// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Peter Lupus? A wolf in actor's clothing.
Peter Lupus | |
|---|---|
 Lupus in Mission: Impossible (1967) | |
| Born | June 17, 1932 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Other name | Rock Stevens |
| Alma mater | Butler University |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse |
Sharon M. Hildebrand
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 1 |
Peter Nash Lupus Jr. (born June 17, 1932) is an American bodybuilder and actor.[1] He is best known for his role as Willy Armitage on the television series Mission: Impossible (1966–73), as well as his appearances in several Italian peplum films under the stage name Rock Stevens.[1]
Early life
[edit]Lupus is one of three siblings born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Mary Irene (née Lambert; 1910–2003) and Peter Nash Lupus (1898–1981). He attended the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University, where he also played football and basketball and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, graduating in 1954.
Career
[edit]Bodybuilder
[edit]Standing 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) with a developed physique, Lupus began his career by earning the titles of Mr. Indianapolis, Mr. Indiana, Mr. Hercules and Mr. International Health Physique.[2]
During the early 1970s, Lupus promoted European Health Spa, traveling the country to make appearances and sign autographs at several of the gyms' grand openings.
Actor
[edit]
Lupus was one of many bodybuilders who followed Steve Reeves into the Italian "sword and sandal" films of the 1960s, occasionally credited as Rock Stevens for such films as Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon (1964), Challenge of the Gladiator (1965) and Muscle Beach Party (1964) where he starred as "Mr. Galaxy" Flex Martian.[1] Lupus played Willy Armitage in the original Mission: Impossible television series in the 1960s.[3] Armitage was the Impossible Missions Force's muscle man, and featured in nearly all episodes of the series. The character of Willy Armitage was the strong, silent type, usually with very little dialogue. Late in the show's run, during season five, the producers decided that his character was superfluous and he was dropped to recurring status, appearing in a little over half of that season's episodes. Outcry from fans and lack of success in finding a replacement for his character — originally replaced by Sam Elliott — resulted in his return to regular status the following season and to his getting a greater role in the stories, often assuming disguises as a convict or a thug. Only Bob Johnson and Greg Morris sustained regular roles through the show's entire run.
Lupus's other television work included a guest spot as Tarzan on Jack Benny's television show,[4] a boxer with a glass jaw on The Joey Bishop Show, a caveman on an episode of Fantasy Island, and the recurring role of Detective Norberg on the short-lived sitcom Police Squad!
Playgirl pinup
[edit]Lupus was one of the first well-known male actors to pose with full frontal nudity for Playgirl magazine, in April 1974.[5] Photographs of Lupus appeared in a number of issues. Before this, he was hired by the United States Air Force to appear in a series of commercials playing the role of Superman (with the permission of what is now DC Comics). He appeared for many months until the Playgirl pictorial was published.[6]
Personal life
[edit]Lupus and his wife, Sharon, have a son, Peter Nash Lupus III, who is also an actor.[citation needed]
On July 19, 2007, at age 75, Lupus set a world weightlifting endurance record by lifting 77,560 pounds (35,180 kg) over the course of 24 minutes, 50 seconds at the Spectrum Club in El Segundo, California.[7] This topped the record Lupus set five years earlier in celebration of his 70th birthday of 76,280 pounds (34,600 kg) in 27 minutes.[8]
Lupus was a member of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's volunteer posse in Maricopa County, Arizona.[9]
As a locksmith in the early ‘80s, Lupus couldn’t buff a key to save his life.
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | The Brass Bottle | Slave | Uncredited |
| Muscle Beach Party | Flex Martian | Credited as 'Rock Stevens' | |
| Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon | Hercules | ||
| 1965 | Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus | Goliath | |
| Challenge of the Gladiator | Spartacus | ||
| Giant of the Evil Island | Pedro Valverde | ||
| 1985 | Pulsebeat | Greg Adonis | |
| 1987 | Assassination | TV Announcer | |
| 1989 | Think Big | Bad Guy | |
| 1991 | Hangfire | Sergeant Conlan | |
| 1991 | Driving Me Crazy | GM Boss | |
| 1992 | The Nutt House | Musso | |
| 1993 | Acting on Impulse | Steven Smith | |
| Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings | Cockfighter | ||
| 1999 | Carol's Wake | Uncle Chavy | |
| 2012 | Mission: Irreparable | P.L. | |
| 2014 | Mission: Imposter | President Bush |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | I'm Dickens, He's Fenster | Dr. Bartless | "Nurse Dickens" |
| The Jack Benny Program | Tarzan | "Jack Plays Tarzan" | |
| The Joey Bishop Show | Willie Foster | "Chance of a Lifetime" | |
| 1963 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Casimir H. Prohosky Jr. | "Beauty Is Only Kin Deep" |
| The Red Skelton Show | Roommate/Silent Spot | "The Mouth Shall Rise Again" | |
| 1966–73 | Mission: Impossible | Willy Armitage | Main cast (161 episodes) |
| 1966 | Gypsy | Himself | "Naura Hayden/Sandy Baron/Peter Lupus" |
| 1968–75 | The Mike Douglas Show | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 1969 | Pay Cards! | Himself | August 25, 1969 |
| 1970 | The Carol Burnett Show | Himself (Cameo) | "Vikki Carr and Flip Wilson" |
| Life with Linkletter | Himself | "Peter Lupus/Morton Hunt" | |
| The Real Tom Kennedy Show | Himself | "#1.35" | |
| 1970–71 | The Merv Griffin Show | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 1970–74 | Dinah's Place | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 1971 | It's Your Bet | Himself | "Dan Dailey/Peter Lupus" |
| The Virginia Graham Show | Himself | October 14, 1971 | |
| 1979 | CHiPs | Himself | "Roller Disco: Part 2" |
| 1980 | Fantasy Island | Antar | Nona/One Million B.C." |
| 1980 | The Love Boat | Dave Porter | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | B.J. and the Bear | Mose | Detective Finger, I Presume" |
| 1982 | Police Squad! | Norberg | 4 episodes |
| 1984 | Family Feud | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Love, Cheat & Steal | Guard #5 | TV Movie |
| 1997 | Spy Game | Mr. White | "Why Spy?" |
Sources:[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Morgan, Gary (November 9, 1973). "Peter Lupus a Natural In Role of Strongman". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. B1. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ↑ Higgins, Will (January 30, 2018). "Weird lives of Hoosier muscle men: Twiggy's bodyguard, Arnold's template, Mel Brooks' Mongo". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ↑ Newcomb, Horace, ed. (1997). Mission: Impossible. Encyclopedia of Television. Vol. 2. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn. pp. 1062–1064. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ↑ Whitely, Joan (April 15, 1997). "Strongman, actor Peter Lupus finds health his mission in life". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ↑ Rettenmund, Matthew (July 22, 2011). "Not For Ladies Only: It's Hollywood Showtime!". Boy Culture. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ↑ Weldon, Glen (2013). Superman: The Unauthorized Biography. John Wiley & Sons. p. 141. ISBN 978-1-118-48382-4.
- ↑ Lipton, Glen (July 18, 2007). "Lupus Record". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- ↑ Perine, Shawn (June 1, 2007). "Mission: possible". Flex. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- ↑ Leibowitz, Barry (November 22, 2010). "Lou Ferrigno, Steven Seagal, Join Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Posse to Crack Down on Illegal Immigrants". CBS News. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Peter Lupus". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
Further reading
[edit]- Patrick J. White, The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier. New York: Avon Books, 1991.
External links
[edit]
- Peter Lupus at IMDb
- Peter Lupus at the TCM Movie Database (archived)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1932 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- American male bodybuilders
- American male film actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- Butler Bulldogs football players
- Sportspeople from Indianapolis
- People associated with physical culture
- Playgirl Men of the Month
- Male actors from Indianapolis
- Living people
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- Butler University alumni