The original Mission: Impossible television series debuted in 1966.
Created by Bruce Geller, the series premiered on CBS on September 17, 1966. It followed the Impossible Missions Force, a covert team that used disguises, elaborate deceptions, surveillance, and carefully planned operations against hostile governments, criminals, and corrupt power brokers.
Steven Hill played team leader Dan Briggs during the first season. Peter Graves then took over as Jim Phelps, leading the IMF for the remaining six seasons. The ensemble also included Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupus, and Leonard Nimoy, among others.
The original run lasted seven seasons and 171 episodes, ending in 1973. It later inspired a short-lived revival series in 1988 and the theatrical film franchise that began with Tom Cruise in 1996. A frequent mix-up is the year 1988, which belongs to the revival, not the original debut. The years 1976, 1963, and 1971 do not correspond to the series’ premiere.