The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)

Don Knotts is Roy Fleming, a small town kiddie-ride operator who is deathly afraid of heights. After learning that his father has signed him up for the space program, Roy reluctantly heads ... See full summary »

Director:

Edward Montagne (as Edward J. Montagne)

Writers:

James Fritzell (as Jim Fritzell), Everett Greenbaum

Stars:

Don Knotts, Leslie Nielsen, Joan Freeman

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Don Knotts	...	Roy Fleming
Leslie Nielsen	...	Major Fred Gifford
Joan Freeman	...	Ellie Jackson
Jesse White	...	Donelli
Jeanette Nolan	...	Mrs. Fleming
Frank McGrath	...	Plank
Arthur O'Connell	...	Buck Fleming
Joan Shawlee	...	Blonde in Bar
Guy Raymond	...	Bert
Nydia Westman	...	Aunt Zana
Paul Hartman	...	Rush
Robert F. Simon	...	Cervantes (as Robert Simon)
Robert Pickering	...	Moran

Storyline

Don Knotts is Roy Fleming, a small town kiddie-ride operator who is deathly afraid of heights. After learning that his father has signed him up for the space program, Roy reluctantly heads for Houston, only to find out upon arriving that his job is a janitor, not an astronaut. Anxious to live up to the expectations of his domineering father, Roy manages to keep up a facade of being an astronaut to his family and friends. When NASA decides to launch a lay person into space to prove the worthiness of a new automated spacecraft, Roy gets the chance to confront his fears.

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Plot Keywords:

astronaut | outer space | doll | floating in space | drunkenness | 

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Taglines:

He's an ASTRO-KNOTT turned ASTRONAUT in the Maddest Mixup in Space History!!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 1968 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Botcsinálta űrhajós

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There actually is an unincorporated town in Missouri called Sweetwater.

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Goofs

When Roy arrives at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, he goes to the personnel office, but it has a sign out front that says it's closed from 12PM until 2PM, and it's obviously between those times as he goes to the cafeteria to wait. But his shadow is very long, showing the sun is overhead at about a 60-degree angle, or sometime in the early evening, not the afternoon.

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Quotes

Roy Fleming: [kisses Ellie at the airport in front of everyone] Just good friends, Ma.

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Connections

Featured in Ironside: Five Miles High (1969)

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Soundtracks

Space Song
(uncredited)
Music by Joseph Gershenson
Lyrics by James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum

User Reviews

weak movie with a few small laughs

Roy Fleming (Don Knotts) plays an astronaut for the kids in a small town carnival. He's head over heels for fellow carnival worker Ellie Jackson (Joan Freeman). He is 35 and afraid of heights. His dominating father (Arthur O'Connell) doesn't listen to him. He had sent an application to NASA and they accepted. He tells the entire town and Roy reluctantly goes to Houston the next day. He is befriended by veteran astronaut Major Fred Gifford (Leslie Nielsen). It turns out that he's hired as an apprentice janitor supervised by Donelli (Jesse White). When his father and friends show up, Roy tries to pretend to be an astronaut. He causes general havoc and Donelli fires him.

Don Knotts is a likable performer with his big googly eyes. The jokes aren't sharp. There're a few passable laughs. It's more of a light kiddie movie. It's a little annoying because the misunderstanding can easily be explained away. If he has a backbone, he would just tell the truth. If he has any brains, he would tell them that he washed out of the astronaut program. The story is nothing more than poor sitcom material. The movie is generally weak with a few small laughs along the way.