineer (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Special Effects by
John Burke	....	special effects (139 episodes, 1966-1972)

Series Stunts
Dick Dial	....	stunt double: Peter Graves / stunt double: Fritz Weaver (89 episodes, 1966-1970)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Lee Duncan	....	stunt double: Greg Morris / stunt double: Greg Morris (4 episodes, 1969)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt double / stunt performer / ... (3 episodes, 1970-1972)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunt double: Peter Graves (2 episodes, 1969-1971)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunt double: H.M. Wynant (2 episodes, 1969)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunt double: Greg Morris / stunt double: Rafer Johnson (2 episodes, 1971)
Lee Faulkner	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Wayne McLaren	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Charles Wilcox	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Earl C. Williman	....	lamp operator (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ross Cannon	....	key grip (26 episodes, 1966-1967)
Bobby Jones	....	gaffer (9 episodes, 1967)
Joseph Edesa	....	gaffer (5 episodes, 1966)
Joe Wharton	....	gaffer (3 episodes, 1966-1967)
George H. Merhoff	....	gaffer (3 episodes, 1967)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Forrest T. Butler	....	supervising costumer / costume supervisor: men / ... (100 episodes, 1966-1970)
Sabine Manela	....	costume supervisor: women / costumer: women / ... (75 episodes, 1966-1969)
Dodie Shepard	....	costume supervisor: women (57 episodes, 1969-1972)
Andrea E. Weaver	....	set costumer: women (49 episodes, 1969-1971)
Michael Tierney	....	supervising costumer / costume supervisor (35 episodes, 1970-1972)
Bob Spencer	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1966)
Grace Kuhn	....	costumer: women (3 episodes, 1967)

Series Editorial Department
Larry L. Mills	....	editorial coordinator (30 episodes, 1970-1972)
Michael Vejar	....	editorial coordinator (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Paul Krasny	....	supervising film editor (22 episodes, 1967-1968)
Jerry Taylor	....	editorial coordinator (20 episodes, 1968-1969)
Fred Stafford	....	editorial coordinator (3 episodes, 1972)

Series Music Department
Lalo Schifrin	....	composer: theme music / composer: stock music (156 episodes, 1966-1973)
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	music editor (114 episodes, 1967-1972)
Wilbur Hatch	....	music consultant / music supervisor (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
Kenyon Hopkins	....	music supervisor (27 episodes, 1970-1972)
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor (16 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jerry MacDonald	....	music editor (11 episodes, 1967)
Leith Stevens	....	music supervisor (3 episodes, 1970)

Series Transportation Department
Ed Chamey	....	vehicle coordinator / vehicles (76 episodes, 1968-1972)
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1969)

Series Other crew
Alan Greedy	....	script supervisor (101 episodes, 1966-1970)
Philip D. Fehrle	....	production assistant / assistant to executive producer / ... (78 episodes, 1966-1969)
Dale Tarter	....	production coordinator / assistant to producer (51 episodes, 1969-1972)
Laurence Heath	....	story consultant / script consultant (40 episodes, 1970-1972)
Allan Balter	....	script consultant / story consultant (39 episodes, 1967-1968)
William Read Woodfield	....	script consultant / story consultant (39 episodes, 1967-1968)
Paul Playdon	....	script consultant (29 episodes, 1968-1970)
Barbara Atkinson	....	script supervisor (25 episodes, 1970-1972)
Michael Jarvis	....	production coordinator (24 episodes, 1970-1971)
Alan Godfrey	....	production coordinator (20 episodes, 1968-1969)
Robert E. Thompson	....	script consultant (11 episodes, 1968-1969)
Stephen Kandel	....	story editor (5 episodes, 1972)
Micheal Pociecha	....	animal supervisor (3 episodes, 1970)
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1970)

Production Companies

• Desilu Productions (1966-1968)
• Paramount Television (1968-1973)

Distributors

• Paramount Television (1966-2004) (worldwide) (TV)
• CBS Paramount International Television (2004-) (non-USA) (TV)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1966-1973) (USA) (TV)
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (ARD) (1967-1969) (West Germany) (TV)
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (ARD) (1976-1977) (West Germany) (TV)
• CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006-2007) (USA) (TV)
• CBS Television Distribution (2007-) (worldwide) (TV)
• Channel 4 Television Corporation (19??) (UK) (TV)
• Five US (2006-) (UK) (TV)
• Kabel 1 (1993) (Germany) (TV)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006-) (Germany) (DVD)
• Pro 7 (1990-1992) (Germany) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chrysler Corporation  Chrysler vehicles (1968-1973)
• Desilu Studios  filming location
• General Motors  Chevrolet vehicles (1970-1973)
• Glen Glenn Sound  sound recording
• Howard A. Anderson Company  photographic effects (pilot only)
• Paramount Studios  filming location
• Promenade Fashions for Men  Steven Hill's/men's wardrobe (1966-1968)
• Volvo Western Distributors Inc.  Volvo vehicles (1970-1971)
• Worsted-Tex  wardrobe (1968-1973)

Runtime:

51 min (168 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

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:

When Dan (Steven Hill) or Jim (Peter Graves) received instructions, the usual last words were "This tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds". However, the other instruction they would receive was "Please dispose of this tape by the usual means", whereby they would throw the tape into an incinerator or toss it into a vat of acid.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In numerous episodes a very tiny black "tape player" is used. It is identifiable by the aluminum tape reels which each have three holes. This was a dummy prop and, in several shots, it is obvious that the tape is a continuous loop running around both reels since the shiny aluminum center of the "takeup" reel is visible rather than the brown tape color.

Quotes:

Voice on Tape: Good morning Mister Briggs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Bride of the Monster (#5.23)" (1993)

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.