Marooned (Columbia Pictures) (1969)

Gregory Peck Tall, quiet-spoken and very much concerned with his life as both an actor and a citizen, Gregory Peck could very well be the characters he portrays on the screen — the Lincolnesque lawyer of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” for which he won an Academy Award as best actor of the year; the leader of a desperate military mission in “The Guns of Navarone,”’ the Arizona Territory sheriff of “Mackenna’s Gold” and, now the chief of the U.S. Manned Space Program in “Marooned,” the Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures in Panavision and Eastman color. “Marooned” is the epic adventure of three American astronauts stranded in the _ hostile beauty of space while the world watches and waits to see what, if anything, can be done to bring them safely back. Starred in the film with Peck are Richard Crenna and David Janssen as senior astronaut Ted Dougherty, and James Franciscus and Gene Hackman. Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley co-star in the outer space draMA NOWeataches. on cece Theatre. Peck’s screen performances are benefitted by his off-screen life. He may never have been directly involved in the Space Program, but he is heavily involved in civic and national affairs; he knows the leaders and the problems of administration. During filming of ‘“Mackenna’s Gold,” Peck was named chairman of the Board of the National Film Institute. A few years earlier President Johnson appointed him to the National Council of the Arts. Among his other “off-screen” activities, Peck is president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, California chairman of the American Cancer Society, chairman of the Motion Picture Relief Fund Building and Endowment campaign, senior vice president of the San Diego County Theater and Arts Foundation. “Marooned” was produced by M. J. Frankovich and directed by John Sturges. The Mayo Simon screenplay was based on the novel by Martin Caidin. (Mat IA; Still No. 2) Gregory Peck is the chief of the U. S. Manned Space Program in ‘Marooned," Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in Panavision and color, the story of three astronauts stranded in outer space and the desperate attempt to bring them safely back. M. J. Frankovich Those who knew his career in filmdom, ranging from child actor at the age of four on through every possible aspect of movie-making up to, and including, his recently-resigned position as vice-president in charge of world-wide film production for Columbia Pictures, may be inclined to wonder when M. J. Frankovich found the time to be a flyer with the U.S. Air Force in World War II. The point is not that he found the time—amillions of other Americans also served—but that he was a flyer, and he retained his interest in the continuing development of flight. Now, there is ‘Marooned,” the Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in Panavision and color, which tells the story of man’s exploration of outer space and, more immediately, the epic adventure of three U.S. astronauts stranded in space through a technical malfunctioning. The world watches and waits as the U.S. Manned Space Program explores what can and cannot be done to bring the spacemen back to earth. With Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen as Ted Dougherty, James Fran ciscus and Gene Hackman starred, “Marooned” is now eH Pes 1 a ca bs Theatre. To insure the authenticity of “Marooned,” Frankovich and his behind-camera experts spent weeks at both Cape Kennedy and Houston, filming considerable amounts of footage in each space center, and with astronauts and NASA experts everywhere. Aerospace and science writers covering America’s space progress for the nation’s press, radio and television were welcomed by the producer, not so much for what they might contribute in the way of publicity but for what they might contribute to the realism of the film. Co-starred in “Marooned” are Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley. Frankovich produced “Marooned” and John Sturges directed. The screenplay was written by Mayo Simon based on the novel by Martin Caidin. (Mat 2B; Still No.60) As chief of the U.S. Manned Space Program, Gregory Peck faces reporters in a tense scene from "Marooned," Frankovich-Sturges production from Columbia Pictures in Panavision and Eastman color. Peck must tell the newsmen, and the watching world, that everything possible has been done to rescue three U. S. astronauts stranded in outer space because of a malfunctioning spacecraft. Page 14 Richard Crenna Richard Crenna has been acting since the age of 11, when he was a junior high school student in his native Los Angeles and snagged a role in radio’s Boy Scout Jamboree. Years of radio and television followed and, inevitably, motion pictures and stardom. But nothing in his past equipped Crenna for the future, his role in “Marooned” as a spacecraft commander standed with two others in outer space, while the world watches and waits to see what, if anything, can be done to rescue them. A Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in Panavision and color, “Marooned” stars Gregory Peck as chief of the U.S. Manned Space Program and David Janssen as Ted Dougherty, Peck’s decision-making aide; James Franciscus and Gene Hackman. “Marooned,” with Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley co-starred, is now at Che <a e ees Theatre. For nine years, on radio and television, Crenna played a gangling adolescent in “Our Miss Brooks.” For six years, he was Luke in television’s “The Real McCoys.” While still in his teens, Crenna had continuing roles in such radio serials as “A Date With Judy” and “The Great Gildersleeve.” His TV appearance as the dedicated state legislator of “Slattery’s People” led Crenna to greater film roles, in such films as “The Sand Pebbles,” “Wait Until Dark,” “Star!” and, now, “Marooned.” Commenting on his problems as an astronaut, Crenna ‘said: “Not only did they put us in space-suits weighing close to 50pounds plus back-packs tipping the scales at 75-pounds, but one time after climbing into the thing I discovered they’d forgotten to remove a couple of coathangers, which only added to the agony.” M. J. Frankovich produced “Marooned.” The Mayo Simon screenplay was based on the novel by Martin Caidin and John Sturges directed. Flyers All Until space travel is as familiar as routine flight, actors who play spacemen may reasonably be expected to be actors first. But what happens when actors—and some of the more responsible behind-camera experts — are or were airplane pilots in their private lives? What happens, surely, is an extra dimension of realism in a picture like “Marooned,” the Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in Panavision and color now at thet oo Theatre. “Marooned” stars Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen as Ted Dougherty, James Franciscus and Gene Hackman. The story of three U.S. astronauts stranded in outer space, while Mission Control tries to bring them safely back to earth, ‘Marooned’ also costars Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley. Franciscus has logged more than 3000 hours, holds a commercial license in multi-engined craft and flies Lear jets whenever the opportunity arises. Janssen and Hackman hold private flying licenses and Hackman used his spare time during production to supervise construction of his own bi-plane. Producer M. J. Frankovich was a flyer with the U.S. Air Force in World War II, emerging a colonel with 7000 hours of flight time. Director John Sturges enlisted in the Air Corps as a private, and ended the war as a captain with the Bronze Star, four battle stars and 12 unit citations. Technical expert George Smith has the distinction of being the only man ever to survive the crash of a supersonic plane mishap, after ejecting at 6000 feet from a plane doing 800 miles an hour. (Mat 2C; Still No. 69) James Franciscus, Gene Hackman and Richard Crenna are three U. S. astronauts "Marooned" in outer space, in the FrankovichSturges production from Columbia Pictures in Panavision and Eastman color. Here, Hackman loses self-control and must be subdued. "Marooned" also stars Gregory Peck and David Janssen, and co-stars Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley. M. J. Frankovich produced and John Sturges directed. David Janssen As “The Fugitive” in that popular television show, David Janssen ran into and resolved a considerable number of absorbing, and varied, problems. But never, in television or in fact, has there even been a problem as great as the one facing Janssen in “Marooned,” the Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in color and Panavision. As aide to U.S. Manned Space Program chief Gregory Peck, Janssen and his co-star must find a way to bring back to Earth three astronauts stranded in outer space. “Marooned,” which also stars Richard Crenna, James Franciscus and Gene Hackman as the crew of the immobilized spaceship Ironman One, is now at the ..... Theatre. Although born in the hamlet of Naponne, Neb., young Janssen was raised in Hollywood, Calif., by his mother, an exZiegfeld Follies girl. He attended elementary and high schools in Hollywood, and snagged film roles whenever he could. He played Johnny Weismuller’s kid brother in “Swamp Fire” and numerous minor roles in modest pictures. Although he doesn’t think these early films were particularly impressive, one of them was a stepping-stone to a breakthrough. Janssen caught the eye of the late Dick Powell, then casting the title role for ‘“Richard Diamond” on television, a private-eye role Powell had created in radio. After a lengthy TV run as “Richard Diamond,” Janssen naturally drifted back into motion pictures. Prior to “Marooned,” he played a reporter in both “The Green Berets” and “The Shoes of the Fisherman.” Gene Hackman As Buck Barrow, robber and killer in “Bonnie and Clyde,” Gene Hackman was_ good enough, which means. brutal enough, in the role to win himself an Oscar nomination. Now, in a welcome change of pace, Hackman plays one of America’s heroes, an astronaut. In “Marooned,” the FrankovichSturges production for Columbia Pictures release, Hackman is one of three spacemen unable to return to earth while Mission Control works desperately to rescue them. Gergory Peck, Richard Crenna and David Janssen as Ted Dougherty, and James Franciscus also star in ‘Marooned,’ NOW Ate: 28h... .ce ee Theatre. Illinois-born, Hackman joined the Marines at 16, was stationed in Hawaii, Okinawa and Japan and, after completing his tour of duty, studied at the University of Illinois before heading for New York and further study in radio technique. His first jobs were as floor manager and assistant director for a Hollywood TV station, a Florida station, and, finally, a station in Danville, Ill. In something of a rut, Hackman decided he wanted an acting career and journeyed to California to join the Pasadena Playhouse. He got his professional start a year later, in a Bellport, Long Island (N.Y.) summer = stock theatre; made his off-Broadway debut in “Chaparral,” and then followed with a Clarence Derwent Award-winning performance on Broadway in Irwin Shaw’s “Children From Their Games.” Hackman’s later performance as Sandy Dennis’ young suitor in “Any Wednesday”’ made him a Broadway star. James Franciscus James Franciscus is a Gregory Peck fan, and unashamedly admits it. “Peck,” he says, ‘“‘has given me more help in acting than any other person. I’ve seen all of his pictures, many of them several times.” Naturally, Franciscus was pleased at the opportunity to star with Peck in “Marooned,” the Frankovich-Sturges production for Columbia Pictures release in Panavision and Eastman color. Franciscus plays an American astronaut in “Marooned,” one of three in a spacecraft stranded in outer space. Peck is the chief of the U.S. Manned Space Program in the epic adventure, and it is his job to bring the spacemen safely back to earth, if he can. Also starring Richard Crenna and David Janssen as Ted Dougherty, and Gene Hackman, ‘“‘Marooned” now is at the Theatre. Because Franciscus and his fellow-“astronauts” do their emoting in the stranded spaceship Ironman One, amid the hostile beauty of outer space, and Peck does his at Mission Control, the players had no scenes together. But, Franciscus says, ‘One day I heard he was visiting the ‘Maooned’ set, and I was all primed to meet him. That was the day they decided to put me in a space capsule 60 feet in the air. “Peck arrived and left, and I was still in space. And by the time he reported for the picture, I was finished with my role. But I still want him to know he’s my favorite actor.” Franciscus won a considerable measure of fame on television as the high school teacher, “Mr. Novack.” Before then he did high school drama in Massachusetts, college and summer stock when he was a student at Yale, and other television work. Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack and Mariette Hartley co-star in “Marooned,” which M. J. Frankovich produced and John Sturges directed. The Mayo Simon screenplay was based on the novel by Martin Caidin.