The Astronaut (1972 film)

For the song by Jin, see The Astronaut (song).

The Astronaut
Genre	Drama
Teleplay by	Gerald Di Pego Charles Kuenstle Robert Biheller
Story by	Charles Kuenstle Robert Biheller
Directed by	Robert Michael Lewis
Starring	Jackie Cooper Monte Markham
Music by	Gil Melle
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Harve Bennett
Production locations	Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California
Cinematography	Alric Edens
Editors	Les Green John Kaufman
Running time	73 minutes
Production companies	Silverton Productions Universal Television
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	January 8, 1972 (1972-01-08)

The Astronaut is a 1972 American made-for-television science fiction film directed by Robert Michael Lewis and starring Jackie Cooper and Monte Markham. It follows a man who has been hired to impersonate an astronaut who died during the first crewed mission to Mars. The movie was made for ABC for its movie of the week franchise. Real-life astronaut Wally Schirra appears in a cameo role as himself.

Plot

Television coverage of Brice Randolph, the first astronaut on the surface of Mars, is interrupted, indicating that the signal has been lost. Shortly afterward, Eddie Reese is recruited and shown what happened after the TV signal was interrupted: Brice reported something penetrating his EVA suit and soon expired. The other astronaut lifted off alone.

NASA, fearing their project will be canceled, needs to keep it a secret until they have answers about what exactly happened. Reese undergoes surgical alterations and begins learning his role as Brice. Upon the arrival of the spacecraft back on Earth, the splashdown site is altered so that the press is unaware of Reese being brought to join the returning space crew. Reese, maintaining the cover, is now tasked with playing his role with the dead man's wife, Gail. Uneasy about being intimate with another man's wife, Reese unwittingly betrays himself to her, raising her suspicions.

Eventually, NASA determines what happened on Mars and is ready to let Reese out of the masquerade. However, Reese and Gail are willing to carry on as if he is Brice Randolph. Reese then hears from a boy, who asked for an autograph, that the Soviets have just launched their own mission to land on Mars. NASA does not warn the Soviets of the dangers that await them; however, Reese and Gail decide to reveal the truth.

Cast

Actor	Role
Jackie Cooper	Kurt Anderson
Monte Markham	Eddie Reese
	Col. Brice Randolph
Richard Anderson	Dr. Wylie
Robert Lansing	John Phillips
Susan Clark	Gail Randolph
John Lupton	Don Masters
Walter Brooke	Tom Everett
James Sikking	Astronaut Higgins
Paul Kent	Carl Samuels

Reception

AllMovies gave the move 2.5 out of 5 stars. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction stated that this largely-forgotten film is a major curiosity. It was aired when the Apollo missions to the Moon were still under way. The movie presents a negative view of NASA. According to the encyclopedia, a strong case can be made that Capricorn One plagiarized this film's central situation.

See also

• List of American films of 1972

References

• Wingrove, David (1985). Science Fiction Film Source Book. Longman Group Limited. ISBN 0582892392.
• Pomerance, Murray (2005). Johnny Depp Starts Here. Rutgers University Press. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-8135-3565-4. Retrieved September 10, 2015. the astronaut monte markham.

External links

• The Astronaut at IMDb
• The Astronaut at AllMovie