It was, in many respects, a perfectly ordinary premiere. The only difference was that it took place at 35,000 feet
It was, in many respects, a perfectly ordinary premiere. There was a red carpet. There was champagne. There were movie stars. The only difference was that it took place at 35,000 feet.The Adventurers
aboard TWA's new 747 during its maiden flight from New York to L.A. Dozens of studio and airline execs joined hundreds of reporters to mingle midair with Ernest Borgnine, opera singer turned actress Anna Moffo, Yugoslavian heartthrob Bekim Fehmiu and a few other stars, as the film — a $14 million , three-hour-plus Harold Robbins bodice-ripper about a Brazilian playboy — was projected on five screens throughout the jumbo jet. Dinner was duck à l'orange.
"The thing I most remember was that there was no way to walk out," recalls Leigh Taylor-Young, 75, who played one of Fehmiu's romantic conquests. "If you didn't like the movie, you were stuck." Most of the other cast and crew are long dead, but thanks to the scores of journalists on board, details of the flight have been preserved.Chicago TribuneThe party in the sky cost Paramount $250,000 , but many thought it was an aerial debacle. Takeoff was delayed 45 minutes because of a phoned-in bomb threat. Landing was delayed another hour as the jet circled, waiting for the movie to end.
At least one VIP passenger found the experience excruciating. "Seeing it on the plane was ghastly," Lewis Gilbert, the film's director, fretted to reporters.This story first appeared in the Feb. 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
RuPaul's Drag Race's Most Memorable Guest JudgesBefore Nicki Minaj takes the main stage as the special guest judge for the season 12 premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race, a look at the most memorable celebs who did it first.
Read more »
Fed's Evans says above-target inflation 'essential' in futureChicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans on Thursday suggested that ...
Read more »
Robert Pattinson Says He Still Cringes About His Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Premiere OutfitRobert Pattinson Says He Still Cringes Over His Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Premiere Outfit
Read more »
Tyler Perry Hires Medical Examiner Following Nephew's Death in PrisonThe actor and Hollywood mogul is seeking an outside opinion from a famed forensic pathologist.
Read more »
In Photos: Vintage Snaps of Celebrities On SetA behind-the-scenes look at Old Hollywood.
Read more »