Trivia for
"Mission: Impossible" (1966)

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• According to Robert H. Justman in his book "Star Trek: The Real Story", this show's famous theme was not the first one written. Lalo Schifrin had written a main theme, but creator and executive producer Bruce Geller decided that it was inappropriate. Instead, Geller used some chase music Schifrin had written for the end of the first episode. That throwaway musical cue became one of the most famous and recognizable television show themes in history.
  
  
• When the reel-to-reel tape recorder is playing the mission's instructions, it is actually in a "rewind" mode rather than a "play" mode. This was done because the tape moved too slowly to be believed when it was "playing".
  
  
• Greg Morris and Peter Lupus were the only original cast members to remain on the show throughout the entire run.
  
  

• Cancelled in 1973, it was the last survivor of the 1960s spy series craze that had produced shows like "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964), "Danger Man" (1964), "Get Smart" (1965), "The Wild Wild West" (1965), etc.
  
  
• This series gave Peter Lupus, who played Willy, the chance to work under his own name. Most of his previous acting career was in Europe where he played the lead role in sword and sandal/mythological muscleman movies under the name "Rock Stevens". This also gave him a chance to act in a role that didn't rely mainly on his physique.
  
  
• Although the IMF usually received its instructions from a self-destructing reel-to-reel tape, this didn't become the norm until several seasons into the series. In early episodes, Briggs and Phelps got their instructions from other sources such as records and filmstrip projectors. The "tape scenes" for each episode (as they were known) were usually filmed in one block at the start of each season. Peter Graves said he never knew which episode would use which tape scene until it was broadcast.
  
  
• The main reason for Briggs, and later Phelps, looking through the photos to select the various members of the team for each mission was that many of the early episodes would feature guest stars as members of the team. However, once it became apparent that the same members were chosen every time, the practice was eventually abandoned.
  
  
• There never was any explanation given for why Dan Briggs was no longer the head of the IMF and how Jim Phelps became the head of the team.
  
  
• During the first season, Martin Landau's face was not shown during the main title sequence. In fact, during that season he was credited as making a "special appearance". It wasn't until season two that he was acknowledged as being a full cast member.
  
  
• The faceless figure shown striking a match in the opening credits is 'Bruce Geller' himself. It wasn't until the 1988 revival of the series that an established character (Jim Phelps) was shown lighting it.
  
  
• When this show was bought by ARD for the German market in 1967, only selected episodes from the first three seasons were dubbed (additionally the episodes were cut down to standard running time of 45 minutes). A few years later they did the same with the later seasons (with new dubbing actors). When the show was broadcast on Kabel 1/Pro 7, all other episodes (except one) were dubbed as well (again with new dubbing actors). The last remaining episode was dubbed for the DVD release in 2006.
  
  
• In the pilot episode "Pilot", Wally Cox was a member of the IMF team named Terry Targo.
  
  
• Steven Hill left the cast after one season because, as an Orthodox Jew, he was unwilling to abide by the show's production schedule that would have required him to work on the Jewish Sabbath.
  
  
• In the first episode "Memory", Briggs did not receive his instructions via a tape or filmstrip projector, but on a card handed to him by a photographer.
  
  
• The episode "Action" was the only one in which the head of the IMF team did not receive instructions. Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain) received the instructions instead. It's also the only episode in the first season in which Dan Briggs (Steven Hill) did not appear.
  
  
• "Mission: Impossible" (not including the 1988 remake) had the most episodes of any English-language spy series, with 171 episodes. Its nearest rival is "The Avengers" with 161 shows.
  
  
• In the first season, Dan Briggs can be seen driving either a black or light blue 1967 Lincoln Continental convertible.
  
  
• Nearly every non-lead actor or actress that worked on "Star Trek" also appears in "Mission:Impossible". This is probably due to both shows filming at the Desilu Studios. Lead "Star Trek" performers, also guest appearing, include George Tekai, William Shatner, and eventual series regular Leonard Nimoy.
  
  
• Because of the disguises he wore, Rollin Hand was known as "The Man of a Million Faces".
  
  
• When 'Lynda Day George' was forced to miss several episodes during the seventh season due to maternity leave, her absence was explained by having Casey on a "special assignment" in Europe for the IMF.
  
  
• After five seasons of stories of international intrigue, the IMF spent the final two seasons going after American gangsters.
  
  

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