Peter Lupus (born June 17, 1932, Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American bodybuilder and actor of Syrian ancestry. He attended the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University, where he also played football and basketball, graduating in 1954. He and his wife, Sharon, have a son, Peter Lupus III, who is also an actor.

Bodybuilder

Standing 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) with a developed physique, Lupus earned the titles of Mr. Indianapolis, Mr. Indiana, Mr. Hercules and Mr. International Health Physique. Lupus was one of many bodybuilders who followed Steve Reeves into the sword and sandal films of the late 1950s and early 1960s, occasionally credited as Rock Stevens for such films as Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon and Muscle Beach Party where he starred as "Mr. Galaxy" Flex Martian, the biggest, strongest, and handsomest bodybuilder in the galaxy who possessed muscles of steel.

Actor

Lupus is best remembered for the role of Willy Armitage on the original Mission: Impossible television series in the 1960s.Mission: Impossible in the Encyclopedia of Television Armitage was the Impossible Missions Force's muscle man, featured in nearly all episodes of the series. He initially played the strong, silent type, usually with very little dialogue. Late in the show's run during season five, the producers decided his character was superfluous and he was dropped to recurring status, appearing in a little over half of that season's episodes. Fan outcry and the lack of success in finding a replacement for his character resulted in his return to regular status the following season and getting a greater role in the stories, often assuming roles as a convict or thug. Only Lupus and Greg Morris sustained a regular role through the show's entire run, although Morris appeared in more episodes.