I have a lot of fondness for the old Universal Studios tour, having first experienced it in the early 70s when Alfred Hitchcock did the TV commercials. I can still hear his distinctive voice saying "Universal Studios too-wa"!
Today's trio of photos are from May, 1979, and features the Universal Studios Screen Test Airport (at least that's how it's listed on two websites, though it is awkward if you ask me). It was specifically a version of the Screen Test Theatre that used the theme and sets from the 1977 movie Airport '77. Guests could participate as "guest stars" by being filmed in scenes that were edited together with footage from the actual film, making them the stars of their own mini-movie. Here are volunteers, ready to be STARS! An MC is interviewing a kid with a Disneyland beanie.
This particular Screen Test was created as a tie-in to "Airport '77", which was an American air disaster film, the third installment of the Airport film series. The film stars an ensemble cast of veteran actors including Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Joseph Cotten, Olivia de Havilland, and Brenda Vaccaro as well as the return of George Kennedy from the two previous Airport films. The plot concerns a private Boeing 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art that is hijacked before crashing into the ocean in the Bermuda Triangle, forcing the survivors into a desperate struggle for survival.
Despite mixed critical reviews, Airport '77 was a box-office hit, grossing $91.1 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Academy Awards. (This silly movie was nominated for TWO Oscars??).
This photo is hilarious, clearly all of the passengers were instructed to assume the attitudes of people who'd experienced a disastrous crash (in the movie, the plane lands on the ocean, and then sinks to the sea floor in the BERMUDA TRIANGLE! The most terrifying triangle on urf!!).
Thanks to movie magic, a flight aboard a 747 could be entirely simulated on a soundstage. The attraction was located in a theater that was once known as Stage 70 and later renamed the Screen Test Theatre. Other "Screen Tests" used the themes of the TV show "Emergency!", and "Star Trek". You can watch quite a few Airport '77 Screen Tests on YouTube, they are just the right combination of cheesy and charming.
Major-
ReplyDeleteIt was all downhill (or is it better described as a crash landing following the original Airport in 1970. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse than Airport 1975 (I can still remember sitting in the Cinerama Dome Theatre, laughing along with most of the audience at the preposterousness of the plot and story, such as they were) when Universal unleashes yet another sequel: Airport '77, and as you pointed out, having the airplane submerged in 100-feet of water-! As I recall, in spite of the story being more ridiculous, the laughs weren't as free-flowing, as now it all seemed beyond ridiculous. Got to love the audacity of the whole series.
As for the Universal Studios Screen Test, my eyes were immediately drawn to the compound curved curtain track seen on either side of the center section of the fuselage - undoubtedly made by Tru-Roll of Glendale.
Thanks, Major.
Screen Test Theater is an interesting concept. Part of me thinks it would be fun to participate, while most of me would be totally embarrassed and scared of making a fool of myself in public. Did the "stars" volunteer themselves? Or did the MC pick people randomly out of the crowd?
ReplyDeleteI like how they painted the curtain to have the same red and blue stripes as the "plane" set. They even got the positioning right so the stripes line up pretty well.
The two Oscar nominations were for "Silliest Script" and "Cheesiest Effects".
Fun pics, Major. Thanks.
I remember seeing the "Adam-12," "Emergency!," and "Airport '77" versions of the Screen Test Theater. I never saw the "Star Trek" version, but I do remember the TV commercials and print ads for it. I'm thinking that Universal must have really wanted to do that version, since they would have had to pay Paramount for the rights to Star Trek. Universal owned the rights to the previous three properties that were used for the show.
ReplyDeleteMajor, I purchased a slide of this version of the Screen Test Theater a couple months ago, along with some slides of the "Emergency!" version. I still need to scan them. I was either going to add them to my older post about the Screen Test Theater, or do a second post. I also found two pics among the thousands of negatives in my dad's collection, of him on the theater's set when it had the Adam-12 theme. I had never seen the photos before (just the souvenir film that we purchased), so I don't know what happened to the original prints of those pictures. The pictures are really nice, and my dad is in both of them (and in costume), so he obviously didn't take the pics. I'm guessing that after he was selected to be in the "cast", he handed the camera to my grandmother or grandfather. I will get all of those posted soon!
"Airport '77" could have been a great film, but Joan Crawford changed her mind about her role in the film, and the part was then given to Olivia de Havilland. It was the second time in her career that she was replaced by Olivia.
Does anyone remember the "Don Adams' Screen Test" TV show? It was filmed at Universal Studios, but it wasn't a part of the tour like the "Screen Test Theater." I remember watching that every week, even though I was too young to know what most of the films were. I seem to remember them doing a scene from Casablanca, but that's it. I would love to see reruns of that show and a list of all the celebrity actors that guest starred with the contestants. Wikipedia says it hasn't been seen since it's original run, but I see that there are some scenes from it available on YouTube.
These are great pictures, and the whole experience looks like a ton of fun. I probably would have injured my shoulder trying to raise my hand first to be picked to go onstage! Like JB, I'm impressed with the striped curtain; that's a clever way to suggest the plane's exterior without having to move big, awkward set pieces in and out of place every show.
ReplyDeleteIs that a babushka I spy in the audience in the first picture, close to where the stage meets the ramp? (Or did I just pick the wrong week to stop sniffing glue?)
This sounds like a lot of fun that I never knew existed.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about the “Airport” series (after the first one) was inspiring the making of “Airplane”, possibly the funniest movie ever on purpose. Hat tip to Melissa for the Lloyd Bridges reference!
Lots of 1970’s striped clothes too.
Not only Tru-Roll curtain tracks, but plenty of the black-fabric faced acoustic insulation from Owens-Corning as well. You can easily see the dimples from the pin fasteners in the last pic.
Thanks Major! Hope you are weathering the storm.
JG
Hi guys, well, the power never got turned on while I was at the house yesterday. My brother called me and said that it finally came on around midnight, by which time I was back at my place. I was so pooped that I had no energy to respond to all the nice comments, so I am sorry about that. I will be going back out to the house on Monday, and my brother said that while the lights are on, there is no TV or Internet, so it might be a repeat of yesterday, until the technician arrives in the late afternoon. The saga continues!
ReplyDeleteNanook, it’s been a long time since I saw the original Airport, but in my memory it’s not that bad. A bit dated, but it has a certain energy to it. But I do remember watching some of the sequels, and they are dreadful. They have a TV quality to them, like they used the crew of “Charlie’s Angels”. I can only imagine the laughs during Aiprot ‘77! Of course we all noticed the curtains by Tru-Roll of Glendale, I just didn’t mention it because I forgot!
JB, I would never participate in a Screen Test! No thank you. I know it would be fun for some people, but I would be mortified. I assume that the “stars” volunteered, maybe TokyoMagic! can tell us (since his dad was in one of those). Oscan nominations for that movie, what a travesty.
TokyoMagic!, the Star Trek Screen Test sounds pretty fun, but you’re right, Universal would have probably had to pay a big licensing fee. I wonder how long that particular Screen Test ran? You should definitely scan and share your Screen Test slides! And scan those negatives that show your dad! If you scan those negatives and they turn out good, you can have nice prints made, I’ve done that for family members for other occasions. Is that true about Joan Crawford bowing out of AIrport ‘77? Olivia de Havilland, that witch! I vaguely remember the “Don Adams Screen Test”, I’m wondering if that’s the show I recall in which Robert Wagner (and an actress I don’t recall) recreated a scene from “The African Queen”? Robert Wagner in the Bogart role, gee, they’re like twins. TV sure was great back then!
Melissa, oh if only you could go back in time and do a Screen Test, and then we could all enjoy it here on GDB! Folks sure are impressed by that curtain, it must be the Tru-Roll magic at play. There is definitely a babushka in that crowd in photo #1!
JG, you are so right, those Airport movies are ripe for sending up, and Airplane! did an amazing job (I seem to remember they also parodied a movie called “The Zero Hour” or something like that). Wow, look at you and Nanook with your technical knowledge. Maybe I need some acoustic insulation. LOTS of it.
I recently watched this video that shows, side by side, all the scenes lifted directly from Zero Hour! to Airplane! They bought the rights, just in case. The role that was played by an NBA player in Airplane! was even played by an NFL player in Zero Hour!
ReplyDeleteI know some people at the time probably found the Airport movies scary, if they were already predisposed to fear of flying, but I've always found them comforting. Probably because I associate them with airings on late-night TV, and because almost every familiar old face from movies and TV is in them.
In actuality, I probably never would have made it as far as this show in 1979 because I would have been taking the tram tour over and over to experience the Battle of Galactica segment as many times as possible.
Major-
ReplyDelete"Of course we all noticed the curtains by Tru-Roll of Glendale..."
Let's get our ducks in a row first. Tru-Roll Theatrical Rigging & Hardware, [formerly] of Glendale, was the [then] hardware arm of Grosh & Sons, Scenic Studios [now Grosh Backdrops], and as such, would only be concerned with the hardware needed to hang/support screens, scrims, cycloramas, flats, set pieces, etc., and the draperies (curtains are for the 'home', please-!) It's very-likely both Grosh and Tru-Roll were heavily involved in this 'attraction' in many ways. (I know Tru-Roll was involved with some odd rigging requirements for the original Earthquake attraction at USH).
Tru-Roll was [is] considered the Cadillac of theatrical rigging equipment (undoubtedly there are a couple of NY theatrical hardware firms most-associated with the Great White Way who beg to differ, but...) Don't know if it's still true, as Tru-Roll's patent(s) presumably expiring long ago but, they originally patented the 'open frame' track design allowing for individual replacement of Leaders, Carriers, Drag Line Leaders, etc., as each unit simply drops onto the Track Channel from above, eliminating the need to remove other working units (along with providing temporary support for heavy draperies, drops, etc.) - thus allowing clear access to the defective unit - now positioned at the end of the track.
I saw Airplane! long before I saw an Airport movie. Airport 75 or 77 was on TV and I watched it, waiting for the jokes. They never came.
ReplyDelete"Is that true about Joan Crawford bowing out of Airport ‘77?"
ReplyDeleteMajor, yes! I think it was Bob Thomas' Joan biography that mentions it. They wanted her to show up on the day of filming ready to go, and she was appalled that they weren't going to be doing any rehearsals in advance of filming. They also wanted her to bring several of her own outfits along with her and they would select one for her to wear, once she got there. She was supposedly appalled by how unprofessional it all seemed, but I think the author was suspecting that she might have been using those as excuses for not feeling up to traveling from New York (where she was living) to California for filming her scenes. Production concluded on the film just six months before she passed away. It would have been her last film role. Instead, she topped off her career with perhaps the greatest film ever made, "Trog."
"They have a TV quality to them, like they used the crew of “Charlie’s Angels”."
Major, speaking of "Charlie's Angels," there was an episode with the three of them on an airplane, and Jacklyn Smith had to land the plane. I think that was a popular scenario to cash in on at the time, because Laverne DeFazio also had to land an airplane. I think there were other shows that used that storyline, but I can't remember what they were. Maybe Gary Coleman's character also landed a plane.......on the deck of the Love Boat.
"I’m wondering if that’s the show I recall in which Robert Wagner (and an actress I don’t recall) recreated a scene from “The African Queen”?"
Major, I do remember the Don Adams Screen Test show doing a scene from "The African Queen," but I didn't remember that it was Robert Wagner. I probably wouldn't have know who he was at that time. The reason you don't recall the actress is because the professional actor was always paired up with an amateur pulled from the audience. The show use to take two people from the audience and have them reenact scenes from two different classic films. The pilot episode actually had four contestants and four celebs. I didn't provide the links, but the pilot is available to watch on YouTube, in four separate parts.