Peter Graves was cast as Palmer Kirby in the 1983 ABC miniseries, The Winds of War. He played opposite Robert Mitchum, Jan Michael Vincent, Deborah .brbrPeter Duesler Aurness, known professionally as Peter Graves, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for his starring role in the CBS .brActor Peter Graves, who starred in the 1960s TV show Mission: Impossible and the Airplane! movies, died in Los Angeles on Sunday. He was 83. Graves .brActor Peter Graves, who starred in Mission: Impossible and Airplane, died of a heart attack at age 83. Katie Couric reports.