On the Threshold of Space

On the Threshold of Space (1956)

They Soar to Glory!... The Flying Scientists of the U.S. Air Force!

In the early stages of the space program, Capt. Jim Hollenbeck undergoes any experiment needed to ensure success in the new Air Force branch -- even though he's not required to be a subject in the tests. Always remaining a constant source of support, his wife, Pat, accepts his unwavering commitment to scientific progress. When Maj. Ward Thomas becomes the new head of the program, Hollenbeck must convince him of the necessity of taking the extra steps.

Date of release
1956-03-29
TMDB
6.0 / 10 (2)
Runtime
1h 38m
Genres
Drama
Director
Robert D. Webb

Casting

Interesting facts

On the Threshold of Space is a 1956 drama directed by Robert D. Webb, starring Guy Madison, Virginia Leith and John Hodiak. It was Hodiak's final film; he died six months before it was released. On the Threshold of Space provides a historical depiction of air force tests made in the United States for the imminent space race.

Production

On the Threshold of Space documents the testing of downward firing ejection seats from Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers that were conducted at Eglin AFB, Florida, initially between October 7 and October 21, 1953. Nine tests were conducted of the seat from a B-47 over Eglin's water ranges over the Gulf of Mexico, by the Air Proving Ground, at an altitude of 10,000 feet and various speeds.

"Actually, we feel that the star of the movie will be the Air Force and the progress it is making in the aero medical field," said Robert Webb, director, in commenting on the film.

"It will deal with [the] Air Force's work in the aero medical field and will include actual shots of experimentations with the Air Force sled being made under direction of Lt. Col. John Paul Stapp, Air Force surgeon, who appeared on the cover of the Sept. 12 issue of 'Time' magazine."

On the Threshold of Space was filmed in part at the Air Proving Grounds Command, Eglin AFB, Florida, the Shoreline Hotel in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and at Holloman AFB, New Mexico.

Filming in Florida took place in mid-September 1955. "A crew consisting of 79 members including technicians and cast, of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation" shot in the Eglin / Fort Walton Beach area for about seven days, starting on September 15. Some Eglin personnel were used in shooting regional scenes. Production then moved to New Mexico.

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.

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