Of the five performers in the 1966 launch cast of the original Mission: Impossible television series, Barbara Bain and Peter Lupus are reported as still living. Steven Hill, Greg Morris and Martin Landau have died. Peter Graves, often associated with the original series, joined in 1967 rather than at its 1966 launch; he died in 2010.
Who from the 1966 launch cast is alive?
Barbara Bain, who played Cinnamon Carter, and Peter Lupus, who played Willie Armitage, are reported as the surviving members of the initial cast. Parade identified them as the two living original stars in a recent feature; its report is the basis for the present-tense status here.
The other three performers in the launch lineup have died: Steven Hill, who played team leader Daniel Briggs; Greg Morris, who played electronics expert Barney Collier; and Martin Landau, who played master of disguise Rollin Hand.
| Performer | Character | Launch-cast status |
|---|---|---|
| Barbara Bain | Cinnamon Carter | Reported living by Parade |
| Peter Lupus | Willie Armitage | Reported living by Parade |
| Steven Hill | Daniel Briggs | Died in 2016, according to the Television Academy |
| Greg Morris | Barney Collier | Died in 1996, according to the Television Academy |
| Martin Landau | Rollin Hand | Deceased; the source material cited here does not establish a death date |
Why Peter Graves is often included
Peter Graves played Jim Phelps, the team leader many viewers associate with the series, but he was not part of the first-season launch cast. He joined as James Phelps in 1967, after Steven Hill’s Daniel Briggs era began. Graves died in 2010, according to the Television Academy obituary.
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The distinction depends on what “original cast” means: narrowly, it is the five performers who launched the show in 1966; more broadly, it can mean the cast of the original CBS series across its full run. The Television Academy’s series history and cast roster covers the 1966–73 run, which comprised 171 episodes, and lists the 1988–90 revival separately.
Later performers in the original series
Several familiar actors joined after the initial lineup. Leonard Nimoy played Paris, Lesley Ann Warren played Dana Lambert, Sam Elliott played Doug, Lynda Day George played Lisa Casey, and Barbara Anderson played Mimi Davis. These were additions to the original series, not members of the 1966 launch cast.
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Parade also reported Lesley Ann Warren and Sam Elliott as living when its feature was published. The sources cited here do not establish the current status of every later-series performer, including Lynda Day George and Barbara Anderson, so they should not be added to a complete living-or-deceased tally.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which show does “the original” mean?
This answer concerns the CBS television series that began in 1966, not the 1988–90 television revival or the later film franchise. The cast label matters: Peter Graves belongs to the original series’ broader history, but not to its five-person launch cast.
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