Michael Trotter, best known for playing Gus Grissom on the Disney+ series The Right Stuff, will star in the upcoming fourth season of Law & Order: Organized Crime, where he’ll play Elliot Stabler’s (Christopher Meloni) youngest brother. As reported by TVLine, Trotter will portray Joe Stabler Jr. in Season 4, which premieres tomorrow, Thursday, January 18, on NBC. It was previously revealed that the new season would introduce two of Stabler’s siblings, his older brother, Randall, and his youngest brother, Joe Jr. Joe Jr. spent 15 years in the Army before being dishonorably discharged for an unknown reason. He now works as the right-hand man for a British wine merchant, but there is something about his job that makes him ashamed to reunite with Elliot, whom he considers his hero. As previously reported, Breaking Bad alum Dean Norris will play older brother Randall, who left the family when he was...
- 1/17/2024
- TV Insider
Meet Elliot Stabler’s baby brother.
Michael Trotter (The Right Stuff) will play Joe Stabler Jr. in Law & Order: Organized Crime’s upcoming Season 4, TVLine has learned.
More from TVLineChicago P.D. Boss Discusses That 'Upstead' Update, Previews Ruzek's 'Vulnerability' in Episode 2Chicago Fire Boss Talks Mouch's Fate and What's Wrong With Herrmann - Plus, Grade the Premiere!Chicago Med Premiere: Hannah Deals Dean Some Tough Love - Grade It!
In November, TVLine exclusively reported that the NBC procedural was planning to introduce two of the Stabler brothers in the coming season.
Getty Images
Joe Jr. is the youngest brother,...
Michael Trotter (The Right Stuff) will play Joe Stabler Jr. in Law & Order: Organized Crime’s upcoming Season 4, TVLine has learned.
More from TVLineChicago P.D. Boss Discusses That 'Upstead' Update, Previews Ruzek's 'Vulnerability' in Episode 2Chicago Fire Boss Talks Mouch's Fate and What's Wrong With Herrmann - Plus, Grade the Premiere!Chicago Med Premiere: Hannah Deals Dean Some Tough Love - Grade It!
In November, TVLine exclusively reported that the NBC procedural was planning to introduce two of the Stabler brothers in the coming season.
Getty Images
Joe Jr. is the youngest brother,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
The legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager took Philip Kaufman, the writer/director of the lauded 1983 space race epic “The Right Stuff,” for a ride in his plane during production. And at one point the man who broke the sound barrier in 1947 turned over the controls to Kaufman as he also turned off the engine. “He thought it would scare me being one of the ‘Hollywood’ guys,” Kaufman told me in a 2003 L.A. Times interview. “I just sort of looked at him and smiled, because I knew there was something blessed about this man. The funny thing about Yeager is that he would drive out to the sets, particularly in the high desert, and he would not go above the speed limit. He was the fastest man alive, but he wouldn’t go over 55 because he knew how dangerous it was on the highway”
Barbara Hershey, who played Yeager’s wife Glennis,...
Barbara Hershey, who played Yeager’s wife Glennis,...
- 10/24/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
2022 has been a tough year for science fiction fans, with a formidable array of talent having left us. From stalwart character actors who seemed like they'd always be with us to a voice talent who provided the definitive characterization of one of the most well-known fictional characters on the planet, the galaxies of speculative fiction are poorer for their absence.
Notably, it was the year in which we lost the Greek composer Vangelis, whose sprawling soundscapes in Blade Runner were as much a part of the film as the visual effects created by another sad inclusion on this list, and also, actor James Caan, whose brief foray into science fiction included memorable roles in "Alien Nation" and the dark satire "Rollerball."
This article will cover the science fiction stars who died in 2022. Their talents may be lost to us, but they'll forever retain their position amongst the stars — where they belong.
Notably, it was the year in which we lost the Greek composer Vangelis, whose sprawling soundscapes in Blade Runner were as much a part of the film as the visual effects created by another sad inclusion on this list, and also, actor James Caan, whose brief foray into science fiction included memorable roles in "Alien Nation" and the dark satire "Rollerball."
This article will cover the science fiction stars who died in 2022. Their talents may be lost to us, but they'll forever retain their position amongst the stars — where they belong.
- 12/4/2022
- by David Court
- Slash Film
Fred Ward, a prolific actor best known for roles in The Right Stuff, Tremors, Miami Blues, True Detective and many others, died May 8. He was 79.
His death was announced by his publicist. No cause or place of death was disclosed.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Ward, a San Diego native, began his professional career with small roles in 1970s episodic television before making a strong impression in his breakthrough film Southern Comfort, directed by Walter Hill and released in 1981. Two years later, he’d star as astronaut Gus Grissom in the hit film The Right Stuff.
Featured roles would quickly follow, including in such films as Silkwood, Swing Shift, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors, Henry & June, the Robert Altman movies The Player and Short Cuts Errol Morris’ The Dark Wind and Michael Apted’s Thunderheart. He starred in and exec-produced the 1990 film Miami Blues, directed by...
His death was announced by his publicist. No cause or place of death was disclosed.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Ward, a San Diego native, began his professional career with small roles in 1970s episodic television before making a strong impression in his breakthrough film Southern Comfort, directed by Walter Hill and released in 1981. Two years later, he’d star as astronaut Gus Grissom in the hit film The Right Stuff.
Featured roles would quickly follow, including in such films as Silkwood, Swing Shift, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors, Henry & June, the Robert Altman movies The Player and Short Cuts Errol Morris’ The Dark Wind and Michael Apted’s Thunderheart. He starred in and exec-produced the 1990 film Miami Blues, directed by...
- 5/13/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The character actor was part of the ensemble casts of Robert Altman’s films Short Cuts and The Player, and had a career in film and television that spanned five decades
The veteran character actor Fred Ward, best known for appearances in The Right Stuff, Tremors and Short Cuts, has died aged 79. A statement to the New York Post by Ward’s representative said that the actor died on 8 May. No cause of death was given, but the statement said it was Ward’s wish for donations to be made to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center.
Born in San Diego, Ward joined the air force before deciding to become an actor. Having found it difficult to land roles, he worked as a lumberjack, sailor and boxer before restarting his acting career in Italy, where an early credit was in a 1974 Roberto Rossellini TV movie about Descartes. Returning to the US,...
The veteran character actor Fred Ward, best known for appearances in The Right Stuff, Tremors and Short Cuts, has died aged 79. A statement to the New York Post by Ward’s representative said that the actor died on 8 May. No cause of death was given, but the statement said it was Ward’s wish for donations to be made to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center.
Born in San Diego, Ward joined the air force before deciding to become an actor. Having found it difficult to land roles, he worked as a lumberjack, sailor and boxer before restarting his acting career in Italy, where an early credit was in a 1974 Roberto Rossellini TV movie about Descartes. Returning to the US,...
- 5/13/2022
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Fred Ward, the prolific character actor with starring roles in “Tremors,” “The Right Stuff” and the second season of “True Detective,” has died, according to his publicist. He was 79.
Ward died Monday, publicist Ron Hofmann confirmed to TheWrap. No cause of death was given.
Though Ward may never have been quite a household name, his chiseled face would be highly familiar to any household that watched movies or television in the 1980s and 1990s. He made his film debut in 1979’s “Escape from Alcatraz” with Clint Eastwood, played Gus Grissom in “The Right Stuff” (1983), and had a starring role opposite Kevin Bacon in the 1990 cult classic “Tremors.”
The depths of Ward’s everyman gruffness came from life experience: Before his first screen role in the early 1970s, he spent three years in the Air Force, later working in Alaska as a short-order cook, a boxer and a lumberjack. He then studied acting in Rome,...
Ward died Monday, publicist Ron Hofmann confirmed to TheWrap. No cause of death was given.
Though Ward may never have been quite a household name, his chiseled face would be highly familiar to any household that watched movies or television in the 1980s and 1990s. He made his film debut in 1979’s “Escape from Alcatraz” with Clint Eastwood, played Gus Grissom in “The Right Stuff” (1983), and had a starring role opposite Kevin Bacon in the 1990 cult classic “Tremors.”
The depths of Ward’s everyman gruffness came from life experience: Before his first screen role in the early 1970s, he spent three years in the Air Force, later working in Alaska as a short-order cook, a boxer and a lumberjack. He then studied acting in Rome,...
- 5/13/2022
- by Josh Dickey
- The Wrap
Fred Ward, who starred in films including “Henry and June,” “Tremors,” “The Right Stuff” and “The Player,” died May 8, his publicist confirmed to Variety. He was 79.
Among his other prominent roles were parts in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” “Miami Blues” and “Short Cuts.”
There was a certain retro quality to the actor’s persona that made Ward seem more akin to Humphrey Bogart or John Garfield (although not quite with those actors’ level of charisma) than to his contemporaries, and it did not seem at all affected. He appeared to be the sort of fellow who hailed from the South Side of Chicago or Hell’s Kitchen, but he was actually from San Diego.
Ward most recently appeared in the second season of HBO’s “True Detective” as Eddie Velcoro, the retired cop father of Colin Farrell’s Det. Ray Velcoro.
He recurred on NBC’s “ER” as the...
Among his other prominent roles were parts in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” “Miami Blues” and “Short Cuts.”
There was a certain retro quality to the actor’s persona that made Ward seem more akin to Humphrey Bogart or John Garfield (although not quite with those actors’ level of charisma) than to his contemporaries, and it did not seem at all affected. He appeared to be the sort of fellow who hailed from the South Side of Chicago or Hell’s Kitchen, but he was actually from San Diego.
Ward most recently appeared in the second season of HBO’s “True Detective” as Eddie Velcoro, the retired cop father of Colin Farrell’s Det. Ray Velcoro.
He recurred on NBC’s “ER” as the...
- 5/13/2022
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
The Right Stuff‘s astronauts have been grounded by mission control: Disney+ has cancelled the space drama after just one season, according to our sister site Deadline. Producers Warner Bros. Television are reportedly shopping the series to other networks, though, with TNT and HBO Max said to be in the mix.
An adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book, the Nat Geo-produced series chronicles the early days of the United States’ NASA program and the lives of America’s first astronauts, who became known as the Mercury Seven. The first season starred Patrick J. Adams (Suits) as John Glenn, Jake McDorman...
An adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book, the Nat Geo-produced series chronicles the early days of the United States’ NASA program and the lives of America’s first astronauts, who became known as the Mercury Seven. The first season starred Patrick J. Adams (Suits) as John Glenn, Jake McDorman...
- 4/3/2021
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Disney+ has opted not to order a second season of space race series The Right Stuff. The Mercury 7 period drama, starring Patrick J. Adams and Jake McDorman, originated at National Geographic before launching as a Disney+ original last October. It is Disney+’s first scripted series cancellation.
Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind The Right Stuff, is shopping it to other outlets, with WarnerMedia siblings TNT and HBO Max considered logical potential targets. I hear the options on the cast expire tomorrow, and Wbtv has asked for a two-week extension while the efforts to find a new home continue.
There is a major incentive for Wbtv and parent WarnerMedia to try and keep The Right Stuff going — in November, the series, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, was given $13.7 million to move from Florida to California for Season 2, the fourth-highest relocating incentive ever awarded under the Cfc program.
Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind The Right Stuff, is shopping it to other outlets, with WarnerMedia siblings TNT and HBO Max considered logical potential targets. I hear the options on the cast expire tomorrow, and Wbtv has asked for a two-week extension while the efforts to find a new home continue.
There is a major incentive for Wbtv and parent WarnerMedia to try and keep The Right Stuff going — in November, the series, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, was given $13.7 million to move from Florida to California for Season 2, the fourth-highest relocating incentive ever awarded under the Cfc program.
- 4/3/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Prior to the start of production for Nat Geo’s “The Right Stuff” (currently streaming on Disney+), costume designer Hope Hanafin did more than her fair share of research. “I re-read [Tom Wolfe‘s] novel, which I’d read when it came out,” she explains, “and then I also read every single one of the astronauts’ biographies. It was a little bit like the gospels because the same events were all there, but told from different perspectives depending on who was doing the writing. So there was a very tall reading list.” Watch Gold Derby’s interview with Hanafin above, which aired as a part of our TV Costume Designers panel.
See‘The Right Stuff’ showrunner Mark Lafferty on why it’s so important to ‘tell this story now’
“The Right Stuff” tells the story of the American astronauts who trained to be the first humans to enter outer space.
See‘The Right Stuff’ showrunner Mark Lafferty on why it’s so important to ‘tell this story now’
“The Right Stuff” tells the story of the American astronauts who trained to be the first humans to enter outer space.
- 12/8/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The Disney+ series, The Right Stuff, is about trailblazers, but as a TV show, it stands in a crowd.
Shows about astronauts and space agencies seem to be back in vogue because For All Mankind, Space Force, Away, and Moonbase 8 made their debuts, too.
Mega franchises, Star Trek and Star Wars continue to boldly go and explore a galaxy far, far away.
And since the 1983 film version is beloved and iconic, the comparisons between the two were inevitable.
Yet, as I was watching The Right Stuff, I wasn't comparing it to any of those other shows or the film. What I kept being reminded of, and wanted to watch instead, was HBO's From The Earth To The Moon.
Produced by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks (who also directed and acted in it), From The Earth To The Moon was HBO's 1998 mini-series chronicling the U.S. space program from NASA's reaction...
Shows about astronauts and space agencies seem to be back in vogue because For All Mankind, Space Force, Away, and Moonbase 8 made their debuts, too.
Mega franchises, Star Trek and Star Wars continue to boldly go and explore a galaxy far, far away.
And since the 1983 film version is beloved and iconic, the comparisons between the two were inevitable.
Yet, as I was watching The Right Stuff, I wasn't comparing it to any of those other shows or the film. What I kept being reminded of, and wanted to watch instead, was HBO's From The Earth To The Moon.
Produced by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks (who also directed and acted in it), From The Earth To The Moon was HBO's 1998 mini-series chronicling the U.S. space program from NASA's reaction...
- 11/27/2020
- by Becca Newton
- TVfanatic
In our continuing coverage for the Disney+ series, The Right Stuff, we had a chance to chat with Michael Trotter, who is embodying astronaut Gus Grissom in the new series.
Michael's most recognized television role was in the Wgn America series, Underground, so he's got a tie to historical productions.
Get to know him a little better in our interview, and be sure to watch The Right Stuff on Disney+ on Fridays!
So tell me, how did you first get involved with The Right Stuff?
Well, it came to me through the pretty traditional system of just getting an appointment for it. Funny enough, though, I actually wasn't in town. There's an old adage when it comes to acting, when things are slow, book a trip out of town and you'll probably get an audition.
I mean, I wasn't going by that, per se, but I had had a trip...
Michael's most recognized television role was in the Wgn America series, Underground, so he's got a tie to historical productions.
Get to know him a little better in our interview, and be sure to watch The Right Stuff on Disney+ on Fridays!
So tell me, how did you first get involved with The Right Stuff?
Well, it came to me through the pretty traditional system of just getting an appointment for it. Funny enough, though, I actually wasn't in town. There's an old adage when it comes to acting, when things are slow, book a trip out of town and you'll probably get an audition.
I mean, I wasn't going by that, per se, but I had had a trip...
- 11/5/2020
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
The Right Stuff has selected its first three astronauts to take flight, and unfortunately for Mercury Seven hopeful Scott Carpenter, he wasn’t among the chosen trio in this past Friday’s episode of the Disney+ drama.
With Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn picked to head into space, in that order, it “absolutely” changes Scott’s trajectory, his portrayer James Lafferty tells TVLine. “I think all of the astronauts were hoping that they would be first, or at least that they would be in that top three. And so for Scott, specifically, I think once those first three are chosen,...
With Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn picked to head into space, in that order, it “absolutely” changes Scott’s trajectory, his portrayer James Lafferty tells TVLine. “I think all of the astronauts were hoping that they would be first, or at least that they would be in that top three. And so for Scott, specifically, I think once those first three are chosen,...
- 11/1/2020
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
What’s worse than wearing white to a wedding? Well, if you’re one of the Mercury 7 wives, wearing a bold floral print to a photoshoot where all the other women have agreed to dress plainly.
That’s what happens in Episode 3 of Disney+ series “The Right Stuff,” when Scott Carpenter’s wife, Rene Carpenter (played by Jade Albany Pietrantonio), shows up the other gals. Imagine the side-eye just before the flash.
But did it really happen? Yes, the platinum blonde Mrs. Carpenter arrived at the wives’ Mercury space capsule photoshoot wearing a sleeveless red floral dress, breaking the dress-code rules, as the other women were dressed in their assigned solid colors: pink, yellow, blue and white.
Readers can see the original photo from the shoot in question, which was done by Life magazine, here.
Rene Carpenter, who later divorced Scott Carpenter (played by James Lafferty in the Disney+ series...
That’s what happens in Episode 3 of Disney+ series “The Right Stuff,” when Scott Carpenter’s wife, Rene Carpenter (played by Jade Albany Pietrantonio), shows up the other gals. Imagine the side-eye just before the flash.
But did it really happen? Yes, the platinum blonde Mrs. Carpenter arrived at the wives’ Mercury space capsule photoshoot wearing a sleeveless red floral dress, breaking the dress-code rules, as the other women were dressed in their assigned solid colors: pink, yellow, blue and white.
Readers can see the original photo from the shoot in question, which was done by Life magazine, here.
Rene Carpenter, who later divorced Scott Carpenter (played by James Lafferty in the Disney+ series...
- 10/17/2020
- by Tony Maglio and Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
New series The Right Stuff, now streaming on Disney+, tells the incredible tale of
America's first astronauts
. Called the Mercury 7, the seven astronauts and their families became instant celebrities as they took part in the historic Project Mercury, each competing to become the first man in space. Launched into both fame and danger, the Mercury 7 would go down in history as fighters, go-getters, and risk-takers, all eventually flying into space. However, in the end, their destinies turned out to be very different.
Why Did NASA Start Project Mercury?
In 1958, during one of the most intense moments of the Cold War, the newly formed NASA was forced to go big or go home when it came to the space race. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, shocking the world with the idea of American technological inferiority. And although NASA was the first to launch a nonhuman...
America's first astronauts
. Called the Mercury 7, the seven astronauts and their families became instant celebrities as they took part in the historic Project Mercury, each competing to become the first man in space. Launched into both fame and danger, the Mercury 7 would go down in history as fighters, go-getters, and risk-takers, all eventually flying into space. However, in the end, their destinies turned out to be very different.
Why Did NASA Start Project Mercury?
In 1958, during one of the most intense moments of the Cold War, the newly formed NASA was forced to go big or go home when it came to the space race. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, shocking the world with the idea of American technological inferiority. And although NASA was the first to launch a nonhuman...
- 10/12/2020
- by Camila Barbeito
- Popsugar.com
Disney+ blasted off into space — or at least prepared to — with Friday’s premiere of the Mercury Seven series The Right Stuff. But are you along for the flight?
Before you chime in with your thoughts, a brief recap of the first half of the two-episode premiere and its major players: The drama begins with a tension-filled scene on May 5, 1961, aka the day the first American man would be launched into space. Astronaut Alan Shepard (played by Limitless‘ Jake McDorman) accuses his Mercury Seven teammate John Glenn (Suits‘ Patrick J. Adams) of going behind his back.
More from TVLineThe Right Stuff's Patrick J.
Before you chime in with your thoughts, a brief recap of the first half of the two-episode premiere and its major players: The drama begins with a tension-filled scene on May 5, 1961, aka the day the first American man would be launched into space. Astronaut Alan Shepard (played by Limitless‘ Jake McDorman) accuses his Mercury Seven teammate John Glenn (Suits‘ Patrick J. Adams) of going behind his back.
More from TVLineThe Right Stuff's Patrick J.
- 10/10/2020
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Space and space exploration are having a moment in the pop culture zeitgeist. Just in the past year, we’ve seen Netflix alone trot out “Space Force,” “Away,” and “Over The Moon.” It’s with that in mind that the streaming space race takes flight with Disney+’s “The Right Stuff” debuting on the streamer roughly a year since it launched in November 2019.
“The Right Stuff,” which states that it is not only based on Tom Wolfe’s novel of the same name, but additionally Philip Kaufman’s 1983 adaptation for the screen, is Disney+’s first attempt at a more mature series since both “High Fidelity” and “Love, Victor” were ported over to Hulu for fear that the content wouldn’t sit well alongside Disney’s more family-friendly fare. Including the screenplay in the credits is notable because the specter of the 1983 film iteration haunts every moment of the series,...
“The Right Stuff,” which states that it is not only based on Tom Wolfe’s novel of the same name, but additionally Philip Kaufman’s 1983 adaptation for the screen, is Disney+’s first attempt at a more mature series since both “High Fidelity” and “Love, Victor” were ported over to Hulu for fear that the content wouldn’t sit well alongside Disney’s more family-friendly fare. Including the screenplay in the credits is notable because the specter of the 1983 film iteration haunts every moment of the series,...
- 10/9/2020
- by Leonardo Adrian Garcia
- Indiewire
In Disney+’s limited series “The Right Stuff,” NASA pulls in the very best test pilots from each branch of the armed forces in the late 1950s in an effort to select who will be the first American to go into outer space. Eventually, the upstart program narrows down its list to seven men, a group that would be dubbed the Mercury 7. The search started with a hell of a lot more than seven, however — and they all had one thing in common.
In Episode 1, titled “Sierra Hotel,” we follow Gordon Cooper to a lobby desk at a hotel near Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. There, he checks in under a pseudonym, “Bill Baker.”
“Not only do you all have the same name, you all look the same too,” the front desk clerk says, producing a sign-in book full of “Bill Baker” signatures.
We then see all the...
In Episode 1, titled “Sierra Hotel,” we follow Gordon Cooper to a lobby desk at a hotel near Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. There, he checks in under a pseudonym, “Bill Baker.”
“Not only do you all have the same name, you all look the same too,” the front desk clerk says, producing a sign-in book full of “Bill Baker” signatures.
We then see all the...
- 10/9/2020
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
A new TV adaptation of “The Right Stuff” is set to premiere on Disney+ this Friday, Oct. 9, with two episodes. The drama series is based on Tom Wolfe‘s 1979 bestseller about the Mercury Seven astronauts, who were hailed as heroes for being pioneers in space travel. The first season of “The Right Stuff” will run for eight episodes and takes place in 1958 at the height of the Cold War. Each season will focus on a new mission that eventually culminated with the historic moon landing.
Wolfe’s carefully researched book won the National Book Award for Nonfiction while the 1983 film version, directed by Philip Kaufman, earned eight Oscar nominations including a Best Picture bid. It won four Academy Awards for film editing, score, sound and sound effects editing.
The cast of the series, which is the first from NatGeo to stream on Disney+, includes a bevy of TV regulars: Jake McDorman...
Wolfe’s carefully researched book won the National Book Award for Nonfiction while the 1983 film version, directed by Philip Kaufman, earned eight Oscar nominations including a Best Picture bid. It won four Academy Awards for film editing, score, sound and sound effects editing.
The cast of the series, which is the first from NatGeo to stream on Disney+, includes a bevy of TV regulars: Jake McDorman...
- 10/7/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
This The Right Stuff review contains no spoilers.
It’s impossible to see The Right Stuff, Disney+’s new drama series about NASA’s Mercury 7 astronauts, and not think about the award-winning 1983 film of the same name, but those comparisons don’t do this streaming series version any favors. Where the film is widely and rightly lauded for its authentic and ultimately inspiring depiction of the real lives behind the men who pioneered the U.S. space program, the small-screen version of The Right Stuff never gets off the ground.
On paper, I almost always enjoy an uplifting tale of humanity’s infinite possibility to do and be better than we have been, and regularly weep over stories about our collective ability to work together to achieve great things. Space stories are a particularly potent example of both of those things, as humans look toward the stars and risk their...
It’s impossible to see The Right Stuff, Disney+’s new drama series about NASA’s Mercury 7 astronauts, and not think about the award-winning 1983 film of the same name, but those comparisons don’t do this streaming series version any favors. Where the film is widely and rightly lauded for its authentic and ultimately inspiring depiction of the real lives behind the men who pioneered the U.S. space program, the small-screen version of The Right Stuff never gets off the ground.
On paper, I almost always enjoy an uplifting tale of humanity’s infinite possibility to do and be better than we have been, and regularly weep over stories about our collective ability to work together to achieve great things. Space stories are a particularly potent example of both of those things, as humans look toward the stars and risk their...
- 10/6/2020
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
Actors can feel the crushing gravity of expectations when playing real-life figures, even if they’re playing astronauts. For the cast and creatives behind The Right Stuff, shooting the TV adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s iconic novel about the Mercury 7 and birth of NASA took on added historical significance during the summer of 2019, with July 20th marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
The series from National Geographic, which begins streaming on Disney+ on Oct. 9, shot at Universal Studios in Orlando, in close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The day the crew filmed the first mission control scene, a NASA advisor sat in on a separate rehearsal with the director and the cast, pointing out which buttons to press and the correct terminology to use, going as far to help re-write lines in the script.
“It just made the whole thing feel so authentic,...
The series from National Geographic, which begins streaming on Disney+ on Oct. 9, shot at Universal Studios in Orlando, in close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The day the crew filmed the first mission control scene, a NASA advisor sat in on a separate rehearsal with the director and the cast, pointing out which buttons to press and the correct terminology to use, going as far to help re-write lines in the script.
“It just made the whole thing feel so authentic,...
- 10/3/2020
- by Chris Longo
- Den of Geek
In an interesting turn of events, National Geographic’s television series adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff became a Disney+ streaming offering, reviving the seemingly-abandoned cultural attribute of wonder and optimism.
Nat Geo, which went into development on the 8-episode television adaptation of The Right Stuff back in 2017, made the move this past May to export its scripted original to Disney+, setting a fall release window. The series will, of course, live up as the namesake of Wolfe’s 1979 novel and director Philip Kaufman’s iconic 1983 movie by chronicling the Space Race-era story of NASA’s 1958-1963 Project Mercury, specifically the lives of the pioneering astronauts who endeavored to reach farther than ever past the atmosphere, becoming celebrities in what could be considered America’s first reality show.
In the latest news, Disney+’s The Right Stuff now has a specific release date charted. You can also check...
Nat Geo, which went into development on the 8-episode television adaptation of The Right Stuff back in 2017, made the move this past May to export its scripted original to Disney+, setting a fall release window. The series will, of course, live up as the namesake of Wolfe’s 1979 novel and director Philip Kaufman’s iconic 1983 movie by chronicling the Space Race-era story of NASA’s 1958-1963 Project Mercury, specifically the lives of the pioneering astronauts who endeavored to reach farther than ever past the atmosphere, becoming celebrities in what could be considered America’s first reality show.
In the latest news, Disney+’s The Right Stuff now has a specific release date charted. You can also check...
- 8/20/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
Updated, 7:15 Am: Disney+ has set an October premiere date for National Geographic Channel’s The Right Stuff. The period drama, starring Patrick J. Adams and Jake McDorman, will launch with a two-episode premiere on Friday, October 9. Based on the bestselling book by Tom Wolfe, the eight-episode season looks at the early days of the U.S. Space Program and tells the story of America’s first astronauts, the Mercury 7. The Right Stuff is produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television.
Previous, May 5 Exclusive: National Geographic Channel’s upcoming series The Right Stuff will become a Disney+ original. The period drama, starring Patrick J. Adams and Jake McDorman, will premiere in the fall under the Nat Geo brand on the SVOD platform. Adapted from Tom Wolfe’bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program, The Right Stuff is produced by...
Previous, May 5 Exclusive: National Geographic Channel’s upcoming series The Right Stuff will become a Disney+ original. The period drama, starring Patrick J. Adams and Jake McDorman, will premiere in the fall under the Nat Geo brand on the SVOD platform. Adapted from Tom Wolfe’bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program, The Right Stuff is produced by...
- 8/20/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
The Right Stuff will no longer take flight on National Geographic.
The series has been moved to streamer Disney+ ahead of a fall debut.
Eight episodes have been ordered of the scripted adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program.
The show takes clear-eyed look at what would become America's first "reality show," as ambitious astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that could kill them or make them immortal.
The two men at the center of the story are Major John Glenn, a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles, portrayed by Patrick J. Adams (Suits), and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard, one of the best test pilots in Navy history, portrayed by Jake McDorman.
At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline,...
The series has been moved to streamer Disney+ ahead of a fall debut.
Eight episodes have been ordered of the scripted adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program.
The show takes clear-eyed look at what would become America's first "reality show," as ambitious astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that could kill them or make them immortal.
The two men at the center of the story are Major John Glenn, a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles, portrayed by Patrick J. Adams (Suits), and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard, one of the best test pilots in Navy history, portrayed by Jake McDorman.
At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline,...
- 5/6/2020
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
The Right Stuff has found a new launching pad.
Disney+ announced on Tuesday that the eight-episode scripted adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program, will debut on the streaming service this fall, after being developed for sister network Nat Geo.
More from TVLineThe Mandalorian: Robert Rodriguez Confirmed as a Season 2 DirectorRise of Skywalker Hitting Disney+ Early: Watch Trailer for Full Star Wars SagaThe Mandalorian Docuseries Trailer: Pedro Pascal, Baby Yoda and Inside Secrets of the Star Wars Spinoff
The two men at the center of the story are Major John Glenn,...
Disney+ announced on Tuesday that the eight-episode scripted adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the U.S. space program, will debut on the streaming service this fall, after being developed for sister network Nat Geo.
More from TVLineThe Mandalorian: Robert Rodriguez Confirmed as a Season 2 DirectorRise of Skywalker Hitting Disney+ Early: Watch Trailer for Full Star Wars SagaThe Mandalorian Docuseries Trailer: Pedro Pascal, Baby Yoda and Inside Secrets of the Star Wars Spinoff
The two men at the center of the story are Major John Glenn,...
- 5/5/2020
- TVLine.com
NatGeo’s upcoming historical drama “The Right Stuff” has been moved over to Disney+, where it will debut this fall.
An adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s iconic, bestselling book of the same name, the scripted series stars Jake McDorman as Alan Shepard, Patrick J. Adams as John Glenn and Colin O’Donoghue as Gordo Cooper. The book tells the true story of Nasa’s Project Mercury and the crew known as the Mercury 7.
The rest of the crew is rounded out by Aaron Staton as Wally Schirra, James Lafferty as Scott Carpenter, Micah Stock as Deke Slayton, and Michael Trotter as Gus Grissom.
Also Read: Why ABC Fast-Tracked 2nd 'Disney Family Singalong' - It Wasn't Just a Lack of Programming
“This true story of scientific innovation and human perseverance could not be more timely,” said Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Global Television Networks. “National Geographic’s ‘The Right Stuff’ is an aspirational story about exploration,...
An adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s iconic, bestselling book of the same name, the scripted series stars Jake McDorman as Alan Shepard, Patrick J. Adams as John Glenn and Colin O’Donoghue as Gordo Cooper. The book tells the true story of Nasa’s Project Mercury and the crew known as the Mercury 7.
The rest of the crew is rounded out by Aaron Staton as Wally Schirra, James Lafferty as Scott Carpenter, Micah Stock as Deke Slayton, and Michael Trotter as Gus Grissom.
Also Read: Why ABC Fast-Tracked 2nd 'Disney Family Singalong' - It Wasn't Just a Lack of Programming
“This true story of scientific innovation and human perseverance could not be more timely,” said Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Global Television Networks. “National Geographic’s ‘The Right Stuff’ is an aspirational story about exploration,...
- 5/5/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Imagine a documentary where citizens rail against government spending on science-based initiatives, women are constantly asked by media what it’s like to work in a male-dominated profession, and a vocal group raises doubt about whether or not the Earth is round. Now imagine it takes place a half century ago.
It’s part of the surprise of “Apollo: Missions to the Moon,” a film that may have the hook of the famous Apollo 11 moon landing, but ends up extending beyond those few days in July 1969.
“We want to try and make it relevant. This isn’t just a nostalgia trip,” Director Tom Jennings said. “It’s nostalgic in the sense that it can transport you back in time, but you can also judge how much have we changed – or have we changed at all. Are the issues the same or do we just have different hairstyles and clothing? How...
It’s part of the surprise of “Apollo: Missions to the Moon,” a film that may have the hook of the famous Apollo 11 moon landing, but ends up extending beyond those few days in July 1969.
“We want to try and make it relevant. This isn’t just a nostalgia trip,” Director Tom Jennings said. “It’s nostalgic in the sense that it can transport you back in time, but you can also judge how much have we changed – or have we changed at all. Are the issues the same or do we just have different hairstyles and clothing? How...
- 7/5/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
National Geographic’s space race just recruited a few more participants. Jake McDorman (Murphy Brown) and Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones) are among six actors newly cast in The Right Stuff, the cabler’s upcoming Nasa drama.
Adapted from Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book of the same name, The Right Stuff tells the story of Nasa’s Project Mercury, which ignited a space race with the Soviets and made instant celebrities of the Mercury Seven, a group of the military’s test pilots. “At the heart of a historic drama populated by deeply human characters,” the logline reads, “two archrivals — Maj.
Adapted from Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book of the same name, The Right Stuff tells the story of Nasa’s Project Mercury, which ignited a space race with the Soviets and made instant celebrities of the Mercury Seven, a group of the military’s test pilots. “At the heart of a historic drama populated by deeply human characters,” the logline reads, “two archrivals — Maj.
- 6/14/2019
- TVLine.com
Jake McDorman and Joe Dempsie have joined “The Right Stuff,” Nat Geo’s historical drama based on Tom Wolfe’s best-selling nonfiction book of the same name that tells the true story of Nasa’s Project Mercury
The two join Patrick J. Adams, who is playing astronaut John Glenn. Aaron Staton, Michael Trotter, Micah Stock and James Lafferty round out the rest of the Mercury Seven.
Using Wolfe’s book as its starting point, the first season of “The Right Stuff” starts at the height of the Cold War. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline, the U.S. government conceives of Nasa’s Project Mercury, igniting a space race with the Soviets and making instant celebrities of a handful of the military’s adrenaline-fueled test pilots. These individuals, who come to be known as the Mercury Seven, are forged into heroes long before they have achieved a single heroic act.
The two join Patrick J. Adams, who is playing astronaut John Glenn. Aaron Staton, Michael Trotter, Micah Stock and James Lafferty round out the rest of the Mercury Seven.
Using Wolfe’s book as its starting point, the first season of “The Right Stuff” starts at the height of the Cold War. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline, the U.S. government conceives of Nasa’s Project Mercury, igniting a space race with the Soviets and making instant celebrities of a handful of the military’s adrenaline-fueled test pilots. These individuals, who come to be known as the Mercury Seven, are forged into heroes long before they have achieved a single heroic act.
- 6/14/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Jake McDorman (What We Do in the Shadows) and Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones) are set to star opposite Patrick J. Adams in National Geographic’s scripted series The Right Stuff, based on Tom Wolfe’s best-selling nonfiction book. They will play three of the seven astronauts who comprised the famed Mercury Seven. Cast as the remaining four are Aaron Staton (Narcos: Mexico), Michael Trotter (Underground), Micah Stock (Escape at Dannemora) and James Lafferty (Castle Rock).
The Right Stuff, from Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television, takes a look at what would become America’s first “reality show,” as ambitious astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that either will kill them or make them immortal in the quest to be a part of Project Mercury.
Adams plays Maj. John Glenn, a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles; McDorman portrays Alan Shepard,...
The Right Stuff, from Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television, takes a look at what would become America’s first “reality show,” as ambitious astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that either will kill them or make them immortal in the quest to be a part of Project Mercury.
Adams plays Maj. John Glenn, a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles; McDorman portrays Alan Shepard,...
- 6/14/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
(Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you haven’t seen “First Man.”)
“First Man” is a retelling of one of the biggest moments in history, as well as a portrait of the reclusive man who became the first to walk on the moon.
Damien Chazelle’s drama starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong focuses more on the home life of the astronaut as he prepared for his dangerous missions into space.
That includes delving into the 1962 death of his daughter, Karen, of a malignant brain tumor at age 2. Throughout the movie, Armstrong is seen holding his daughter’s bracelet — and even takes it to the moon and throws it into a giant crater there before returning home.
But how factual is that part? Did Armstrong really throw his daughter’s bracelet into the crater?
Also Read: 'First Man' Lifts Off This Weekend to Steep Box Office Competition
Long story short,...
“First Man” is a retelling of one of the biggest moments in history, as well as a portrait of the reclusive man who became the first to walk on the moon.
Damien Chazelle’s drama starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong focuses more on the home life of the astronaut as he prepared for his dangerous missions into space.
That includes delving into the 1962 death of his daughter, Karen, of a malignant brain tumor at age 2. Throughout the movie, Armstrong is seen holding his daughter’s bracelet — and even takes it to the moon and throws it into a giant crater there before returning home.
But how factual is that part? Did Armstrong really throw his daughter’s bracelet into the crater?
Also Read: 'First Man' Lifts Off This Weekend to Steep Box Office Competition
Long story short,...
- 10/11/2018
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Why doesn’t this movie show astronaut Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) planting the American flag on the moon? That was the question nagging away at folks in Venice after the premiere of First Man, Damien Chazelle’s bluntly visceral and deeply empathetic look at the Apollo 11 mission that culminated on July 21, 1969, when Armstrong became the first man ever to walk on the lunar surface. The answer comes down to the filmmaker’s approach to the material, which favors men over machinery and the personal over the political. The Stars...
- 10/10/2018
- by Peter Travers
- Rollingstone.com
On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost—on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself—of one of the most dangerous missions in history.
Written by Academy Award® winner Josh Singer, the epic drama of leading under the pressure of grace and tragedy is produced by Wyck Godfrey & Marty Bowen through their Temple Hill Entertainment banner, alongside Isaac Klausner and Chazelle. Steven Spielberg, Adam Merims and Singer executive produce, while DreamWorks Pictures co-finances the film.
In...
Written by Academy Award® winner Josh Singer, the epic drama of leading under the pressure of grace and tragedy is produced by Wyck Godfrey & Marty Bowen through their Temple Hill Entertainment banner, alongside Isaac Klausner and Chazelle. Steven Spielberg, Adam Merims and Singer executive produce, while DreamWorks Pictures co-finances the film.
In...
- 10/2/2018
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Damien Chazelle has become an Oscar favorite after his feature breakout “Whiplash” won three awards and his follow-up, “La La Land,” won six after earning a record-tying 14 nominations. “La La Land” made Chazelle the youngest best director winner in Academy Award history, which only sets the anticipation bar higher for the director’s upcoming “First Man.”
“First Man” reunites Chazelle with “La La Land” star Ryan Gosling in the true story of astronaut Neil Armstrong’s mission to land on the moon. The script by “Spotlight” co-writer Josh Singer balances Gosling’s astronaut life with his responsibilities to his family at home. Claire Foy, pulling double duty this fall with “First Man” and her starring role in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” plays Armstrong’s wife, Janet Shearon. Singer promises the film is not a traditional biopic but a visceral mission movie with tons of action.
Chazelle has...
“First Man” reunites Chazelle with “La La Land” star Ryan Gosling in the true story of astronaut Neil Armstrong’s mission to land on the moon. The script by “Spotlight” co-writer Josh Singer balances Gosling’s astronaut life with his responsibilities to his family at home. Claire Foy, pulling double duty this fall with “First Man” and her starring role in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” plays Armstrong’s wife, Janet Shearon. Singer promises the film is not a traditional biopic but a visceral mission movie with tons of action.
Chazelle has...
- 6/9/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
by Nathaniel R
Dennis Quaid as "Gordon Cooper" in The Right Stuff (1983)
Have you noticed how many movie stars are doing audiobooks these days? (I have a friend who keeps raving about Armie Hammer's reading of Call Me By Your Name.) But it's not just current movies with complimentary audiobooks. There's a new audiobook out this week for Tom Wolfe's 1979 nonfiction bestseller "The Right Stuff" about the astronauts of the Mercury Space Program in the 1940s and 1950s. Dennis Quaid is doing the audiobook honors this time and he famously co-starred in that book's Oscar-favored adaptation in 1983. The Right Stuff (1983) won four craft Oscars in its year (splitting the below-the-line prizes with Ingmar Bergman's Fanny & Alexander) and if you haven't seen it you really should. It's quite good.
Here's a little bit of Dennis's familiar comfy gravel voice reading the book... sadly it's not a scene about...
Dennis Quaid as "Gordon Cooper" in The Right Stuff (1983)
Have you noticed how many movie stars are doing audiobooks these days? (I have a friend who keeps raving about Armie Hammer's reading of Call Me By Your Name.) But it's not just current movies with complimentary audiobooks. There's a new audiobook out this week for Tom Wolfe's 1979 nonfiction bestseller "The Right Stuff" about the astronauts of the Mercury Space Program in the 1940s and 1950s. Dennis Quaid is doing the audiobook honors this time and he famously co-starred in that book's Oscar-favored adaptation in 1983. The Right Stuff (1983) won four craft Oscars in its year (splitting the below-the-line prizes with Ingmar Bergman's Fanny & Alexander) and if you haven't seen it you really should. It's quite good.
Here's a little bit of Dennis's familiar comfy gravel voice reading the book... sadly it's not a scene about...
- 2/7/2018
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
“Anybody who goes up in the damn thing is gonna be Spam in a can.” • Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), “The Right Stuff” (1983), Written by Tom Wolfe and Phillip Kaufman based on the book by Tom Wolfe (1979), Directed by Phillip Kaufman
Henry Luce: “Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories. Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines. For example, “by Betty Grissom,” or “by Virgil I. Grissom,” or…
Gus Grissom: “Gus!”
Henry Luce: “What was that?”
Gus Grissom: “Gus. Nobody calls me by…that other name.”
Henry Luce: “Gus? An astronaut named “Gus?” What’s your middle name?
Gus Grissom: “Ivan.”
Henry Luce: “Ivan…ahem…well. Maybe Gus isn’t so bad, might be something there…All right, all right. You can be “Gus.”Henry R. • Luce (John Dehner), Virgil (Gus) I. Grissom (Fred Ward)“The Right Stuff” (1983)
“Godspeed,...
Henry Luce: “Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories. Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines. For example, “by Betty Grissom,” or “by Virgil I. Grissom,” or…
Gus Grissom: “Gus!”
Henry Luce: “What was that?”
Gus Grissom: “Gus. Nobody calls me by…that other name.”
Henry Luce: “Gus? An astronaut named “Gus?” What’s your middle name?
Gus Grissom: “Ivan.”
Henry Luce: “Ivan…ahem…well. Maybe Gus isn’t so bad, might be something there…All right, all right. You can be “Gus.”Henry R. • Luce (John Dehner), Virgil (Gus) I. Grissom (Fred Ward)“The Right Stuff” (1983)
“Godspeed,...
- 12/12/2016
- by Mindy Newell
- Comicmix.com
John Glenn died Thursday at the age of 95. One of the founding figures of the U.S. space program and also a long-serving U.S. Senator, Glenn had a profoundly historic and uniquely American life. Let’s take a closer look.
Glenn was born in Cambridge, Ohio, in 1921. He went to elementary and high school in New Concord, Ohio, and attended Muskingum College in the same town, though he didn’t complete his senior year at the school, opting to drop out at 20 and enlist in the U.S. Air Corps after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, according to the New York Times.
Glenn was born in Cambridge, Ohio, in 1921. He went to elementary and high school in New Concord, Ohio, and attended Muskingum College in the same town, though he didn’t complete his senior year at the school, opting to drop out at 20 and enlist in the U.S. Air Corps after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, according to the New York Times.
- 12/8/2016
- by alexheigl
- PEOPLE.com
2015 may just be noted in the annals of cinema history as the year that Hollywood really went “space happy” (a more benign term for “space madness” I suppose). The Martian, a fairly fact-based film (though we’ve not gone to the “red planet”) won critical praise and was a box office smash. We’ll see if it takes home some Oscar gold this Sunday night. And of course there’s that space fantasy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, that smashed several records and is still in the box office top ten nearly ten weeks after its release. The studios have mined the stars since the beginnings of movies over a 100 years ago. The great majority of these films are fictitious, with a couple of notable exceptions being the overlooked gem from the 80’s, The Right Stuff, and the 90’s nail-biter Apollo 13 (and its HBO companion mini-series “From the Earth to the Moon...
- 2/26/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Steven Spielberg's entertaining true life account of a chapter in the Cold War concerns a crucial negotiation by a brave attorney (Tom Hanks) who goes way out on a limb in East Berlin. Hopefully I'm not alone feeling the same 'narrative undertow' in the storytelling style -- the movie works, but it's also aggravating. Bridge of Spies Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Touchstone 2015 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 141 min. / Street Date February 2, 2016 / 39.99 Starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, Alan Alda, Will Rogers, Austin Stowell, Mikhail Gorevoy, Sebastian Koch, Burghart Kalussner. Cinematography Janusz Kaminski Film Editor Michael Kahn Original Music Thomas Newman Written by Matt Charman, Ethan Coen & Joel Coen Produced by Kristie Macosko Krieger, Marc Platt, Steven Spielberg Directed by Steven Spielberg
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Steven Spielberg doing a genre movie is usually good news, and if you discount Forrest Gump most everybody has fond memories of Tom Hanks. A...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Steven Spielberg doing a genre movie is usually good news, and if you discount Forrest Gump most everybody has fond memories of Tom Hanks. A...
- 2/2/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
If you're still mourning Mad Men, then another midcentury period drama, this one based on real life, may ease the loss.
It's got early-'60s fashion, cocktails and hair, and it dives into American life at the start of space exploration. ABC's Astronaut Wives Club, based on the book by Lily Koppel, focuses on the lives of the women behind the first Nasa test pilots.
This exclusive sneak peek from episode 2 shows the impact of the second Project Mercury flight in 1961 on the pilot's wife, Betty Grissom (JoAnna Garcia Swisher).
Reading a history book will provide the spoilers here: Gus Grissom's 15-minute,...
It's got early-'60s fashion, cocktails and hair, and it dives into American life at the start of space exploration. ABC's Astronaut Wives Club, based on the book by Lily Koppel, focuses on the lives of the women behind the first Nasa test pilots.
This exclusive sneak peek from episode 2 shows the impact of the second Project Mercury flight in 1961 on the pilot's wife, Betty Grissom (JoAnna Garcia Swisher).
Reading a history book will provide the spoilers here: Gus Grissom's 15-minute,...
- 6/24/2015
- by Sheila Cosgrove Baylis, @sheilabot
- People.com - TV Watch
First rule of The Astronaut Wives Club: Don’t talk about the crushing fear and loneliness you know as the spouse of one of America’s first space cowboys.
Second rule of The Astronaut Wives Club: When in doubt, don pearls and a little lipstick.
ABC’s 10-episode period drama, which premiered Thursday (8/7c), centers on the spouses of the Mercury Program astronauts and their part in the late ’50s/early ’60s scramble to put a man in space. Written by Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) and based on the book by Lily Koppel, the premiere focuses on the proper-to-a-fault,...
Second rule of The Astronaut Wives Club: When in doubt, don pearls and a little lipstick.
ABC’s 10-episode period drama, which premiered Thursday (8/7c), centers on the spouses of the Mercury Program astronauts and their part in the late ’50s/early ’60s scramble to put a man in space. Written by Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) and based on the book by Lily Koppel, the premiere focuses on the proper-to-a-fault,...
- 6/19/2015
- TVLine.com
Too little too late, but ABC has finally found the perfect companion piece for "Pan Am." A bright-and-glossy dose of '60s nostalgia mixed with easily digestible proto-feminism, ABC's "Astronaut Wives Club" premieres on Thursday (June 18) night, more than three years after "Pan Am" was cancelled and I suspect they're likely to be remembered in the same way: Period dramas with high production values, a fantastic cast that ABC will look back at yearningly and unrealized creative potential obscuring otherwise solid storytelling. Is there a hypothetical TV series about the wives of the Mercury astronauts that's more than a slightly superficial, slightly choppy and slightly misfocused showcase for fine performances and some snazzy retro-style? Absolutely, but there's still some virtue to this sort of watchable, somewhat nourishing summer entertainment, even in a landscape that's overflowing with summer viewing options. Thursday's exposition-heavy premiere episode begins in 1961 with Louise Shepard (Dominique McElligott...
- 6/18/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
News
Scandal cast member Columbus Short has driven gossip headlines in the past several weeks with personal problems (often including accusations of violent behavior). Now he won’t return for Scandal‘s fourth season. I guess that answers that cliffhanger.
Disney is planning a sequel for the cheesy fun of Teen Beach Movie. The original was a hit not only in terms of TV ratings but also sold plenty of copies of the soundtrack.
More Garrett Clayton on TV. Nothing to complain about.
The credibility of the CNN reality series Chicagoland, which claimed to document the real-life challenges faced by the city of Chicago, was challenged by a report in the Chicago Tribune. According to e-mails obtained by the Tribune, producers coordinated with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to coordinate storylines, plan shots and pick subjects who would be featured in the series. Even when depicting some of the difficulties faced by the city,...
Scandal cast member Columbus Short has driven gossip headlines in the past several weeks with personal problems (often including accusations of violent behavior). Now he won’t return for Scandal‘s fourth season. I guess that answers that cliffhanger.
Disney is planning a sequel for the cheesy fun of Teen Beach Movie. The original was a hit not only in terms of TV ratings but also sold plenty of copies of the soundtrack.
More Garrett Clayton on TV. Nothing to complain about.
The credibility of the CNN reality series Chicagoland, which claimed to document the real-life challenges faced by the city of Chicago, was challenged by a report in the Chicago Tribune. According to e-mails obtained by the Tribune, producers coordinated with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to coordinate storylines, plan shots and pick subjects who would be featured in the series. Even when depicting some of the difficulties faced by the city,...
- 4/28/2014
- by Lyle Masaki
- The Backlot
ABC’s “The Astronaut Wives Club” have found their first man in space. THR reports “The Newsroom” alum Joel Johnstone has been cast in the role of Gus Grissom on the show, who is married to JoAnna Garcia’s Betty Grissom. The series, which had been picked up to run over the summer but was recently postponed until midseason, comes from Stephanie Savage, and is based on Lily Koppel’s best-selling novel. Set in the 1960s, the 10-episode series will follow the group of women behind the first astronauts to travel into space. Johnstone’s Gus is described as an average student who turns [...]
The post TV: ‘The Newsroom’ Alum Joel Johnstone Joins ‘The Astronaut Wives Club’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
The post TV: ‘The Newsroom’ Alum Joel Johnstone Joins ‘The Astronaut Wives Club’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
- 4/25/2014
- by Linda Ge
- UpandComers
Joel Johnstone (Getting On, The Newsroom) has been cast in ABC’s 10-episode drama series The Astronaut Wives Club, from Fake Empire, Groundswell Productions and ABC Studios. Written by Stephanie Savage based on Lily Koppel’s book and directed by Nick Cassavetes, it tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history during the height of the space race. Johnstone, repped by Brs/Gage and Working Entertainment, will play Gus Grissom, an average student and athlete who may be the least likely astronaut but proves himself to be one of Nasa’s top men. He’s an extraordinary engineer who flies on the Mercury and Gemini missions, and becomes the first man to go into space twice. Rahart Adams (Nowhere Boys) has landed a series regular role in Nickelodeon’s, Every Witch Way. It centers on a teenage girl who deals...
- 4/25/2014
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
ABC’s “Astronaut Wives Club” has found its first member. Joanna Garcia Swisher has been cast on the upcoming summer series from “Gossip Girl” producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz. She’ll play Betty Grissom in the series about the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history during the height of the space race. Also read: ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Star Eloise Mumford Lands Lead on ABC’s ‘Warriors’ Pilot ABC desribes Betty as follows: A bouncy redhead with curls askew and a folksy Hoosier accent, she is the wife of Gus Grissom, another of the original astronauts.
- 2/11/2014
- by Jethro Nededog
- The Wrap
Photo: Roadtrippers.com In the early years of manned space travel, Launch Complex 34 at Florida's Cape Canaveral played a key role in Nasa's Apollo program – which of course led to that legendary “giant leap for mankind” when a human being first set foot on the Moon.
But not long before that history-making moment, a terrible tragedy took the lives of three astronauts on this very platform: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee were killed in a fire in their Apollo 1 capsule on January 27th, 1967. Though the site was decommissioned the following year, it remains standing today, with a plaque honoring the astronauts' bravery... and some people claim that their spirits continue to haunt the abandoned site, suggested by several reports of strange phenomena taking place there.
According to the travel blog Roadtrippers.com, locals claim to have heard screams near the launch pad, or felt “an overall dark feeling” when exploring the area.
But not long before that history-making moment, a terrible tragedy took the lives of three astronauts on this very platform: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee were killed in a fire in their Apollo 1 capsule on January 27th, 1967. Though the site was decommissioned the following year, it remains standing today, with a plaque honoring the astronauts' bravery... and some people claim that their spirits continue to haunt the abandoned site, suggested by several reports of strange phenomena taking place there.
According to the travel blog Roadtrippers.com, locals claim to have heard screams near the launch pad, or felt “an overall dark feeling” when exploring the area.
- 10/10/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Thunderbirds creator who made some of the most popular children's TV shows of the 1960s
Gerry Anderson, who has died aged 83 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was the main mover behind a number of puppet series commissioned by Lew Grade's Independent Television Corporation. They made the company a fortune from the space age: perhaps the best known was Thunderbirds (1965-66), and among the others were Fireball XL5 (1962-63), Stingray (1964) and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-68).
Anderson embarked on Thunderbirds in 1964. For Grade, international sales – particularly into the Us market – were a key concern. So Thunderbirds focused on the Tracy brothers, with first names borrowed from the Us astronauts Scott Carpenter, Virgil Grissom, Alan Shepard, John Glenn and Gordon Cooper. Enormously popular in its time, the series is still being repeated today.
Scott and the others were members of International Rescue, based on a south Pacific island, set up,...
Gerry Anderson, who has died aged 83 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was the main mover behind a number of puppet series commissioned by Lew Grade's Independent Television Corporation. They made the company a fortune from the space age: perhaps the best known was Thunderbirds (1965-66), and among the others were Fireball XL5 (1962-63), Stingray (1964) and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-68).
Anderson embarked on Thunderbirds in 1964. For Grade, international sales – particularly into the Us market – were a key concern. So Thunderbirds focused on the Tracy brothers, with first names borrowed from the Us astronauts Scott Carpenter, Virgil Grissom, Alan Shepard, John Glenn and Gordon Cooper. Enormously popular in its time, the series is still being repeated today.
Scott and the others were members of International Rescue, based on a south Pacific island, set up,...
- 12/27/2012
- by Nigel Fountain
- The Guardian - Film News
Based on Steven Grant's comic book, 2 Guns is an upcoming action movie starring Denzel Washington and Mark Walhberg. It's fitting that the two actors are finally making a film together since they've kind of become kings of the generic thriller, with this year's Contraband and Safe House serving as perfect examples. Oddly enough, this actioner also combines the latter's cinematographer, Oliver Wood, with the former's director, Baltasar Kormakur, so if you liked both of those films, 2 Guns could be a dream come true. Universal has assembled a pretty good cast to support Washington and Walhberg, including Paula Patton, Edward James Olmos, Bill Paxton, James Marsden and, according to Variety, Fred Ward is in the mix as well. Ward was last seen in Ruben Fleischer's 30 Minutes or Less but, for me, he'll always be Earl from Tremors or Gus Grissom from The Right Stuff. The gruff and grizzled acting...
- 7/24/2012
- cinemablend.com
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