Lesley Ann Warren Appreciation Post

Really this is a Peter Graves appreciation post. Aren't they all? But I was just looking at a couple of photos of Peter Graves with Lesley Ann Warren, his co-star in Mission: Impossible through Season 5. I know that she isn't always looked upon very favourably, but I like Dana as a character. Yes, she's young enough to be his daughter (she was born in 1946), and yes she was different to the women who came before, but she had a presence of her own, and I liked the slightly more hippy feel to her.

It sounds like she had plenty of problems of her own, though, the hippy feel of her character not being the least. The Mission: Impossible Dossier mentions how she simply did not fit in with the rest of the cast, and all the while she was being controlled by her then-husband Jon Peters, urged by him to such things as not wearing a bra. It sounds as if she got on well enough with the cast, but knew that she didn't fit in, just as they did. It's worth reading the Dossier to get the whole story.

In the end she was only there for one season, being replaced by Lynda Day George as Casey, who really is a far superior character, but I still like Dana.

The Turtleneck Shoot

The photo that started me off on this post, which came up as a TV guide cover (below). I edited the text away, and got this.

Here's the TV guide cover, from 1970, with all that nasty text to distract from the pretty faces. Peter/Jim looks suave. Lesley/Dana looks moody.

Another from the same photoshoot, I assume.

And another.

I have to guess this is from the same shoot. Same turtleneck, same handsome man. No Lesley, but there's a photo later without Peter Graves in it, so it evens out.

Another from the same, I think.

And another...

The Buckle-Collar Shoot

I'm getting a feeling of dappled sunlight, outdoors, and oh that lovely jacket with the buckle on the collar. I have one of these pictures captioned as being from 'Butterfly.'

Another of the same. Peter's looking happy, Lesley's looking cautious.

Almost identical to the above, but not quite.

The Check-Jacket Shoot

Peter's looking serene again. Lesley's looking brooding again. And they chose the right background to go with those eyes.

A little black and white...

Some more colour. Shame it's such a small image.

The Outdoor Group Shoot

Here we all are, Paris, Barney, Dana, Willie, and Jim. And Dana's looking moody. Again.

Another group shot, and - and - Dana's smiling!

I think this is a close-up of the same photo, but I have it down as 'very large,' so here it is.

In colour again. Dana's looking moody again. Paris looks like he's about to go and tick someone off.

The Indoor Group Shoot

Here they all are in colour, with Doug in on the action as well. Doug looks suspicious.

And the same in black and white, with just a little more teeth. Except Doug. Doug looks even more suspicious.

The Anomalous Weird Shoot with a Picture of a Clock

No idea what was going on here. Someone must have said, 'Oh, put your hands together and we'll hang a photo of a clock over your wrists. Really. It'll be cute.' They obviously thought it was amusing (except PG who is just daring you to laugh), and it's very 60s/70s.

And some other miscellaneous promo shots...

Peter Graves, Lesley Ann Warren, and Johnny Bench in Catafalque, Sept 10 1970.

Peter Graves, Lesley Ann Warren, and Johnny Bench in Catafalque, Sept 10 1970.

Leonard Nimoy and Lesley Ann Warren in Flip Side, I think.

With Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris, in Butterfly May 25, 1970

With Peter Graves in Butterfly May 25, 1970