Actor Peter Graves was found dead Sunday at his home in Pacific Palisades, according to law enforcement sources. Graves, who stared in "Mission: Impossible," "Airplane!" and Billy Wilder's "Stalag 17"--apparently died of natural causes most likely a heart attack, the sources said.
Graves was 83, according to a biography on the website IMDB.com and is the brother of actor James Arness who played Matt Dillion on TV's long running "Gunmoke".
In an Los Angeles Times story late last year, Graves said he initially turned down the role for "Airplane!" because he thought it was in poor taste--until actors Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges and Leslie Nielsen signed on to the cast. "They say you are supposed to stretch as an actor, so let's go stretch it," he told The Times' Susan King.
Peter Graves starred as the Dutchman along with Bud Spencer in "The Five Man Army" (1969).
I'm glad he decided to be in Airplane. He was perfect as the pilot. I wish he made more movies. Never saw "Five Man Army".
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