Mission Not Impossible
by Inkberrow
03/15/2010, 9:00 AM #
Another midrange Hollywood celebrity passes, this time Peter Graves. He deserves specific notice here in my view for two highly memorable film appearances bookending a memorable television series.
One couldn't get much farther apart than in subject-matter and tone than playing the German infiltrator in Stalag 17 and the all-too avuncular pilot in Airplane!.
I've probably watched every single episode of Mission: Impossible at least twice, including the first season with Steven Hill ("Good morning, Mr. Briggs") instead of Graves. Not surprisingly to many here, I'm sure, the show's Cold War and Clash of Cultures outlook resonated with me. Even the toughest Iron Curtain general was helpless before Barbara Bain's legs (that proved they were human just like us, only dumber and less happy and less free!). And the missions were decidedly less impossible right out of the gate, given the IMF's astonishing ability to materialize in or near the nerve center of whatever target, able to gain key introits to the principals without difficulty, unquestioned say as the new guard outside the committee chambers whom no one had ever seen before. Moreover, after a few dozen successful missions, any decent foreign intelligence service should have been able to keep everyone on the lookout for Barney, Cinnamon, and Rollin, eh? You know, Cinnamon, the fashion model and cover girl? But I loved it.
Good night, Mr. Phelps.
Showing posts with label obits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obits. Show all posts
15 March 2010
31 March 2005
Terri's gift.
Subject: Terri's gift.
From: MichaelRyerson
Date: Mar 31 2005 10:48AM
In thinking about this all-too-public tragedy, I'm struck with the one thing to come out of this, that will have a positive effect regardless of the manuvering to appropriate Terri Schiavo to one special interest group or another. I already see some commentators characterizing those saddened by her death as being primarily, or maybe even exclusively, those who had opposed her husband. I see that here on the fray. As though those of us who recognised his rights and responsibilities as her guardian weren't also deeply effected by her circumstances. We've seen this same manuver where support for the troops is concerned, that one must be a war supporter to really and truly support the troops. And now they will all pile on Terri's wasted corpse, twisting this way and that, looking for the most effective use of a new ensign. It will be a sad display in and of itself but it will not rival the profound sadness of her passing. And what 'good' can possibly come out of all this, what good that we can all share? Just this...we have all, as individuals now quietly contemplated how these personal, private tragedies play out, how long it takes to die without food or water, how resolute the living must be, we've considered in our own private moments what must be going on in the lives so closely associated with a severely injured, largely vegetative loved one. We've thought about these things in a personal way and thanks to Terri, we weren't able to simply turn away. We're all the better for it.
http://fray.slate.msn.com/?id=3936&m=14264871
From: MichaelRyerson
Date: Mar 31 2005 10:48AM
In thinking about this all-too-public tragedy, I'm struck with the one thing to come out of this, that will have a positive effect regardless of the manuvering to appropriate Terri Schiavo to one special interest group or another. I already see some commentators characterizing those saddened by her death as being primarily, or maybe even exclusively, those who had opposed her husband. I see that here on the fray. As though those of us who recognised his rights and responsibilities as her guardian weren't also deeply effected by her circumstances. We've seen this same manuver where support for the troops is concerned, that one must be a war supporter to really and truly support the troops. And now they will all pile on Terri's wasted corpse, twisting this way and that, looking for the most effective use of a new ensign. It will be a sad display in and of itself but it will not rival the profound sadness of her passing. And what 'good' can possibly come out of all this, what good that we can all share? Just this...we have all, as individuals now quietly contemplated how these personal, private tragedies play out, how long it takes to die without food or water, how resolute the living must be, we've considered in our own private moments what must be going on in the lives so closely associated with a severely injured, largely vegetative loved one. We've thought about these things in a personal way and thanks to Terri, we weren't able to simply turn away. We're all the better for it.
http://fray.slate.msn.com/?id=3936&m=14264871
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