About the Space movie, “Marooned”…
I was up at about 3 AM this morning watching the space movie “Marooned,” on the History channel.
Just prior to that was the movie, “The Right Stuff,” based on the documentary novel by Tom Wolfe, Cocoa Beach, which is great; and before that the movie, “For All Mankind, ” (1989) Jim Lovell. “For All Mankind,” was exciting for me to watch because of all the original NASA footage, some of which was probably my own stuff. I even thought I spotted myself in one or two of the scenes. (Mr. Ego) .8< ) Also, I think that the ‘Starlite Motel,’ in Cocoa Beach, is the same place my company sent me to, from Hollywood, California, never realizing it to be the same place in Cocoa Beach they sent early astronauts, –very ordinary motel, with small kitchen, I think.
Well, getting back to the movie, “Marooned,” –I especially made a point to watch it to the end, because they had Apollo 11 Astronaut, Buz Aldren on, discussing the movies at their beginnings, and ends. Buz talked about the author Tom Wolfe, when discussing the movie, “The Right Stuff,” but made no mention of the author Martin Caiden, when discussing the movie “Marooned.”
Okay, so here is some more insight to the movie, “Marooned,” which came out shortly before the Apollo 13 incident. This movie was adopted from Martin Caiden’s fictitious novel, “Marooned,” which the large credits do show, and also a smaller credit as technical advisor. Martin Caiden is also the author of the novel, “Cyborg,” which is what the “Million Dollar Man” shows were based on. (The doctor character, “Dr. Wells,” in Cocoa Beach, –was also my doctor, who the character was patterned after.)
I was working at the Cape during the time they were making “Marooned,” (and also from time to time, other movies in production, TV shows, and visiting VIPS). NASA had let the production company use one of the pads that was not at the time being used. This is where, they simulated a hurricane at the pad, etc. The movie starred Gregory Peck, and other famous actors. Then in later years, I had left NASA (Technicolor Corp., who held the NASA photo services contract) to run my own photo studio and color lab in Cape Canaveral, ( 6210 N. Atlantic Ave., Cape Canaveral, Fla.) servicing, amongst other things, weddings, commercial photogrraphy, etc., NASA contractors, primarily IBM. Martin Caiden would often drop in to my studio, and sit there talking to me for hours, it seemed, non stop. He did have me take some portrait photos of him..
Martin Caiden was an interesting character, gruff voice, and as I remember bare chested wearing a vest.
He told me he never went over or rewrote any of his books. He would just write them out one time, the same way he would talk. He seemed to be close to the astronauts, and knew about everything that was going on. In later years, I was watching a TV show, and there he was talking about his flying over the Bermuda Triangle in a light plane. He was also a pilot. So what ever happened to Martin Caiden, I don’t know, or if he is still alive? –dc
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