You’ve seen them both. One was the towering lawman of the Wild West, holding down Dodge City for two decades. The other was the silver-haired mastermind of the world’s most famous "impossible" missions. But for years, millions of TV fans had absolutely no idea that James Arness and Peter Graves were actually brothers.
They didn't look identical. They didn't share a last name on the screen. Honestly, they didn't even work in the same genre for most of their lives. Yet, the James Arness brother actor connection is one of the coolest "hidden in plain sight" facts from the Golden Age of television.
Two Brothers, Two Different Names
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. James Arness was born James Aurness in Minneapolis in 1923. Peter came along three years later as Peter Duesler Aurness. They were just two kids from Minnesota, the sons of a businessman and a journalist, growing up with a "Huckleberry Finn existence," as James once put it.
So why the different names?
When James headed to Hollywood after being wounded in World War II at the Battle of Anzio, he dropped the "u" to become James Arness. It was cleaner. It fit on a poster. When Peter followed him out West a few years later, he didn't want to ride his brother's coattails. He also didn't want the audience to get confused. Imagine two "Arness" actors running around—it's a marketing nightmare. Peter decided to use "Graves," which was a family name from his mother’s side.
Basically, they chose to succeed on their own terms. And man, did they ever.
🔗 Read more: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
The Marshall and the Mastermind
James Arness landed the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke in 1955. Legend has it John Wayne himself recommended James for the part. He stood 6'7", a literal giant of a man who became the face of the American Western. He played that role for 20 years straight. That is a level of job security most actors would kill for.
Meanwhile, Peter Graves was carving out a completely different path. He wasn't the "rugged outdoorsman" type like his brother. He was sleek. He was authoritative. He spent the 50s starring in the kids' show Fury before landing the role that defined him: Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible.
A Tale of Two Careers
While James was out in the dirt of a Hollywood backlot, Peter was in a suit, listening to tapes that would "self-destruct in five seconds."
- James Arness: 20 seasons of Gunsmoke, 6'7" frame, Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient.
- Peter Graves: Star of Mission: Impossible, host of A&E’s Biography, and the man who asked the most uncomfortable questions in the movie Airplane!.
They were both titans, but they inhabited different worlds. James was the soul of the 19th century; Peter was the face of the 20th.
Did They Ever Work Together?
This is the part that usually bums people out. Despite being two of the biggest stars on CBS at the same time, they almost never shared the screen. You’d think there would be a "Western crossover" or a guest spot, but it just didn't happen in front of the camera.
💡 You might also like: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
However, they did "work" together in a sense. Peter Graves actually directed an episode of Gunsmoke in 1966. It was titled "Which Dr." and it allowed the younger brother to give orders to the older one for a change. Honestly, that sounds like a classic sibling dynamic.
Peter once joked in an interview that they were too busy working on their own shows to ever hang out on set. When you're filming 20+ episodes a year, there isn't much time for family cameos.
The "Airplane!" Pivot
If you mention Peter Graves to anyone under the age of 50, they might not mention Mission: Impossible first. They’ll mention Airplane!.
In 1980, Peter took a massive risk. He was known for being the "serious guy." The "authority figure." When he was offered the role of Captain Clarence Oveur, he initially thought the script was "garbage." He didn't get the joke. But his wife and his agent told him he had to do it.
That role—deadpanning lines about "gladiator movies"—recharged his career. It showed he had a sense of humor about his own stiff-upper-lip image. James, on the other hand, largely stuck to his Western roots, later starring in How the West Was Won. He knew his brand and he stayed true to it.
📖 Related: Cuba Gooding Jr OJ: Why the Performance Everyone Hated Was Actually Genius
Why the James Arness Brother Actor Bond Matters Today
Both brothers passed away about a year apart—Peter in March 2010 and James in June 2011. They left behind a legacy that is basically impossible to replicate in the modern era of 8-episode streaming seasons.
Their story is a reminder of a time when TV stars were part of the family furniture. You knew Matt Dillon. You knew Jim Phelps. But you might not have known they were going to the same family Thanksgiving dinners.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Classics: If you've only seen the Tom Cruise movies, go back and watch Peter Graves in the original Mission: Impossible. The tone is completely different—it's more of a chess match than an explosion-fest.
- Check the Directing Credits: Look up the Gunsmoke episode "Which Dr." to see Peter’s influence on James’s world.
- The Memoirs: James Arness wrote an autobiography that digs into his time in the war and his relationship with his brother. It’s a great read if you want the "behind the curtain" look at old Hollywood.
They weren't just two actors who happened to be related. They were two masters of their craft who decided that the Arness (or Aurness) name was big enough for two distinct legacies. And they were right.