| Author |
Message |
Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 3:39 pm 
Anybody? I love retro shows like this, so set it up to record. My memories of this era are sketchy (I was 5 and in kindergarten when Alan Shepard went up), but I read All the Right Stuff (great book, by the way!) so I thought this would be interesting. It's kind of soapy, but I'm okay with that. Shows the bond the wives had while their husbands were partying in Cocoa Beach with the astro-groupies. The Mercury astronauts were the rock stars of the early 60s. This show looks like fun. Come watch with me!
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:05 pm
I'm watching! I read an article that said "The Astronaut Wives Club" was a cross between Mad Men and Desperate Houswives! 
Anyhow, I went looking around and found some great images from that era all about the astronaut wives and the photo spreads they actually did. This show is really taking a lot directly from reality.
Case in point:
Rene Carpenter really did upstage the other wives by wearing that red flower print dress in the 1959 photo of them in front of the red capsule!
1959 - photo from:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/portrait-of-the-wives-of-the-project-mercury-astronauts-news-photo/50379977
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They even have the photo of John Glenn's wife, Annie, piloting the motorboat and towing John as he was water skiing. In the TV show, she complained about that photo because it highlighted her husband's skill while she was "just" steering the boat. They didn't show the photo she referenced, but here is the actual photo she referred to:
Photo from:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/in-a-motorboat-annie-glenn-tows-her-husband-mercury-news-photo/141518735?type=personality&type_id=210804&text=Annie+Glenn
I really like this show. Good to see "Wade Kinsella" from "Hart of Dixie" back on the air after "Hart..." was canceled.. I also noticed there are two alumni from Dexter! Dexter's co-worker, "Quinn" is playing Alan Shepard and Dexter's serial killer girlfriend,"Hannah", is playing Rene Carpenter.
Great idea for a show. I recommend it!
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:13 pm
OH YEAH!! I have it on tape, I figured it would be fun to see the fashions, hair, house décor, etc from the time, so I am glad others like it.
I didn't realize it was 1959, I would have been 5 as well.
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:23 pm
SanFranjoshFan, Annie Glenn didn't complain about anything, it must have been one of the other wives talking about that picture. In real life, Annie had a terrible stutter and was horribly shy. That's why she wouldn't talk to the reporter. Not sure if it really happened, but in The Right Stuff, Annie was too shy to meet the President and First Lady after John Glenn orbited the earth, so he politely declined on her behalf. He was very protective of her.
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:29 pm
The Mercury program started in 1959. Alan Shepard didn't make his flight until May 5, 1961. I remember my parents watching it on TV as I was leaving for school (kindergarten). Why on earth didn't they let me stay home and watch that historical moment with them?! Parents didn't think that way back then.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:42 pm
Didn't realize Alan Shepard was a womanizer. I wonder what the families think of the series. Lol SFJF I was just coming here to beckon you on where I had seen the actor playing him. Dexter, of course. He's lost weight since then.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 4:55 pm
I thought it would be more "fun" but it sure is catty.. I watched and will keep recording!
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 5:16 pm
"SanFranjoshFan, Annie Glenn didn't complain about anything, it must have been one of the other wives talking about that picture."
That's right! I think maybe it was Alan Shepard's wife who complained about it. When I saw the picture was of Annie, I just assumed it was she who complained. I'd totally forgotten that Annie was the one with the stutter.
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 5:18 pm
"SFJF I was just coming here to beckon you "
Are you doing some kind of summoning spell to make me show up or something?
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 5:52 pm
Loving the Lakecat/SFJF exchange.
I'll check out the show again. It's fun to see the original pictures. Thanks, SFJF.
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 6:01 pm
I knew that a chunk of time had passed in the first episode but hadn't realized it was around two years!
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 9:54 pm
Actually I think in the opening shot they showed Louise Shepard watching the space shot and then went to a screen that said "Two Years Earlier" or something like that.
Didn't realize Alan Shepard was a womanizer. I wonder what the families think of the series.
Lakecat, I was wondering the same thing about the families, but it's been a long time and the parties and exploits in the astronauts' living quarters were well documented. Like I said, they were truly the rock stars of their time. Lots of groupies. If they didn't all fool around, they were greatly tempted.
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Kitt
Member
09-05-2000
| Friday, June 19, 2015 - 10:30 pm
According to the many books written of the goings on around that time, John Glenn was about the only one who didn't fool around.
For any fans of this period, The Right Stuff book and movie are both excellent, but Tom Hanks' From The Earth to the Moon is absolutely fantastic. Covers this era all the way through to the end of Apollo. It also has a whole episode on the wives.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Saturday, June 20, 2015 - 12:12 am
SFJF is my TV show Guru. When something needs explaining or if i can't remember where ive seen an actor before he knows! I think he missed his calling as a TV show critic.
I'll look and see if I can download The Right Stuff. We are vacationing next week and there is no TV ( horrors) so I need something to read.
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Saturday, June 20, 2015 - 12:44 pm
Yes, Lakecat! You will enjoy it. I read it years ago, but still remember much of it. Great vacation read!
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 3:52 pm
Ahhhhh, sexism alive and well in the 50's; the men get sports cars and the women get station wagons, LOL.
And, LOL at the fact they got a memo about what to wear and then Mrs. Carpenter wearing that print dress. She seems like a real kick.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 4:15 pm
OK, why was there a boat in the swimming pool, LOL.
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Snoopsmom
Member
02-19-2003
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 4:22 pm
I really enjoyed this show and it somewhat filled the void left by the end of Mad Men.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 5:01 pm
Bacon Banana Hollandaise!!! OMG, I must google the recipe, hahahahahaha, that must be something.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 5:07 pm
I found a recipe for ham and bananas hollandaise, it is 6 bananas in a casserole dish wrapped in ham spread with mustard and covered by hollandaise, OMG, it looks unbelievably bad.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 5:15 pm
It was amazing to watch Sheppard go into space, even though I knew he was ok, I was holding my breath.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Sunday, June 21, 2015 - 7:35 pm
I was in typing class in HS for Sheppard's flight. Take off, landing, whole thing? Mr. Robbins ignored it. No listening to any of it.
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Monday, June 22, 2015 - 1:12 am
"Actually I think in the opening shot they showed Louise Shepard watching the space shot and then went to a screen that said "Two Years Earlier" or something like that."
That's probably why I missed it. I really hate those pesky pop up ads they play at the bottom of the screen during TV shows these days....and they are usually to promote a different show I have no interest in while I'm watching something I actually like. And the animated ones with sound are the worst!
Anyhow, I try to ignore them so now I often miss those captions that tell me locations or time periods.
Thanks.
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Monday, June 22, 2015 - 3:40 pm
OMG, I hate those little popup ads! Sometimes they cover up things on the screen, like writing you're supposed to read! So annoying!
I think having trained myself to ignore those distractions on the screen, I often miss things like the credits and popups on shows explaining things. Thank goodness for rewind!!!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, June 22, 2015 - 3:52 pm
I hate those popups as well..
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