Discuss Mission: Impossible
Discuss → TV Shows → Mission: Impossible → General
Actors Who Would Have Been Good IMF Team Leader
posted by Maria KellySTAFFMOD on July 13, 2017 at 11:10 PM
Another of my "What if this________ Had of happened on MI" topics to discuss is if for some nutty reason Peter Graves left the show, which actor would have been a good IMF team leader? My pick? The late, great Robert Lansing. Why? Because if he could command the 918th Bombardment Group based in Archbury, England during WW2, he could be a great IMF team leader.
Next?
Reply by klondike6
on July 15, 2017 at 9:49 AM
A few come to mind. Keith Andes (a Trek favorite) but he may have been a little old. Older than Steven Hill. Fess Parker (Daniel Boone)? Or Leslie Nielsen (Swamp Fox) before he got goofy?
Reply by Maria Kelly
on July 15, 2017 at 6:42 PM
@klondike6
Yes, I agree that Leslie Neilson would have been good. For those of us who remember Classic ScFi movies, Leslie Neilsen was the Captain of the Earth SpaceShip in the movie Forbidden Planet. He really did't start getting goofy until Airplane.
Other choices: I can't think of anyone else right now.
Reply by lima-2
on July 15, 2017 at 11:24 PM
Patrick McGoohan from Danger Man/Secret Agent/The Prisoner. He did a pretty good American accent in a Columbo epsiode.
Reply by Maria Kelly
on July 15, 2017 at 11:39 PM
@lima-2 : Yes, I remember that episode. Someone that I would have adored for team leader is Michael Rennie, but I never heard him do an American accent.
Reply by Maria Kelly
on November 11, 2017 at 5:28 PM
@Jayne1111: I just thought that Tim O'Conner would be great. He had Command Presence.
Reply by Jayhn1111
on November 13, 2017 at 8:09 PM
William Shatner!
Our captain and leader.
Reply by Maria Kelly
on November 13, 2017 at 9:45 PM
@Jayhn1111
My first choice is still Robert Lansing.
Reply by Maria Kelly
on November 19, 2017 at 9:15 PM
@Jayhn1111
What about Larry "Frank Burns" Linville? :-)
Reply by lima-2
on November 20, 2017 at 7:31 PM
Let's stay with Star Trek. Jeffrey Hunter?
Reply by Jayhn1111
on November 20, 2017 at 8:03 PM
I like Jeffrey Hunter I'd vote for that
Reply by Maria Kelly
on November 22, 2017 at 2:15 PM
@Jayhn1111
Jeffrey Hunter would have been awesome!
Reply by Jayhn1111
on November 22, 2017 at 3:16 PM
Yeah I can see why people wouldn't be too keen on William Shatner, but I believe our other Captain may have worked out better in the role lol
Reply by Maria Kelly
on November 23, 2017 at 12:14 AM
@Jayhn1111
I was thinking that John Larkin, who played General Wiley Crowe on the first season of Twelve O'Clock High would have been good, but unfortunately he dropped dead of a heart attack in 1964 halfway through the filming of season one.
Reply by lima-2
on November 25, 2017 at 4:49 PM
John Larkin? He played some gruff, overbearing leader types in the 1950's and early 1960's. Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, 12 O'Clock High, etc. I could see him more as Briggs' or Phelps' boss. Perfect if they had ever cast such a role
Reply by Jayhn1111
on November 26, 2017 at 2:23 PM
It's kind of hard to imagine though. I was fine with the rest of the cast changes in the course of the show, but Peter Graves really became the face of the show. When the average person thinks of Mission Impossible, (whether they were a fan of the show or not), they picture Peter Graves.