For Peter Graves,  A Hollywood Star

Actor Peter Graves, best known for the TV series ‘Mission: Impossible,’ received his star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame last Friday. And the illustrious section of sidewalk bearing his name, an acknowledgment of his achievements in television, thankfully did not self-destruct after 15 seconds. On hand to celebrate Graves, who also starred in movies such as ‘Airplane!,’ ‘The Long Gray Line’ and ‘Night of the Hunter,’ were his wife Joan, friends such as longtime buddy and ‘Mannix’ star Mike Connors, and (as Graves playfully dubbed his daughters and grandchildren), ‘all of my brood.’ As nearly 100 people gathered behind a barricaded area on Hollywood Boulevard outside of Musso and Frank Grill, Graves’ sidewalk tribute was unveiled, next to stars belonging to William Demarest, Harrison Ford (not the ‘Indiana Jones’ actor), and country legends Gene Autry and Buck Owens. Spectators included Dan St. Ledger, who came to see one of his favorite actors get his star.   ’He’s had such a long career in movies and TV, he commands old-time star quality,’ St. Ledger said. ‘He was hilarious in ‘Airplane!,” referring to the classic 1980 comedy send-up of the ‘Airport’ disaster films. ‘For that alone, he deserves a star.’ Front and center behind the barrier was Ashley Granada from San Bernardino, who had chanced upon the ceremony while spending the morning in Hollywood with her friend Casey Duffy, visiting from Pittsburgh. Cameras in hand, the teenage girls seemed excited to be there. ‘We wanted to see a real star while she was visiting,’ Granada said.. Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who presided over the ceremony, was excited to be presenting Walk of Fame star No. 2391 to Graves. ‘It’s been a long time coming,’ Gubler told the Palisadian-Post moments before introducing Graves. ‘I’ve been a fan of his since I was a kid. ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘The Winds of War.”   Ever since Hollywood Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant passed away, Gubler has officiated all but one star ceremony. The nomination process is extensive, as only 20 celebrities are selected each year from hundreds of potential recipients. ‘It’s tough making the final cut,’ Gubler said.   To the fanfare of ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ blaring from a set of speakers and a terrific round of cheers from fans in attendance, Graves emerged, looking dapper in a black suit with matching cane, a red necktie and a cool pair of shades. He stepped up to the microphone as more than two dozen photographers from various publications snapped away.   Front and center to root Graves on: Joan, his wife of 59 years; their daughters, Kelly McCalsin, Claudia King and Amanda Graves; son-in-laws Mark McCaslin and John King; and grandchildren Victoria, Peter, Jennifer, Katie, Skyler and Trevor.   Graves, who has played in such films as ‘Stalag 17’ and who won an Emmy Award for hosting A&E’s ‘Biography’ (1997-2002), was in great spirits. Gubler declared this warm, sunny Friday ‘Peter Graves Day’ in Hollywood, to which Graves added enthusiastically, ‘And what a day it is!’   From the podium, Graves thanked producers Frank Melford and John Rollins for giving him his big break in the 1951 film ‘Rogue River.’ He noted that the word ‘rogue’ was an anagram for ‘rouge,’ and had the film been called ‘Rouge River,’ he joked, ‘I wouldn’t have done the film unless I could go out there with my tangerine lip gloss!’   As Graves spoke, a Starline Tours bus cruised by slowly, its passengers taking snapshots. Looking out at the cordoned-off area before him and the slow-moving street traffic, Graves joked that he felt as if he was speaking before ‘a used car lot!’   Graves recounted his early years in Minnesota. He joked that for a Minneapolis boy like himself to court Joan, from St. Paul, ‘That’s like the Montagues and the Capulets.’ He traveled ahead of Joan to Hollywood in the late 1940s, when his brother, actor James Arness, who had preceded him to Pacific Palisades, picked him up at Union Station.   ’He said, ‘What are you doing here? This is a terrible time [in Hollywood],” Graves recalled. ‘He was right. Things were kind of a mess.’ At the time, the studios were being forced to divest themselves from controlling movie theaters, and the age of television was yet to take off.   ’People told me, ‘If you do television, your career is through!” Graves said. ‘That turned out not to be true.’   After some cheers from the crowd, he added, ‘Television and I grew up together.’ His TV series included ‘Fury,’ ‘Whiplash,’ ‘Court Marshall,’ and episodes of ‘Route 66’ and ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents.’   Graves shared some anecdotes about his early years in Hollywood with Joan, and the time he followed a triumphant audition by opening what he thought was the exit door and walking straight into a closet.   The most poignant part of Graves’ acceptance speech came when he brought Joan up onto the stage. ‘She was the one who held onto me and kept me steady, folks!’ he said.   Following Graves’ talk, he and Joan and Gubler knelt down on a plush carpet platform on the sidewalk where Peter’s star was unveiled before the flashing paparazzi.   Connors said the Walk of Fame honor was ‘well-deserved. I’ve known Peter and Joan for more than 50 years. We’ve shared great laughs, done a lot of traveling. Peter is one of the most delightful friends I have.’ After the unveiling, the Graves family and about 40 guests entered Musso and Frank for a private luncheon reception in Hollywood’s most historic restaurant.   Grandson Trevor, down from Lake Tahoe for the weekend, quickly identified his favorite Graves project: ”Airplane!’ ‘I’m 19 so I’m not into older movies.’ He also noted his grandfather’s work in shows such as ‘Seventh Heaven’ and ‘Cold Case’ before admitting he did like one of grandpa’s oldies: 1951’s ‘Rogue River.’ Daughter Claudia, whose favorite Graves project was the TV show ‘Fury,’ which she watched as a little girl, said of her father’s big day, ‘I’m overwhelmingly proud. Mom deserves this almost more than he does. It was a team effort!’ Graves’ next honor arrives this week at the Ojai-Ventura International Film Festival, where he and cinematographer Haskell Wexler are the Lifetime Achievement Award honorees and where Graves will appear for a November 7 screening of ‘Airplane!’ In addition, all seven seasons of ‘Mission: Impossible’ will be released on DVD this week. At one point in his speech, Graves said: ‘I worked my tail off all these years in Hollywood and I hope I deserve this award I’m getting today.’ Judging from the reception he received, Graves was certainly deserving.