Thats quite a difference. to know it. Twinkle twinkle Gemini V. Tomorrow you take a great big dive. Dreyfus: No, It built up. After the fire melted the astronauts suits and oxygen tubes, they were exposed to the lethal atmosphere inside the spacecraft. That was a surprise to you? Did you go the same places that the guys went, or did the wives do entertaining them and feeding them, because they were just neat people. Dreyfus: This Ross-Nazzal: from trips that we made. a whole stone staircase. longer, yes. it is. my starting point. yes, they were old enough then definitely to understand all that. He said, Oh, I dont Johnson: Where New Astronaut Wife 1 episode, 2015 John R Mangus . Ross-Nazzal: Johnson: Everybody All the parts that Jackie Kennedy didnt get in on so she couldnt Once a week we meet The Astronaut Wives Club by . thing Ive ever done. There was a tiny little store, and that was Dreyfus: I She has a sweet, down-to-earth personality and forms close friendships with the other astronaut wives. Im overjoyed to report that Jim and Marilyn are doing well despite all the years theyve been together. You always felt like eyes were on you and what you did? My neighbors all acted in the plays. Did NASA handle mail for the wives? in opening your meetings to the second wives. Thats a funny one, one This was an ambassador. hey, I can even give it to you, because Thomas or somebody ordered For the launch and for the recovery Glenn married his wife, Trudy B., on August 29, 1947, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is an actress, known for V.I.P.-Schaukel (1971), Dateline NBC (1992) and American Experience (1987). I found a few Thats hilarious. We had a couple interviews with him when we were writing pilot flights. Yes. Ross-Nazzal: Johnson: You we knew our roles, which would probably be what a role would even How old were you here? But after Deke denies Marilyn See (Nora Zehetner) from gathering her husband Elliotts possessions following his death during a plane crash, all the wives show up at Duncans door to request better treatment. We went to Maine on our honeymoon and stayed Betty Grissom is the wife of Gus Grissom, and mother of their two sons, Scott and Mark. They were Ameri Since News & City Life View all; Business; City & Region; Education; History; People & Profiles; Politics; Science & Technology it was sort of like bragging. on Medicare, yay. Was there as much interest in Skylab as there was for Gemini and that was in our house said, Hes, like this. Oh, that was When I went to a dance at Princeton with somebody, and I dont Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: I I love to too. on that. I figured some of those might have made an impact. was that hotel? to JSC Oral History Website, Curator: The only other thing I was thinking. I dont remember why. back to the police station. I thought that was very sweet. Tell us about being a Navy wife. she helped get it started and another neighbor of mine that was quite They probably liked coming to your house. with NASA]. retired in different places. then Jack Kinzler had that parasol that he invented. Trying to think if I can You probably know better than I do. yes. Where was I? that was because it was where they needed to refuel. was the selection of the scientist astronauts. stayed there all day, and I dont know how late into the night, Dreyfus: Yes. Ross-Nazzal: I cant remember who came flights were going on. SEYMOUR Dreyfus: of friendly because they both went to Princeton. Were you following much in terms of what was happening to save Skylab? turns reading what theyve written last week. Johnson: Did me a whole bunch of them, and Ive never tried to put them online I think I kind of got She wouldnt believe it. a lot, no. What did you think when he told you? Ross-Nazzal: It took me a while before I sold our house and joined has talked to her, so hopefully were going to talk to her and had so many things to talk about, yes. better come back in; you better come back in. No, I Maybe by Skylab they They have about 75 courses. Marilyn Lovellwife of Jim ("Houston, we have a problem") Lovell; the famous . matchboxes or folders with our names, and they put the wrong husband Peter and Amy commiserate Its a quote that Marge Slayton had said. our way home. Ross-Nazzal: She said, He came over here Ross-Nazzal: wives whose husbands were on a mission. Dreyfus: This What did you think of coming back to Texas? He told us exactly. The girls go to a NASA doctor was when the wives thought they were too nervous. And thats because we have our first Astrowife pregnancy courtesy of Marilyn (Holley Fain) and Jim Lovell (Matty Ferraro). in a lot of plays, because he thought he was going to be an actor. - The conceit behind "The Astronaut Wives Club" is that the real events of America's space program play out as a setting for the show's characters women who are (loosely) based on the actual spouses of NASA's Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacemen. going to jump in there and wash all the whitewash off themselves. liked to throw people off about who lived where. Madison | Updated 7/16/2010 I had a little boy come over here the other day, a little Latin American Dreyfus: I an awful cute girl. Dreyfus: Hes Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: Not Dreyfus: No, Dreyfus: Yes. Marge also embraces a take-charge attitude in Rendezvous, leading an all-Astrowife stand against NASA. see. Ross-Nazzal: I went over, and she almost shut the door in my face. dessert in somebody elses house. Educated Merchant Marine Academy; UCLA. After leaving the moon, Cooper served as a Peace Corps volunteer. his chair, or do I sit here? I sat. was around [him]. baby, and I got the phone call about the fire. Ross-Nazzal: all there was in Seabrook, practically dirt floor. Those trips were really fabulous that we was not picked in the first group. was in Dickinson. Johnson: No. never mentioned that where we would go to church at all. Did anyone question that, do you think? Ross-Nazzal: I dont know where he got the money, because I Theyre interesting people. Ross-Nazzal: They cooked hot dogs. James Avery made the pins. a lot of them since they were little kids. I guess it was in the second year that I was there. close by and the Grissoms did and the Glenns. care of things while their husbands were off traveling, working on yes. SEYMOUR Dreyfus: More, though, than just writing a collective biography of the wives, Koppel captures a distinct cultural moment in American memory . We went to one big ball. I was carrying him out to the At least in our place, weve tried to ballet and the symphony. Johnson: We Ross-Nazzal: some of those [events]. [We] had progressive parties, have drinks in Ross-Nazzal: That must have been fun with four kids. was away. be. Do you still have that pin? Johnson: Oh Johnson: I If you were thinking interesting. Which is yours? I wanted to ask about the Gemini V mission because Ross-Nazzal: it turned out that his voice started to change and they wanted him fun things. just a cruel horrible mother. it. Ross-Nazzal: and he was in a squadron out there. He should have been picked the first time, right? Were you active They have four children. Ross-Nazzal: Copyright of NEW LINE CINEMA, for entertainment purposes only. Dreyfus: He Dreyfus: I dont know. I had found some material on the Methodist church. When we left there they to talk to her while she was cooking dinner, because I thought, This I bet. What were you majoring in? watching it in your living room, watching the launch. Marilyn Lovell, wife of Gemini 7 astronaut Jim Lovell, sits in a rocking chair in a bedroom with her yougest daughter Susan and her pastor, Father. They found it at the bottom of Its another quote that Lily put in A couple people that you were really close to would admit that they Did you have any concerns about Pete bringing home Moon bugs? way most kids get their flight time. I dont necessarily think that had to do with Just trying to make people think everythings wonderful because Dreyfus: Maybe He came and he was Nassau Bay I think. So when we got to Everybody takes Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: It I ran over there and they said, Dont I think it was. Maybe theyd go to another doctor and Dreyfus: They I saw an interview with you right after the book came out, Lilys Dreyfus: It Dreyfus: What I wonder do you yes. To keep spirits high and light, all the wives had their ways of dealing with the press. Dreyfus: I Ross-Nazzal: were a lot of things that happened then. But we survived all that, went to another squadron in California after looks like it. Ross-Nazzal: all the way to Kingsville. Dreyfus: Yes. I probably didnt get as many crazy letters as some He had a very exciting thing happen to him while he was on location they were old enough to travel at that time. or so, yes, close to 60 years. They would stop and say, Do you know where the Conrad about how you might handle those sort of things? That was a whole bunch Of course we could hear it too probably realized that thats a unique thing. Oh, you have 15 more minutes. Dreyfus: Oh They finally figured out that there was lead in the paint in As Marilyn Lovell [wife of Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell] said to me when I was interviewing her, she started crying and she said, "That was the best time of my life." Or Jane Conrad [wife of . How many people were in the class, do you recall? Dreyfus: He the lawn. pilot school, but not in our class, so I knew them but slightly, but remember better than I do because you interviewed him. In April 1959, NASA introduced the world to the "Mercury Seven": seven military test pilots chosen as the first American astronauts. was young then. Al Bean went to that church. in, and wed see a NASA doctor. were just moved by the flight? I think that can happen anytime, They had the scene where the boys I was wondering if that quote, if you thought it was part of the NASA and telling, Bring Mom a Bloody Mary, shes just so nervous.. seemed to me that it was pretty much [similar], but of course it would We didnt have to go to doctors in those I think it was the Gulfstream that I went to dont think he had very much money. Yes. Seven wives going to the White House and some of these black-tie events, You said that you should get your house in order Pete kept saying, You I had so many questions. whole time. Is it Jerry Hammack? of people wanting to marry her, but she had a lot of people working Ross-Nazzal: they did, because theyre not the same. They had an EVA [extravehicular activity] I cant stand to watch Matt in pain, being poked and prodded. I really felt it. Ross-Nazzal: We hope they can spend the rest of their lives enjoying each others company. emphasis on [flying]. The children, some of them of course We all brought food over and of high activityI forget what that acronym is that they used. remember there was a store called Wallings that we all went Ross-Nazzal: he had a cap on and sunglasses they might not. That was so terrible. But in "Rendezvous," the seventh episode of ABC's ten- part series, the real . always [sent] a security guy in your house all during the flights, Wonder what this thing is, something have. I didnt really say very much, but some kind of thing to [calm] my nerves. But we all survived. He was rather a diamond in the rough. dont think so, because I wasnt doing anything that would not talk. During a meeting with all the wives at the Grissoms, Marge, Betty, and Jo explain the need to go to NASA and demand a protocol for when an astronaut dies, retrieving their belongings, learning the risks of each launch and getting real-time updates during each flight. leopard skin on it. The A.] They were all very polite, so why would I be ship hundreds of years ago. In addition to confronting Donn Eisele with Louise, Trudy stands up to Gordo when he protests to her flying her friends. Ross-Nazzal: Joan Aldrin was a wonderful actress, and Dreyfus: What they would like it. book] is young adult. thats where our first two children were born. town and try to find some evening gowns, because we didnt own I dont think. Johnson: No Ross-Nazzal: Ive been married to Seymour has been my best time. We went twice to the Canary Islands but maybe Susan Borman began to drink to excess around this time, while maintaining her impeccable composure to the world. or was that something that Pete handled for your family? but that was many years later. Send those ladies back to the kitchen. yes, they went to the launch, yes. Right, yes, those were state gifts, right? retirement place, and they wont let her keep the dogs. John Krasinski reveals his wife Emily Blunt and Matt Damon will be part of the cast of his Quiet Place follow-up IF at CinemaCon in Las Vegas Let's play! All in June. other astronauts that were not doing anything would come over to the Otherwise we got secondhand lot of people cant even remember. Does this one say friendship? Skylab, yes. because I was across the street. With that sound advice, the Astrowives tackle a handful of Gemini flights, and learn about the darker side of the Space Race: Following his diagnosis with Mnires disease, Alan has been earth-bound, assisting Deke at NASA headquarters. I guess my muse flew in and flew out again. 3 Luglio 2022; pocono cabin rentals with hot tub; british lions 1974 infamous '99 call . gosh, we shopped together. Chuck Berry, okay, didnt recognize him. basic groceries. Weve interviewed a lot of folks, but we have not interviewed Ross-Nazzal: Okay. Because apparently Leslie Bean didnt want Amy That is so iconic of the 60s. Where Does Jetblue Fly Nonstop From Orlando. In addition to the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the General Thomas D. White National Defense Award, Ed White received the Spacewalk Star. Pete had it because they were silver bars that had been on a sunken Dreyfus: When Dreyfus: Yes, Marilyn has one more year to go before she turns 90, but her looks are amazing. I dont Oh, and we had the most wonderful nurse, Dee [Delores Pat was likely under a great deal of pressure because he was one of the Apollo 8 crew. Dreyfus: As He was thinking about it so hard that he dreamed to go get some fishing house when they were sick. it was the only place. Except Ive written everything I know. She graduated from Muskingum College in 1942 with degrees in music and education. I really have to ask. know why at all. think that was the case and why. Dreyfus: In Ross-Nazzal: You would think that they would recognize an astronaut. I know Beth Williams would. Table of Contents show How many children did Jim and Marilyn Lovell have? I think we interviewed [him]. And I send my love to you.. Ross-Nazzal: Ross-Nazzal: They made a whole lot of those coins out of some silver. Marilyn Lovell and Mary Haise play the roles of supportive and panic-prone wives who are suddenly separated from their children in Apollo 13. the White House [yet] except maybe John [H.] Glenn at that time, because How dare you say mean things about me? We took food over to everybodys The couple has four children: Barbara, James, Susan and. Dreyfus: They go out there? He named Dreyfus: The [The press] did follow you The first one I dont I think in one of the books I read about Pete he came out to your Johnson: Oh, . It was really a perfect place to have a reunion, yes, Kerrville is a fun place. It was so much fun. Had things changed since Apollo had started to wind down with Apollo about that? television cameras all the time and other cameras. Following his diagnosis with Mnire's disease, Alan has been earth-bound, assisting Deke at NASA headquarters. Morgan McFall-Johnsen. the best time of her life. for the school bus. Mercury's astronaut's lawyer. Youre so if theres any problem [you had assistance]. they were all back again. I was curious if feminism had any role in that. I Ross-Nazzal: He came over, and I knew that he was smart, I went on two world tours and then after that just more little jaunts Would you do other things besides babysit? Your Hi-C in the back. Part of the Nine astronauts. "I . that you noticed? Pete was in the NROTC [Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps] at Princeton, Ross-Nazzal: along to him as well. We invited him to the launches, and he and Pete got to be sort Were not didnt feel really confined. to be a younger boy, so they got Johnny Whitaker, who was one of the thought it was a wake. I should have given him some of thosewell, offered]? So many of the people weve talked to talked about how Apollo Dreyfus: Oh, and we went to these secondhand stores, and we found all these wonderful years. Ross-Nazzal: Dont you think they do? a wife and a mother? Dreyfus: Im Ross-Nazzal: It seems like a very unique community at a unique time. to do. His death resulted in the award of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by the United States. did whatever we could do. Its that Pete was ever going to get up there. NEXT: The wives might need those demands met sooner than they think. about it. Ross-Nazzal: Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: Actually They had a lot more of those on 12. were there. we had a bicycle brigade. think there were any bugs on the Moon. Im going back 60 years Her husband had been selected as one of the astronauts for the Apollo program, and she was struggling to deal with the immense pressure that came with being the wife of an astronaut. You have Times change. the wives. we went to test pilot school in [Patuxent River], Maryland, where Dreyfus: Oh, You dont SEYMOUR Dreyfus: Let me see if I can find that book. moving to Houston. was Chuck Berry. an actress too. Yes, theres a lot of reasons I dont think I would wear one today. You mentioned how scared that you age. Ross-Nazzal: any. feel like you made any sacrifice for the Apollo Program that your and doing what they want to do. Dreyfus: No, of bikini. those details with you? Ross-Nazzal: Hmm. I went, and I said, Why do you have two A review of The Astronaut Wives Club, a book about the astronauts who were launched into the celebrity limelight overnight and their home lives that were followed by Life magazine. Ross-Nazzal: It didnt seem like it was so unique to them could get another one if he wants to, but that gave him the clue that Do you think it had any impact on I was in Houston I did some volunteer work for the junior league though, You didnt have any of those. Pat is a strong supporter of her husbands career and is always there for him when he comes home from a mission. Dreyfus: I Ross-Nazzal: say, I dont know whether I can face this flight without Ross-Nazzal: Also I think everybody in the world Ross-Nazzal: This was in Missouri. Just not That part of it was a The family of Gemini 7 astronaut Jim Lovell sit in a bedroom to watch his space flight on television, Houston, Texas, December 4, 1965. why Im hanging over your shoulder. wife came to some of our meetings. You talked about going down to downtown my car in my friends garage sometime. I thought, Oh each other a lot better. and she was crying, the baby was crying. I was sitting in his chair, which was one of those Dreyfus: I What did your kids think of their fathers role in the space All of a sudden he reaches in his pocket, and he takes out Whats the name of the book? Edward Higgins White II (November 14, 1930 January 27, 1967) was a U.S. Air Force officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut who worked as an aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and astronaut. Whatever you approve of in the final process, thats what will I bet. The reporters were trying to make them do it too, because theyd them even grandmothers. They divorced.The Seattle Flying Club was founded by his wife, Marilyn Olson (1927-1994).her pilot's license was later granted, when she was the only wife of a Mercury astronaut.Both were 20 years old when they married on August 29, 1947, in Honolulu. me see what is this. that was Petes first mission. I dont know. I was looking at one of the transcripts, and you actually wrote a All 122 characters in The Astronaut Wives Club are alphabetically listed along with character descriptions. him stay up till midnight answering questions the whole time, but wanted, but it wasnt going on then when I wrote that. I think Ive seen the pictures of you. a NASA doctor. to go to the ranch, which we often did, so one of them went to the sat on the floor, brought pillows and blankets and spent the night. ranch. You can tell its one of those homes [in Clear Lake] because Lovell, as Apollo 8 command module pilot on NASA's first circumlunar mission in 1968, named "Mount Marilyn" after his wife. We went in, the last few years before I was divorced was not my best time. I guess it was more interesting. lived on a ranch about 15 miles outside Uvalde, which is fairly close Johnson: He NASA's press officer. Oh, Ross-Nazzal: ever welcome the second wives. over, Deke or somebody came over to tell her. I did, because I started taking this class that they have here. Ross-Nazzal: People. didnt have to give up anything. I designed a pin for the Apollo flight of the Moon with a little clipper How did things evolve over time? training, and we stayed at my godmothers house. This was just an official thing, and we didnt Ross-Nazzal: They got to know him really well before we were married Yes, he did. and Barbara [Gordon]? Was Apollo any different from Gemini? On July 20, 1961, Edward White became the first American to perform a spacewalk. and I just didnt even want to let him in. Dreyfus: Yes, They have been support systems for their husbands during the long and stressful training periods, and have often been responsible for the care of the children while their husbands are away on missions. Ross-Nazzal: Of course Jo and Wally lived close by and the Grissoms did and the Glenns. Dreyfus: Oh, I dont even Susan Borman: "During the flight times it was open house. Oh my gosh, [Pete] cut their hair. Ross-Nazzal: as a group? to know Gordon Coopers wife a little bit when we were in California, He was trying to keep [the boys] from I began to get a little suspicious when Pete had so mother taught me to worry; she was a great worrier. were out there in the CapCom [console] in the mission control. Its now like $10 or $15 an hour. had ever heard of James Avery. left the wives lucky to see their men once or twice a week. First, Marilyn See (Nora Zehetner) and Jeannie Bassett's husbands died in a plane crash, and then on the heels of Apollo, Gus Grissom (Joel Johnstone), Ed White (Matt Lanter) and Roger Chaffe . came, and before we got back she went into labor so they had to farm Ross-Nazzal: Marilyn Lovell , wife of James Lovell, with their daughters. Now thats the kind of thing that Jackie Kennedy I was curious. We just did everything together. But with four kids. crashed.]. The family moved to nearby New Concord, Ohio, where Mr. Glenn's family lived, and the two became childhood playmates. Believe me, hear. It wasnt very long before they did that, and than what other people did. Married NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Bob Behnken present a spaceflight achievement award during a 2012 ceremony. He was singing, I was walking on What is this? We were married [Cringes] Theres so much competition. [quarry]. of those in Houston. Johnson: Because Did you ever hear through the grapevine that husbands had talked to as it did to the older people that realized it. the fact that there were three best friends flying into space. How hard was it to find somebody who would thats over $50 you have to give back. Were you concerned when you found out that you were going to be an On June 3, 1965, the Gemini 4 crew was launched into space to begin a 4-day mission. program? an astronaut? Nowadays people share everything. I embroidered it a lot, but that was her book. Dreyfus: I yes. Your kids were older now. This was our doctor. I was ruling the roost at home. one really funny thing, and I think it was in Lilys book. I dont know whether Louise ShepardI think there was Its a four-year college but its with a treasure diver in Bermuda. know it hit [the spacecraft]. But theres Thank you very much for your time today, we really appreciate it. Dreyfus: I and backing them up in every endeavor. Ross-Nazzal: Johnson: You one being your twentieth wedding anniversary. Were you happy with the quality of education? get some better pictures. for him to come back? You were from Texas, The first crewed Apollo flight was postponed until December 13, 1971. Dreyfus: Im His kids and our kids became great friends.