Casting From the Earth to the Moon
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Casting the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon provided unique challenges to the producers. As the main characters were primarily historical figures, actors with physical resemblances to their characters were necessary.
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[edit] Jim Lovell
Astronaut Jim Lovell has stated in several venues that he felt Kevin Costner looked the most like him, as he appeared in 1970. However, he was not disappointed that Tom Hanks played him in Apollo 13 as he described Hanks as a "closet astronaut." Actor Timothy Daly was cast to play Lovell in this miniseries.[1]
Tim Daly was aided in his role by Hanks' intense research into the same part from the Apollo 13 film; when curious as to whether or not Lovell wore his Annapolis ring in space, Hanks provided the instant answer "all four missions!"[2]
[edit] Emmett Seaborn
The fictional character of Emmett Seaborn, played by veteran character actor Lane Smith, was added to provide a sense of continuity to the series, often serving as a Greek chorus. Seaborn personality is similar in some respects to Walter Cronkite, though the real Cronkite is mentioned at times and seen in archive footage. The use of a fictional character also allows for dramatic conflict to be created more easily in the episode We Interrupt This Program, with another fictional reporter Brett Hutchings (Jay Mohr).[3]
[edit] Casting information
- A number of actors who appeared in the movies Apollo 13 (Tom Hanks, Chris Ellis, Brett Cullen, Clint Howard, David Andrews, Ben Marley, Joe Spano) and The Right Stuff (David Clennon) appear in this series, but as different characters. Some of the NASA flight controllers are also played by actors who played similar roles in Apollo 13. It's notable that astronauts (Cullen, Andrews, Marley) in the film played astronauts in the movie, flight controllers (Howard) played flight controllers and NASA managers (Spano) played NASA managers.
- Astronaut Pete Conrad was portrayed by two different actors in the series. Peter Scolari (a friend of Hanks' from the days of Bosom Buddies) played Conrad in the first episode, and Paul McCrane, better known as Dr. Robert 'Rocket' Romano on ER portrays him in That's All There Is. (In the final "all hands meeting" scene of Episode One, however, McCrane is playing Conrad; he is only seen from above, but the head is clearly McCrane's, not Scolari's.)
- Despite the number of actors involved in both Apollo 13 and this series, only one actor portrayed the same character in each production. Clint Howard, the brother of Ron Howard, played EECOM Sy Liebergot in the former, and "Paul Lucas" in the latter.
- One American astronaut, Michael Collins was portrayed by an Englishman. Cary Elwes has played other Americans, notably a US infantry officer in Glory and USAF Lieutenant Colonel James Burton in The Pentagon Wars.
- American astronaut Alan Bean was portrayed by a Canadian. Dave Foley is best known for his comedic movie and television roles as well as improvisational comedy. Dave Foley is also known for starring on the TV series NewsRadio, which also stars Stephen Root who also appears as Chris Kraft.
- Tom Hanks made his motion picture directorial debut with That Thing You Do!, featuring a band called The Wonders. Actor Steve Zahn, who played the guitarist Lenny Haise with The Wonders, portrayed astronaut Elliott See in the miniseries. The character of Lenny Haise had been named after Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise.
- Hanks introduces every episode (except the final one), wrote one, and directed another. He also appears as a character in the final episode, playing Jean-Luc Despont, assistant to the filmmaker George Melies.
- Several cast members would have been excluded from the real Apollo missions for being too tall (the limit was 6 feet, as depicted in the episode Is That All There Is. Among the actors over 6 feet are Adam Baldwin (Fred Haise) and Tim Daly (James Lovell) both depicting characters from the crew of Apollo 13.
- The episode For Miles and Miles features three actors who portrayed Superman: Tim Daly in the animated series that aired at the time, George Newbern in Justice League, and Adam Baldwin in Superman: Doomsday.
- Actor Bryan Cranston (Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin), also played "Gus" Grissom in That Thing You Do!
- David Andrews (Frank Borman) had played Pete Conrad in Apollo 13; Ben Marley (Roger Chaffee) played John Young in Apollo 13 and Brett Cullen (Dave Scott) had played Jack Lousma (a CAPCOM scheduled to fly on Apollo 19) in Apollo 13.
[edit] Cameos
- Andrew Chaikin (whose book A Man on the Moon inspired the miniseries) makes a brief appearance in pseudo-documentary footage during episode 1 as the commentator of Meet the Press.
- Winona Ryder is briefly glimpsed in an uncredited cameo during the luncheon for Susan Borman in The Original Wives Club.
- Apollo Pad Leader Guenter Wendt is seen in the background of one scene of "We Have Cleared the Tower" when Mark Harmon (as Wally Schirra) goes over the flight plan with Nick Searcy (as Deke Slayton).
[edit] Cast members
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Actor Role Krista Adair Jo Schirra Mason Adams Clinton P. Anderson, U.S. Senator Tom Amandes Harrison 'Jack' Schmitt, Astronaut Brandon Ambrose Edwin Borman Jo Anderson Pat White Sam Anderson Thomas O. Paine David Andrews Frank Borman, Astronaut Katie Austin Susan Lovell Dylan Baker Bruce McCoy Adam Baldwin Fred Haise, Astronaut George Bartenieff Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Administrator Jay T. Becker Jim Lewis Barry Bell Rocco Petrone, Apollo Program Director Janis Benson Margaret Chase Smith, U.S. Senator Reed Birney John Houbolt Rus Blackwell Joel Kruger Betsy Brantley Jan Armstrong Bart Braverman Sahjid David Brisbin Allyn B. Hazard Tom Brooks Jack Garman Jimmy Buffett journalist (fictional character) Robert John Burke William 'Bill' Anders, Astronaut Dan Butler Eugene Kranz, Flight Director David Clyde Carr Gerry Griffin, Flight Director Andrew Chaikin Meet the Press host (fictional character) David Clennon Lee Silver, geologist George Colangelo 'Buck' Willoughby Gary Cole Edgar Mitchell, Astronaut Ronny Cox Lee Atwood, CEO North American Aviation Bryan Cranston Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, Astronaut Matt Craven Tom Kelly, LM Engineer Wendy Crewson Faye Stafford Brett Cullen David Scott, Astronaut Robert Curtis-Brown Gavin O'Rourke Ann Cusack Jan Armstrong Timothy Daly James Lovell, Astronaut Blythe Danner Narrator (Episode 12) J. Downing Charles Duke, Astronaut Chris Ellis Bob Parker, Apollo 17 CAPCOM Cary Elwes Michael Collins, Astronaut Joe Farago Dr. Fred Kelly Lowell Fenner Russ Lawrence J. Don Ferguson Stephen M. Young, U.S. Senator Sally Field Trudy Cooper Keith Flippen Ken Jason Dann Florek Robert Seamans Dave Foley Alan Bean, Astronaut Don Fowler Harrison Storms Jr. Al Franken Jerome Weisner, Presidential Science Advisor Tracy Frenkel Rocco Petrone, Apollo Program Director Joanna Garcia Julie Shepard Jack Gilpin Theodore Sorensen, Deputy Counsel to the President Tony Goldwyn Neil Armstrong, Astronaut Keith Graham Skip Chauvin Rhoda Griffis Martha Chaffee Dan Hagen Jay Honeycutt Tom Hanks Jean-Luc Despont; Host/Narrator Mike Harding Dick Thorson Jerry Hardin Ben Taylor Mark Harmon Walter Schirra, Astronaut Steve Hofvendahl Tom Stafford, Astronaut Chris Hogan Don Eyles Gwen Hollander Laura Shepard Kristie Horton Barbara Lovell Peter Horton Frank Burns John Hostetter Ralph Cooper Clint Howard Paul Lucas Jim Howard William Schneider Joe Inscoe Chester Lee Chris Isaak Edward White II, Astronaut Zeljko Ivanek Ken Mattingly, Astronaut John M. Jackson Hal Deacon Elliot Kachnycz Jay Lovell George Kapetan Ed Fendell Tchéky Karyo George Melies David Kaufman Dave Gibson Daniel Hugh Kelly Eugene Cernan, Astronaut William Larson Seymour Rosen Michael Laskin Larry Thompson Mitchell Laurance Mahurin Dan Lauria James E. Webb, NASA Administrator Jim Leavy Clifton 'C.C.' Williams, Astronaut Fredric Lehne Walt Cunningham, Astronaut Ted Levine Alan Shepard, Astronaut Matthew Lussier Arnold Whitaker John Carroll Lynch Bob Gilruth, head of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center Marc Macaulay Karl Heinze Ann Magnuson Dee O'Hara, nurse Joshua Malina Tim Messick Ben Marley Roger Chaffee, Astronaut Phillip Martinez John Coursen Andrew Masset Dr. William House DeLane Matthews Pat McDivitt Deborah May Ann Hedges Paul McCrane Pete Conrad, Astronaut (Episode 7: "That's All There Is") Doug McKeon Joe Allen John Mese Donn Eisele, Astronaut Andy Milder Steve Bales Jay Mohr Brett Hutchins, reporter (fictional character) Elizabeth Morehead Tracy Cernan John Mountford Christopher Conrad Kieran Mulroney Russell 'Rusty' Schweickart, Astronaut Geoffrey Nauffts Ed Gibson George Newbern Stu Roosa, Astronaut Tom Nowicki David Bell Deirdre O'Connell Barbara Young Robin O'Dell Gaye Alford Conor O'Farrell James McDivitt, Astronaut Holmes Osborne George Low, NASA Deputy Administrator Kim Ostrenko Louise Shepard Elizabeth Perkins Marilyn Lovell Ethan Phillips Stanley Craig Kevin Pollak Joe Shea, Apollo Program Manager John Posey John W. Young, Astronaut Robby Preddy Phyllis Storms Steve Purnick Clyde Teague Michael Raynor Al Worden, Astronaut James Rebhorn Harrison Storms, VP North American Aviation Ruth Reid Betty Grissom Brett Rice Sam Langfitt Mark Rolston Gus Grissom, Astronaut Stephen Root Chris Kraft, Flight Director John Rothman Warren Moburg Andrew Rubin Jules Bergman, ABC Science Editor Alan Ruck Tom Dolan Debra Jo Rupp Marilyn See Mikki Scanlon Pat Collins Diana Scarwid Joan Aldrin Peter Scolari Pete Conrad, Astronaut (Episode 1: "Can We Do This?") Nick Searcy Donald 'Deke' Slayton, Astronaut Grant Shaud Bob Carbee Brian Shields Fred Borman John Slattery Walter Mondale, U.S. Senator Brandon Smith John Healey Lane Smith Emmett Seaborn, TV reporter (fictional character) Joe Spano George Mueller, NASA Deputy Administrator Cynthia Stevenson Jane Conrad Arthur Taxier Robert Van Dolah Lesa Thurman Joan Roosa Isa Totah Farouk El-Baz, Geologist John Travis John Aaron Robert C. Treveiler Gordon Cooper, Astronaut Kristian Truelsen Kurt Debus Tom Verica Dick Gordon, Astronaut Rick Warner Julian Bowman Russell Warner John Rigsby Norbert Weisser Wernher von Braun Gareth Williams James Irwin, Astronaut JoBeth Williams Marge Slayton Rita Wilson Susan Borman Ashleigh Ann Wood Alice Shepard Max Wright Guenter Wendt Steve Zahn Elliott See, Astronaut Steve Zurk George Hage
