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« Post-Friday Beast Blogging: The “Ah-Hah, I Caught You Being Sweet!” Edition
Happy Birthday Bill S! »

“He Learned Almost Too Late That Man Is A Feeling Creature…

…and because of it, the greatest in the Universe.”

R.I.P. Peter Graves (née Aurness). March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010.

PeterGraves3.jpg

“There is hope. But it has to come from inside. From Man himself.”

Star of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes It Conquered the World and The Beginning of the End.

Update: Caitlin reminds us that Peter had a small part in the Sci Fi Channel episode Parts: The Clonus Horror. He was also in the KTMA episode SST: Death Flight, and was (according to various sources, including imdb.com) the Narrator of the USAF Briefing Film in the Comedy Central ep, Attack of The The Eye Creatures.

Posted by scott on Sunday, March 14th, 2010 at 6:55 pm.

23 Responses to ““He Learned Almost Too Late That Man Is A Feeling Creature…”

The resemblance to Al Gore is a bit scary. Are they related?

Left by KWillow on March 14th, 2010

And don’t forget the small “bookend” part he had in “Parts: The Clonus Horror.”

Left by Caitlin on March 14th, 2010

Oh Peter Graves. I am embarrassed to admit this 33 year old housewife has a wee bit of a crush on the tall young man in those earnest B-movies.

And I still laugh hearing his Cpt. Oveur lines in my mind. I grew up on the Airplane! mini-franchise.

Left by Kelly on March 14th, 2010

Did he not also star in “Night of the Lepus”?

Left by Toni on March 15th, 2010

Ever notice that the voices of Peter Graves and brother James Arness are indistiguishable from each other? Close your eyes–

Other memorable roles: a small part in “Night of the Hunter” (1955) where a young Graves holds his own with Robert Mitchum, and more recently, a cameo in an episode of “House” as a man with a droop.

I fear obits will read “most remembered for” his Jim Phelps role in “Mission Impossible.” Oh well.

Left by Chris Vpsburg on March 15th, 2010

Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I’ve never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?

Left by DWhite on March 15th, 2010

He also narrated

NSFW

Left by actor212 on March 15th, 2010

He was also in the 50′s sci-fi classic THEM (the one about the giant ants). And was kind of mystied one more time in “Killers from Space” done up by The Film Crew – Mike Neslon, Paul (who’s last name I forget) and Kevin Murphy.

Left by professor fate on March 15th, 2010

and oh yes – Begining of the End- the Giant Grasshopper film – also roasted by MST3K

Left by professor fate on March 15th, 2010

Peter wasn’t in Night of the Lepus, although it was otherwise star-studded (Janet Leigh, Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun, DeForest Kelley…)

Actually, it was James Arness in Them! (and Chris is right, they do sound eerily alike).

I’d forgotten about the Film Crew (Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and the great Bill Corbett) doing Killers From Space. I’ll have to pull that down and watch it again.

As a tribute, we watched the MST3K episode Professor Fate mentioned, The Beginning of the End last night. Very funny.

(On yet another endless shot of a car approaching the camera from a distance: “In my day we didn’t have fast movies. Sometimes we had to wait three or four hours for something to happen!”)

Left by scott on March 15th, 2010

“As a tribute, we watched the MST3K episode Professor Fate mentioned, The Beginning of the End last night. Very funny.”

That was the one about the huge-ass grasshoppers, right?

Left by Toni on March 15th, 2010

Prof Fate writes: He was also in the 50’s sci-fi classic THEM (the one about the giant ants).

That’s his brother, James Arness (told ya they sounded alike), opposite Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn).

Most Memorable Scene: Alcoholic Ward patient “Jenson” (Olin Howlin) steals the show with his “Make me a sergeant! Gimme the booze!” shtick.

Left by Chris Vosburg on March 15th, 2010

Toni: Yes, giant photo-processed locusts. “Another,” as Dr. Forrester says, “Bert I. Gordon pain parade.”

Left by scott on March 15th, 2010

Beginning of the End: watch for the economical re-use of the same rear projection screen footage for whenever any passengers in any car go any where. Thrill as the same two cars repeatedly pass in the opposite lane, wherever they go, again and again.

Left by Chris Vosburg on March 15th, 2010

Opps i’m sorry – Peter and James just merged in my mind for a second. Should have remembered Peter wouldn’t have been in the good film.

Left by professor fate on March 15th, 2010

Beginning of the End: watch for the economical re-use of the same rear projection screen footage for whenever any passengers in any car go any where. Thrill as the same two cars repeatedly pass in the opposite lane, wherever they go, again and again.

Very true. And Mary pointed out something last night that I’d never noticed before: Ludlow, Illinois has been demolished, and every resident has vanished. The town is under military quarantine — no one allowed in, under any circumstances. When the brass finally breaks down and allows plucky girl reporter Audrey Ames to take a quick look, the Army captain accompanying her tells the soldiers at the roadblock: “We’re going to take pictures in Ludlow. If we’re not back in 15 minutes…better come in after us.”

Sounds serious. And yet, when they’re on the way back from Ludlow, stunned by the devastation, the rear projection screen shows civilian cars whizzing blithely past, heading in the opposite direction.

Left by scott on March 15th, 2010

Oh yes – Frank Zappa talks about “It Conquered the World” in his introduction to “Cheepniss” (his song about monster movies) from Roxy and Elsewhere.

Left by professor fate on March 15th, 2010

when they’re on the way back from Ludlow, stunned by the devastation, the rear projection screen shows civilian cars whizzing blithely past, heading in the opposite direction.

Hee hee, yep, same two cars– there’s the big black one– and, wait for it– there’s the big white one.

Left by Chris Vosburg on March 15th, 2010

Ah Ludlow, nestled in the foothills of the Transillinoisan Mountains…

Perhaps now there will be more interest in Mr T Robot’s spec script, “Peter Graves at the University of Minnesota”

“I’m Peter Graves. Can you direct me to the natatorium? I’m Peter Graves.”

Left by Brian Schlosser on March 15th, 2010

Well, you sophisticates may sneer at “Beginning of the End” if you wish, but the 9-year-old boy in the row in front of me when I saw it in an actual Movie Theater one Sat. matinee long ago, was marked for life. His older brother had to take him out to the lobby after that first pair of giant superimposed translucent antennae came waving up over the “horizon”.

Also, Happy Happy Birthday, Baby – - um, I mean, Bill S! !

Left by Li'l Innocent on March 15th, 2010

Actor, dear heart, having gone to your YouTube channel and subscribed, I have to say this: I think that I’m gonna have to hate yer guts.

YOU’RE LIVING MY POWERBALL FANTASY, DAMMIT!!!!!!

Not. fucking. fair.

{{{{{{pouting}}}}}}

Left by Anntichrist S. Coulter on March 16th, 2010

Annti,

I have huge lines of credit. That’s all I can say.

Left by actor212 on March 16th, 2010

Well, fuck, RE-DISTRIBUTE THE WEALTH, mayunnn!!!

Left by Anntichrist S. Coulter on March 16th, 2010

Something to say?