AIRPORT
- The Movie
and
the Movie Star that came to work for Qantas
Boeing 707-349C N324F as it appeared in the original 1969 Airport
movie in Trans Global Airlines colours wearing its real registration
N324F. The aircraft was even referred to in dialogue as "324".
During 1970/71 the aircraft operated on lease to Qantas as VH-EBZ
City of Swan Hill.
|
"Shove
an undamaged aeroplane with snowplows? Mel are you outta your
mind?"
A
black and white publicity still from the original 1969 Airport
movie. Manager of Lincoln International Airport, Mel Bakersfeld
(left, played by Burt Lancaster) has just told Joe Patroni (George
Kennedy playing a trouble-shooter on loan from TWA) that he intends
to move the bogged Boeing 707 N324F using snowplows. And yes,
Patroni does say aeroplane not airplane.
RIP
George Harris Kennedy Jr. aka Joe Patroni
(18 February 1925 - 28 February 2016)
|
THE CAST
Character
|
Actor
|
Remarks
|
1
|
Vern
Demerest |
Dean
Martin |
Captain,
Trans Global Airlines. |
2
|
Gwen
Meighen |
Jacqueline
Bisset |
Senior
Flight Attendant & love interest of Captain Demerest |
3
|
Tanya
Livingston |
Jean
Seberg |
Trans Global Airlines PRO & love interest of Mel Bakersfeld |
4
|
Mel
Bakersfeld |
Burt
Lancaster |
General
Manager, Lincoln International Airport |
5
|
Harry
Standish |
Lloyd
Nolan |
Chief
Customs Agent |
6
|
Inez
Guerrero |
Maureen
Stapleton |
Wife
of bomber |
7
|
Ada
Quonsett |
Helen
Hayes |
Stowaway
passenger for which role she won an Academy Award |
8
|
D.O.
Guerrero |
Van
Heflin |
Bomber |
9
|
Cindy
Bakersfeld |
Dana
Wynter |
Wife
of Airport Manager |
10
|
Anson
Harris |
Barry
Nelson |
Captain,
Trans Global Airlines being checked by Capt Demerest |
11
|
Sarah
Demerest |
Barbara
Hale |
Wife
of Captain Demerest and sister of Mel Bakersfeld |
12
|
Joe
Patroni |
George
Kennedy |
Trouble-shooter
engineer on loan from TWA. |
13
|
|
George
Seaton |
Director
and Screenwriter |
14
|
|
Ross
Hunter |
Producer |
This photo was probably
taken in a studio mockup of the cabin of N324F. It is suspected that
some absent cast members were represented by "cardboard cutouts"
in those pre-Photoshop days!
Not included in the photo, but who should have been, was the film's
Technical Adviser, Captain Lee Danielson, who it is believed was a
TWA Captain.
Airport scenes were filmed at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International
Airport. |
MEMORABLE
QUOTES
|
A
no good irresponsible louse who can't pass up the opportunity to knife
me.
(Referring to his brother-in-law Capt Demerest) |
Mel
Bakersfeld |
They
don't call 'em emergencies any more. They call 'em Patronis. |
Joe
Patroni |
Due
to a Cetcil wind, Dystor's vectored us into a 360-tarson of slow
air traffic. Now we'll maintain this Borden hold until we get the
Forta Magnus clearance from Melnics.
(To
a precocious kid who had noticed that the aircraft had turned back.
Capt Demerest had earlier left the flight deck for a walk-through,
declaring that if any passenger noticed that they were turning back
he would give them some "double talk")
|
Capt
Demerest |
That's
one nice thing about the 707. It can do everything but read.
(On being informed by the junior engineer in the right hand seat that
the manual said it was impossible for Patroni to have driven the 707
out of the snow) |
Joe
Patroni |
Nice
goin' sweetheart.
(Tapping the belly of the safely landed 707 with the box of cigars
he had won in a bet with Mel Bakersfeld) |
Joe
Patroni |
Remind
me to send a thank-you note to Mr Boeing.
(Surveying the bomb damage to the 707) |
Capt
Harris |
Images:
Universal Pictures
|