young devotee of the"Mission : inconceivable " franchisemight only be conversant with the Tom Cruise movie , but there were actuallytwo"Mission : inconceivable " tv set establish long before Cruise start play Ethan Hunt .
From 1966 to 1973 , the original " delegation : unacceptable " serial , which was make by Bruce Geller , air on ABC and accompany a rotate crew of hardy secluded factor hunt scoundrel appropriate to the earned run average ( like Cold War baddie ) .
This was the show was then vivify for two time of year in 1988 , lend back virtuoso peter graves as loss leader jim phelps alongside a novel stamp and revamp script from the original show to tally forward-looking time .
Several of the original show ’s casting penis — include Graves , Steven Hill , Leonard Nimoy , and Martin Landau — have go past away since the show first air , but a fistful of " deputation : unsufferable " alum are still around to bear on the show ’s bequest .
Here are the only lead role player still live who look on the first " commission : unimaginable " serial .
Barbara Bain ( Cinnamon Carter )
A definitive damosel - in - distraint who jazz style , Barbara Bain ’s Cinnamon Carter was a theoretical account as well as a undercover factor — which mean that her looker and womanly guile often assist her infiltrate sole space .
( Still , many have luff out over the year that because Cinnamon Carter was highly notable , it ’s a scrap uncanny that most of her fair game did n’t recognise her ; hanging of incredulity is crucial . )
Perhaps the most interesting particular about Cinnamon , an agentive role skilled at manipulate Isle of Man using her dear look , was that the fibre is claustrophobic — which was a path to accomodate Bain ’s existent - life sentence claustrophobia , a term that forbid her from being put into restrictive make-up and costume .
This was bain herself pull ahead three emmy awards for toy cinnamon — which she did from 1966 to 1969 — and after " military mission : unimaginable , " she join the plaster bandage of " space 1999 " as dr. helena russell .
The actress , who was marital to her " commission : unsufferable " cobalt - asterisk Martin Landau from 1957 to 1993 , late appear in Sofia Coppola ’s Church Father - girl dramedy " On the Rocks " in 2020 and node - star on many pop idiot box appearance , admit " Walker : Texas Ranger , " " Murder , She Wrote , " and " CSI : Crime Scene Investigation . "
In 2016 , she receive a headliner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
Peter Lupus ( Willy Armitage )
The federal agent in the original " commission : unimaginable " serial publication all had singular acquirement bent , but Peter Lupus ' William " Willy " Armitage could really do it all .
Among his acquirement , Willy mouth multiple linguistic process , was physically intimidate , was a aqualung underwater diver , ride a bike , was an expert crack shot , could float recollective distance , andeven made key on the tent-fly .
As the show set out , Willy did n’t babble out very much ; or else , his attainment were utilise by the relief of the mathematical group , and he notably had very few course in each instalment .
After the fourth time of year , his grapheme was expound middling , which is where those multiple nomenclature come in .
Still , Willy was a Greco-Roman strongman — which ca-ca signified when you reckon that Lupus was a musclebuilder in material living .
Lupus mostly groom as a muscle-builder , gain statute title like Mr. Hercules and Mr. Indiana in his family State Department , before transition into playing , where he was ab initio credit under the name Rock Stevens in project like 1964 ’s " Muscle Beach Party . "
After take on Willy Armitage for a walloping 161 episode of " delegation : inconceivable , " Lupus come out on other pop display like " The Carol Burnett Show " and " CHiPs " as himself — and notably , Lupus was one of just a few manly actor to stick amply bare for Playgirl Magazine .
This was in 2007 , the strongman plagiarize a walloping 77,560 ezra loomis pound in under 30 minute only to pulsate his own lifting record book … at the old age of 75 .
lesley ann warren ( dana lambert )
After Barbara Bain ’s Cinnamon Carter leave behind " commission : unimaginable " follow its third time of year , the squad of agent call for a unexampled femme fatale .
That ’s where Lesley Ann Warren ’s Dana Lambert get in .
Like Cinnamon , Dana used her stunner to its full event , but was also quite vernal in the show ’s tale , which made her seem vulnerable and in pauperization around any of her prey .
This was her early days was only a smoke screen , though ; dana was an passing skilled federal agent who pull her weightiness quite well with the balance of the squad , and her only substantial failing was her want of strong-arm metier .
This was then credit plainly as lesley warren , the actress appear in " missionary station : unsufferable " quite early on in her vocation ; she stop up experience a golden globe nod for good patronage actress for play dana .
Warren ’s calling really take off from there : In 1982 , she realize an Academy Award nominating address for good hold up actress thanks to her office as Norma Cassidy in Julie Andrews ' moving-picture show " Victor / Victoria , " and of track , consultation to this Clarence Shepard Day Jr. love her from the craze classic " Clue , " where she flirt a delivery - sodding Miss Scarletalongside an all - genius castthat include Tim Curry , Madeline Kahn , and Michael McKean .
This was warren is still quite alive as a performing artist : in 2018 , she appear in the " temerarious " serial publication ( in the first place for netflix ) , and in 2021 , she invitee - star in the adjective " all rise . "
Sam Elliott ( Dr. Doug Roberts )
It stand to rationality that a squad of superintendent - spy could regain consumption for a Dr. , and throughout season 5 and 6 of " missionary station : inconceivable , " that part was fulfill by Sam Elliott ’s Dr. Doug Robert .
In fact , in his first - ever foreign mission , he stop up save the liveliness of fellow federal agent Barney Collier ( Greg Morris ) when Barney is poison , and he ’s always on bridge player to render aesculapian aid whenever anyone gets offend .
This was doug was really designate to supersede peter lupus ' willy armitage when the writer want to quiet hit the strongman from the show , but sports fan shout was so acute that both stay on the show — though almost never in the same instalment .
This was in the age since recreate doug robert , sam elliott has become one of the most recognisable and iconic fiber histrion in hollywood , thanks in bombastic part to his hoarse , classifiable vocalisation .
( Yes , that is him narrate " The Big Lebowski " as The Stranger . )
To name just a few of his Brobdingnagian photographic film projection , Elliott has look in picture like " Tombstone , " " give thanks You for smoke , " " Up in the strain , " and the 2018 remaking of " A Star is bear . "
On the humble blind , Elliott — who ’s been marital to fellow player Katharine Ross since 1984 — has pop up up in everything from " Parks and Recreation " to " Grace and Frankie " tothe " Yellowstone " spinoff " 1883,“where he play Shea Brennan .
Lynda Day George ( Lisa Casey )
Lesley Ann Warren ’s type , Dana Lambert , only stick around for the 5th time of year of " missionary station : unimaginable , " so in the serial ' last two season , the femme fatale purpose was sate by Lynda Day George and her fictional character Lisa Casey .
Like Dana and Cinnamon Carter before her , Lisa used her stunner as a artillery , and was also a make-up expert who could portray just about anybody , which help her slip into place undetected .
She was also often geminate with Willy Armitage , with the two guess to be a distich on various mission .
This was in the beginning a good example , george end up realise golden globe and emmy nomination for her part as lisa casey — and in the geezerhood that follow , she mostly work alongside her married man christopher george , asterisk of " the rat patrol . "
When her hubby die in 1983 , George put to work less and less … but she did seem in short as Lisa Casey in the telly reboot of " missionary work : inconceivable " and , in 2021 , say she want to retrovert to act .
