Mission: Impossible Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

The television series "Mission: Impossible" has blossomed from an Emmy-winning fan favorite to a global media franchise that encompasses eight motion pictures (including the upcoming two-part "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning") starring Tom Cruise, as well as a short-lived TV revival, video games, and other media. Elements of the franchise have become part of the pop culture lexicon, including Lalo Schifrin's anxious, jazzy theme song and Cruise's "cable drop" sequence from the first movie, which have both been spoofed in everything from "The Incredibles" to "Mad Magazine."

Though Cruise's Ethan Hunt is the face of "Mission: Impossible" today, a whole different Impossible Missions Force starred in the original series, which ran from 1966 to 1973, and an even larger troupe of performers appeared in the features from 1996 to 2023. Given that more than a half-century has elapsed since the pilot's debut (and more than a quarter-century since the first "Mission: Impossible" film), it's understandable that some of these actors have died since completing their last mission. Following is a list of the "Mission: Impossible" movie and TV actors you may not know have passed away.

Among the many disguises donned by Ethan Hunt in the first "Mission: Impossible" film was John Waltzer, an elderly U.S. Senator and chairperson of the Armed Services Committee hearings. Cruise played the "real" Waltzer, who was first seen in a TV interview, and later impersonated him at the Prague Embassy. Joining Watzer for the interview was TV news pundit John McLaughlin.

McLaughlin entered politics as a candidate for senator while still serving in his first vocation — a Jesuit priest — and later became a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon. He left the priesthood in 1975 and moved into media public affairs, which led to him hosting the syndicated television program "The McLaughlin Group" from 1982 to 2016. A roundtable discussion featuring commentators from both sides of the political spectrum, "McLaughlin" earned a following for its lively and at times combative debates and McLaughlin's own theatrical delivery, which was spoofed by Dana Carvey on "Saturday Night Live."

McLaughlin also appeared in several other films, including "Dave" and "Independence Day." Diagnosed with prostate cancer, he recorded his final "Group" episode on August 12, 2016, and died four days later at the age of 89.

Chances are you weren't aware that actor Harry Fielder appeared in the first "Mission: Impossible" feature. And that would be understandable: The British actor, who plays a driver in the 1996 film, was an extra, like he was in countless feature films and television series from 1966 to 2013. But during that time frame, Fielder managed to turn up in an astonishing slew of hit films, including "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope," "Superman," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Fielder also lent support to "Doctor Who," "The Avengers," and "Fawlty Towers." He recalled many of his adventures, including work with George Lucas and David Lynch, on his colorful website. After retiring in the early 2000s, Fielder became a staple on the UK convention circuit. His final credit was a voice-over role for an unofficial fan cut of the "Doctor Who" serial "Shada" in 2013, and he died at the age of 80 on February 6, 2021.

Providing crucial support to the IMF with his vast knowledge of technology was agent Barnard "Barney" Collier, played by actor Greg Morris. Barney and strongman Willy Armitage (Peter Lupus) were the only agents to appear in all seven seasons of "Mission: Impossible," and Morris later reprised his role in the 1988 revival. For those appearances, Barney teamed with his son, Grant Collins, who was played by Morris's real-life son, actor Phil Morris.

Morris began acting in college and launched his screen career with appearances on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Twilight Zone." He earned three Emmy nominations during his run on "Mission: Impossible," which ended in 1973. Morris later enjoyed occasional work as a guest star on series like "The Love Boat" and replaced Raymond St. Jacques as police lieutenant Dave Nelson on "Vega$."

A 1981 car accident kept him off-screen for much of the 1980s until the "Mission: Impossible" revival series. Morris was later among the original series cast members who disliked the 1996 feature, which Morris described to the Associated Press as "an abomination" (via the New York Times). Morris died in Las Vegas on August 27, 1996, at the age of 62; no cause of death was given, but Morris had both lung and brain cancer.

As previously mentioned, actor Steven Hill was the first leader of the IMF in its 1966-67 debut season. Hill played Daniel Briggs, who relayed missions from the Voice/Man on the tape to his team and frequently (but not always) accompanied them in carrying them out. Reportedly, Briggs's absence from 7 of the 27 missions in Season 1, and eventual departure from the series, was due to Hill's religious beliefs: As an Orthodox Jew, he couldn't work from Friday evening to Sunday evening. 

An original member of the Actors Studio, Hill began his career on Broadway and live television in the 1950s before moving into features and episodic TV. After leaving "Mission: Impossible," he did not act for a decade and supported himself through writing and real estate. But he returned to the screen in the 1980s in films like "The Firm" before landing his career-defining role as District Attorney Adam Schiff on "Law & Order." Hill remained with that series from 1990 to 2000 and earned two Emmy nominations before retiring from acting at the age of 78. Hill died of cancer at the age of 94 on August 23, 2016.

As Max Harte, Australian model and dancer turned actor Antony Hamilton handled the muscle role in the 1988 revival of "Mission: Impossible" previously occupied by Peter Lupus's Willy Armitage. After working steadily throughout the 1980s, he seemed poised for movie stardom as a possible candidate to play James Bond. But Hamilton enjoyed only a handful of additional roles before his untimely death in 1996.

A turn as the Biblical strongman Samson in the 1984 TV movie "Samson and Delilah" gave Hamilton — who was alternately billed as "Antony" or "Tony" — his entry into American television. He replaced Jon-Erik Hexum as the lead on "Cover Up" after Hexum died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the spy-themed series reportedly brought Hamilton to the attention of EON Productions chief Cubby Broccoli, who wanted to cast a new actor as James Bond. Hamilton allegedly lost the role because of his sexual identity — he was gay — and returned to TV as a guest star on series like "L.A. Law."

The cancelation of "Mission: Impossible" also brought Hamilton's career to an end. He enjoyed just two more screen roles in minor projects before his death from AIDS-related pneumonia at the age of 42 on March 29, 1995. 

Long before his second bout of stardom as a horror icon in "The Devil's Rejects" and other titles, Sid Haig was a busy character actor specializing in tough guys on dozens of TV shows and films. These include nine episodes of the original "Mission: Impossible" between Seasons 1 and 5. In typical fashion, most of Haig's characters posed a serious threat to the IMF team, including a vicious prison camp inmate in Season 2's "Trial by Fury," a trigger-happy Latin American officer in "Commandante," and a mystic's henchman in "The Choice." Between "Mission: Impossible" assignments, Haig also found time to appear on "Star Trek" and "Batman," and also turned up in John Boorman's "Point Blank."

Haig's career remained busy until the mid-'90s when he retired due to perceived typecasting. But a minor role as a judge in "Jackie Brown" — Quentin Tarantino was a fan of Haig's work — led to his outrageous, lip-smacking turn as the deranged Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses." That film led to more work with Zombie and directors like S. Craig Zahler ("Bone Tomahawk"), as well as leading roles in dozens of low-budget horror films. Haig was so busy during the 2000s that at the time of his death from pneumonia at the age of 80 on September 21, 2019, he had at least three features awaiting release, including 2019's "Suicide for Beginners."

Character actor Vic Perrin was seen in 12 episodes of the original "Mission: Impossible" series between Seasons 1 and 5,  but more often than not, it was his distinctive voice that was heard on the series. This was largely the case for Perrin's entire acting career, during which he voiced or narrated countless film and television projects from the late 1940s to the mid-'80s.

Perrin is perhaps best remembered by TV audiences as the "Control Voice," which served as narrator for the original 1961-62 run of "The Outer Limits." Though he provided (often uncredited) voice-overs for features like Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus," television was his most prolific showcase for decades. He voiced numerous characters for animated series, including Marvel's Cyclops, Thor, and the villainous Dr. Zin on "Jonny Quest."

He had live-action appearances on the original "Twilight Zone," as well as additional voice work on "Star Trek: The Original Series." After reprising Dr. Zin for "The New Adventures of Johnny Quest" in 1986, Perrin died of cancer at the age of 73 on July 4, 1989.