Mission: Impossible

Network: CBS
Episodes: 171 (hour)
Seasons: Seven

TV show dates: September 17, 1966 — March 30, 1973
Series status: Cancelled/ended

Performers include: Bob Johnson, Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Lupus, Greg Morris, Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, Lesley Ann Warren, Lee Meriwether, Sam Elliott, Lynda Day George, Barbara Anderson

TV show description:
The U.S. Government’s Impossible Missions Force (IMF) consists of a group of secret agents to stop any kind of threats to the nation’s security.

The leader of the IMF, Dan Briggs (Steven Hill), is given a new mission at the beginning of each episode anonymously by tape (voiced by Bob Johnson). He then works through the skills and talents of each of his agents to assign the appropriate members to the task.

Among his team are master of disguise Rollin Hand (Martin Landau), chameleon Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), technology-whiz Barney Collier (Greg Morris), and muscular Willie Armitage (Peter Lupus). Members assemble in an upscale apartment to determine their course of action for the mission. Agents travel the world on covert operations that range from obtaining nuclear warheads to rescuing hostages.

Later in the series, Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) becomes IMF’s leader others join the team of agents like Dana Lambert (Lesley Ann Warren), Lisa Casey (Lynda Day George), Mimi Davis (Barbara Anderson), Dr. Doug Lane (Sam Elliott), and The Great Paris (Leonard Nimoy), a professional magician.