Discover the captivating story of James Arness and Peter Graves, legendary television icons and brothers, right here at PETS.EDU.VN. We delve into their remarkable careers and familial connection. This article explores the lives and legacies of these Hollywood stars, highlighting their achievements and relationship. Delve into sibling relationships, family ties, and entertainment history.
1. The Unspoken Bond: James Arness and Peter Graves’ Brotherhood
While James Arness and Peter Graves achieved fame as Jim Phelps and Matt Dillon, their most significant connection was their brotherhood. Despite their public personas, many were unaware of this familial tie.
In 1972, Peter Graves mentioned to The Times Herald, “Only about half the public realizes we’re brothers. Jim came out here to Hollywood while I was still back in Minnesota. He’d already appeared in The Farmer’s Daughter with Loretta Young while I was still going to college. I came out here [to California] for the same reason Jim did — to become an actor. He was doing movies and his career was going along well when Gunsmoke came along.”
Geoffrey Mark, a pop culture expert, explained, “It wasn’t widely out there in the 1960s when it was going on, because even though both shows — Mission Impossible and Gunsmoke — were on CBS, for whatever reasons, the powers that were didn’t really want to make that big a deal out of it for publicity’s sake. Although well known, they were such very different shows.”
He added that the contrasting nature of their shows and Peter’s late entry into Mission Impossible might have contributed to the lack of emphasis on their relationship.
2. From Minnesota to Hollywood: The Early Lives
The journey of James Arness and Peter Graves began in Minneapolis, Minnesota. James King Aurness was born on May 26, 1923, to Rolf Cirkler Aurnes and Ruth Duesler. Peter Duesler Aurness, his younger brother, was born three years later on March 18, 1926.
James Arness, after graduating high school in 1942, worked various jobs before attending Beloit College, where he joined the choir and Beta Thea Pi fraternity.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, he bravely landed on Anzio Beachhead on January 22, 1944. Severely injured at the Battle of Anzio, he was honorably discharged on January 29, 1945. His valor earned him the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, European African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
Peter Graves graduated high school in 1944 and served in the United States Air Force during World War II, achieving the rank of corporal. He received the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. After the war, he attended the University of Minnesota on the GI Bill and joined Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
Following World War II, Peter Graves and James Arness decided to change their last names due to their German heritage. Peter adopted Graves, a name from their maternal side, while James modified Aurness to Arness.
Geoffrey Mark notes, “After World War II, people were not beating their breasts saying, ‘Look at me, I’m German,’ which is why James changed the spelling and pronunciation of his name and Peter didn’t use it at all.”
3. Hollywood Beckons: The Rise to Stardom
James Arness started as a radio announcer in Minneapolis before hitchhiking to Hollywood. He debuted in The Farmer’s Daughter (1947) and appeared in films like The Man from Texas (1948), Wagon Master (1950), Two Lost Worlds (1951), The Thing from Another World (1951), Horizons West (1952), and Hondo (1953). In 1955, he began his iconic role as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, starring in 635 episodes until 1975. John Wayne himself introduced Arness in the first episode.
Peter Graves debuted as Peter Dandridge in Rogue River (1951). He starred in films like Fort Defiance (1951), Stalag 17 (1953), Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953), The Long Gray Line (1955), The Night of the Hunter (1955), and A Stranger in My Arms (1959). He was a regular on Fury (1955 to 1960), Whiplash (1959 to 1960), and Court Martial (1965 to 1966). When Steven Hill departed Mission Impossible, Graves took over as IMF director Jim Phelps from 1967 to 1973, reprising the role in the 1988 to 1990 revival.
4. Acting Styles Compared: Arness and Graves
According to Geoffrey Mark, Peter Graves faced frequent acting challenges, unlike James Arness, due to the demands of their respective roles.
“When you do any kind of research about Mission Impossible, ignoring the films, which these people had nothing to do with, the only negative publicity is that the actors on Mission came and went and the show’s quality would rise and fall depending who the regular characters were any given season,” he states. “Nothing about Peter being bad or hard to work with. I don’t think either of the men really had any negative publicity, like, ‘Oh, look, he was drunk. Oh, look, he’s cheating on his wife.’ It’s not what their personas were about. I also think Peter was a more open person and, quite frankly, the better actor.”
He added, “He had to be on Mission Impossible, because he wasn’t just playing the lead character in charge, because the premise of the show demanded that the lead character play other parts within the show. Peter had to do accents, he had to have makeup jobs, he played the good guys, he played the bad guys. Peter’s character got shot and almost killed. It required him to flex his acting muscles.”
“Whereas with James Arness and Gunsmoke, it’s not that he was a bad actor, it’s just that he was doing it by rote. There was nothing new for Marshal Dillon, I don’t think. Once the hour-long show started and they had time for plot, I don’t think Marshal Dillon’s character grew or changed very much. Other characters’ did, but not him. And again, because of the rigors of the show, of the demands of the plot conceit, Peter had to be James Phelps to open every show, close every show and set up the plot for every show, but the other 50 minutes he was playing somebody else. So it was an acting challenge on a weekly basis that James Arness did not have, because Marshal Dillon pretty much stayed the same the whole time.”
Following Gunsmoke, James Arness starred in How the West Was Won (1977 to 1979), McClain’s Law (1981 to 1982), and reprised Dillon in six TV movies between 1987 and 1993.
Peter Graves appeared in films like Airplane (1980) as Captain Clarence Oveur, gaining a new fan base. He also made TV guest appearances and TV movies, with his last appearance in a 2007 episode of WorldGirl.
5. Brotherly Love and Respect
James Arness and Peter Graves rarely discussed each other publicly. Marshall noted, “I never really envied Jim’s success in Gunsmoke. I thought he was in a great spot and I was just looking for one of my own. I’ve been offered several Gunsmoke scripts in which I’d play Jim’s worthless brother. We’ve talked over the scripts, but didn’t feel any of them were quite right for us. Several years ago, I directed an episode of Gunsmoke. Wasn’t bad for a first attempt, but acting is what I wanted.”
Geoffrey elaborates, “Peter Graves and James Arness got along, they loved each other, but I think because of their background, men didn’t show affection. I don’t think there was hugging and kissing on the cheek going on between them, but I think they loved each other.
“They each were happy for the other one’s success. I never heard Peter say anything really negative about James other than some of what I brought up here, that they were very different people and Peter did not want to get locked into only one thing. He wanted a variety of things to do, and he was more open. I think those are the only things Peter said to me about James that was gossipy or in any way trying to put him down. Just the differences between them and that’s not a good thing or a bad thing.”
6. Legacy and Remembrance
James Arness, married twice with three children, passed away from natural causes on June 2, 2011, at 88. Peter Graves, also married once with three children, died of a heart attack on March 14, 2010, at 83.
7. Exploring TV Westerns and Crime Dramas
Popular TV Westerns
| Title | Years Active | Main Actors | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunsmoke | 1955-1975 | James Arness, Amanda Blake | Marshal Dillon keeps peace in Dodge City. |
| Bonanza | 1959-1973 | Lorne Greene, Michael Landon | The Cartwrights manage a timber ranch. |
| The Rifleman | 1958-1963 | Chuck Connors, Johnny Crawford | A Civil War vet raises his son. |
| Rawhide | 1959-1965 | Clint Eastwood, Eric Fleming | Cattle drivers face challenges on the trail. |
| Have Gun – Will Travel | 1957-1963 | Richard Boone | A refined gunfighter hires out his services. |
Popular TV Crime Dramas
| Title | Years Active | Main Actors | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mission: Impossible | 1966-1973 | Peter Graves, Steven Hill | IMF agents undertake dangerous missions. |
| Columbo | 1968-2003 | Peter Falk | A detective solves complex murder cases. |
| Hawaii Five-O | 1968-1980 | Jack Lord, James MacArthur | An elite police unit fights crime in Hawaii. |
| The Rockford Files | 1974-1980 | James Garner | A private investigator solves cases. |
| Magnum, P.I. | 1980-1988 | Tom Selleck | A private investigator enjoys luxurious life in Hawaii while solving mysteries. |
8. Sibling Success in Hollywood
| Sibling Pairs | Notable Work |
|---|---|
| James Arness/Peter Graves | Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible |
| Shirley MacLaine/Warren Beatty | Actress, Actor/Director |
| Joan Fontaine/Olivia de Havilland | Actresses |
| Luke Wilson/Owen Wilson | Actors |
| Ben Affleck/Casey Affleck | Actors |
9. Behind-the-Scenes Facts
James Arness
- War Hero: Severely wounded in World War II, receiving multiple honors.
- Gunsmoke Legacy: Played Matt Dillon for 20 years, a record.
- John Wayne’s Support: Wayne suggested Arness for Gunsmoke.
Peter Graves
- Musical Talent: Played saxophone professionally before acting.
- Mission: Impossible Revival: Returned for the late 1980s series.
- Airplane! Fame: His role in Airplane! brought him to a new audience.
10. James Arness and Peter Graves: Frequently Asked Questions
1. How were James Arness and Peter Graves related?
James Arness and Peter Graves were brothers.
2. Why did they use different last names?
They changed their last names after World War II due to their German heritage.
3. What were their most famous roles?
James Arness was known for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, and Peter Graves was famous for playing Jim Phelps on Mission: Impossible.
4. Did they ever work together on screen?
They never had significant roles together, but Peter directed an episode of Gunsmoke.
5. How did their war experiences affect them?
Both served in World War II, with James Arness being severely wounded, influencing their perspectives and careers.
6. What were some of Peter Graves’ other notable roles?
Besides Mission: Impossible, he starred in Airplane! and various TV series.
7. What were some of James Arness’ other notable roles?
After Gunsmoke, he starred in How the West Was Won and several Gunsmoke TV movies.
8. How did they feel about each other’s success?
They were supportive and happy for each other’s achievements.
9. When did they pass away?
Peter Graves passed away on March 14, 2010, and James Arness on June 2, 2011.
10. Where can I learn more about their careers?
Explore PETS.EDU.VN for in-depth articles and resources on their lives and work.
Understanding the bond between James Arness and Peter Graves provides a glimpse into Hollywood’s golden age, highlighting their individual successes and brotherly connection.
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