Peter Graves, Fess Parker, Robert Culp

[papeetepatrick]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/arts/tel...aves&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/arts/tel...?ref=obituaries

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/arts/tel...?ref=obituaries

Three important TV stars died in ten days' time. I remember Fess Parker from Davy Crockett as a child, but not very well, although I think I did have the coonskin cap and some hunting knife that were 'Davy Crockett'.

Graves was of most interest to me, with a stunning all-American handsomeness (more than his brother James Arness, I thought) that i first saw already playing fathers while in his 30s in 'Fury' and later debonair and suave in 'Mission Impossible', which I believe he entered even after most of the legendary cast was already assembled. Also was good in an old pleasant period thing with Terry Moore even before his TV career started, 'Beneath the 12-Mile Reef'.

Remember this cast? Wow. I remember being nuts about Barbara Bain as well, and never heard of her after the show was finished.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm527144704/nm0336335

Robert Culp I saw a little on TV, not that much, but he's good in a marvelously enjoyable cheap-budget early-70s B-Movie 'See the Man Run' with Angie Dickinson, although she definitely steals the movie when she berates him for 'being a loser'.

[4mrdncr]

I remember Fess Parker from his later series "Daniel Boone", and then the winery of course which I think was featured on a business series (maybe "Pinnacle" maybe not).

I remember Robert Culp from "I Spy" and numerous guest appearances. Mr. Cosby lives in my area of the state. I wonder if he will say something?

But most of all, I remember working with Peter Graves on "Discover". He was always gracious, friendly, and professional. On the days he would come in to record the narration, I would listen for his voice down the hall. Or when he was recording, just close my eyes and listen. He could be very subtle in what he chose to inflect or not, and took direction wonderfully.

RIP to all.

[papeetepatrick]

Nice story, 4mrdncr, and good for you. That's exactly the way I'd have imagined him.

I found this photo for you: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4075260928/nm0336335

[dirac]

I have very few memories of any of these gentlemen from their television work. I do recall Culp in Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.

Graves, like Leslie Nielsen, achieved a form of cinematic immortality playing it straight for the Zuckers in the "Airplane!" series and other Zucker opuses. Graves, of course, was Captain Oveur ("Dunn was over Unger, and I was over Dunn"; "Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?").