Mr Phelps/ Peter Graves

An American actor, characterized for the Mission Impossible TV series star, Peter Graves, has died according to news sources, of natural causes at his California home.  Famous as Mr. Phelps, the character of dubious US State Department assignments -

“Your Mission Mr. Phelps if you choose to accept it.  As usual, the Department will deny any knowledge of your activities if captured.  This tape will self-destruct in 30 seconds!”

Mission Impossible, and Mr. Phelps became so credible and possible to some unworldly Communists bloc  figures, that post-cold war government personnel, Communists, still insisted that that was how the non-communists nationals and the Western powers changed the Balkans etc.  The show’s plots were famous for theatrical substitution of key government personnel of the target country, with ringers.

A veteran actor of many other TV series shows and film, including the famous Airplane satire pilot scene; he is also remembered as the brother of Gunsmoke’s James Arness - “Matt Dillon”. 

Rest and return, Jim, er, Mr Phelps.