Across the Pacific’ — Edward Trippe
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Summer/Fall 2020 www.panam.org NEWSLETTERCLI OF THEPP PAN AMER HISTORICAL FOUNDATION From The Chairman, The Making of ‘Across the Pacific’ — Edward Trippe... A Conversation with Stephen Lyons, Executive Producer/Director By Ruth Maron When the three-hour documentary, Across the Pacific, debuted on Virginia Public Media/PBS in May 2020, it was the culmination of more than 15 years of work. Clipper recently talked with Stephen Lyons, Executive Producer, Writer and Director, to find out how this groundbreaking Last December, could anyone film came about. have imagined that 2020 would unleash a global pandemic that “In the late ‘90s, I was working at development grants totaling $40,000 to would threaten our lives and all WGBH in Boston as development edi- support the research and writing of a pro- that we have comfortably assumed tor on a NOVA series called “Adventures posal to the National Endowment for the would be secure in this modern in Flight.’” The idea was to do a series Humanities, the most promising source era of technology and amazing of programs, each one a re-enactment of of production funds for a historical film medical advances? For the aging a historic flight,” Steve said. When an of this sort. Based on his experience with Pan Am community, we are the independent production team proposed previous NEH proposals, Steve did not most vulnerable and hopefully a film about the storied China Clipper, think it likely that NEH would support most of us have been spared. Steve added that idea to the hopper of a film that focused only on Juan Trippe, However, as this issue of Clipper potential programs for the series. But Pan Am and the China Clipper. But his goes to press, it is hard to compre- NOVA was unable to raise the necessary early research suggested a more promis- hend the new social and economic funds for “Adventures in Flight.” The ing approach: basing the film on Trippe realities we live with and where it project was ultimately shelved, and Steve and two other major characters: Russian will all end. soon left NOVA to pursue other projects airplane designer Igor Sikorskyand radio Across the Pacific as an independent producer. engineer Hugo Leuteritz. As the new decade of 2020 Years later, Doug Miller, a member of “People today think of Igor Sikor- opened, the Pan Am Historical the team that had initially proposed the sky as the inventor of the helicopter; Foundation (PAHF) had great film to NOVA, contacted Steve to re- they are largely unaware of the role he hopes and plans. The long-await- kindle interest in a film about the China played in the development of the Flying ed Pan Am documentary, Across Clipper. Now PAHF ‘s webmaster and a Boat,” Steve says. That story begins with the Pacific, was on schedule to roll board member, Doug eventually became Sikorsky’s design and production of an out in May and by June it was consulting producer on the film. amphibian called the S-38, which could showing on multiple PBS stations “Doug played a big role in the devel- land and take off on water as well as across the country. The film by all opment of the film,” Steve says. “He land. That led to the S-40 and the S-42 accounts has been a great success was an important source of informa- — two of the most important flying and has been well received by all tion about the early history of Pan Am; boats from an era when the lack of suit- who have had the opportunity to helped us track down dozens of critical able runways meant large planes could see it. In this issue, Executive Pro- images, particularly those from the Pan land only on water. ducer Stephen Lyons talks about Am archives, and was an invaluable Leuteritz played an underappreciated how the film came about over a sounding board for the project.” but critical role, pioneering the radio period spanning more than fifteen navigation techniques that would allow years. The story tracks the earliest Together, Steve and Doug approached PAHF and secured the first of two Across the Pacificcont. p. 4 Chairman cont. p. 2 Chairman from p. 1 Persistence of Vision — beginnings of Pan Am and chronicles the advances in avionics with each suc- Pan Am’s Moving Image Heritage cessive generation of aircraft. I grew up hearing stories about the early days By Doug Miller of Pan Am, but as I watch ‘Across the Pacific,’ I still marvel at that dedicated Having these historic motion pictures provides a bridge group of young men and their incred- to a past which is now beyond most living memory, but ible accomplishments achieved against they also provide the resources essential for accurately unimaginable odds. presenting Pan Am’s history on into the future. Marine Air Terminal After many months of discussion and rom the start, the building of an Pan Am, like other companies, much frustration, we hoped that in Finternational airline was the sub- saw value in commissioning films to 2020 we would conclude our plans with ject of intense interest and excitement. be shown to groups. Civic, church, the Port Authority for a permanent Pan Aviation was still in its formative school, and other gatherings were per- Am presence in the Marine Air Terminal stage, and stories of record-breaking fect venues, and the audiences were (MAT) at LaGuardia Airport. Though flights and adventure aloft filled more than willing to watch. As routes talks have been stalled by the current newspapers and magazines in the US spread ever wider, Pan Am made films pandemic, we are optimistic that plans and internationally. And even more with titles such as “Two Hours to Ha- captivating were actual movies of the vana,” “Flying the Lindbergh Trail,” same events. “South by Sky,” “Five Hours to Motion pictures were only a bit old- Bermuda,” “Gateway to the Southern er than aviation, but by the 1920s, Americas,” and “Transpacific.” Even the movie business had grown from if the average viewer was not about to novelty status into a sizable indus- pay the price of a Clipper journey, the try. By the close of the decade, as vicarious thrill of a promotional film Pan Am was spreading wings to the provided a fine alternative. south, the portable movie-making gear was widely available. Both professional and amateur film equip- Detail showing Pan Am from the famous ment was being widely used. James Brooks mural, “Flight” Hollywood had already caught will be finalized soon. The building has ‘flying fever’, not coincidentally with been designated a National Landmark so Charles Lindbergh’s unleashing a its place in history is secure. However, tidal wave of popular enthusiasm Pan Am’s role in the operation of the with his transatlantic flight in1927. Terminal is not well documented. The The very first Academy Award for MAT was Pan Am’s headquarters for Best Picture went that year to the its North Atlantic Operations from its Transpacific Title Frame World War I aviation epic “Wings.” opening in 1940 through WWII until These films were heavy on the allure the airline moved to the new Idlewild Interest in capturing aviation on of what were then exotic destinations, Airport in 1948. As previously re- film went far beyond big budget pro- but they also showed how comfort- ported, the exhibit will include a series ductions for the silver screen. Mo- able, safe, and exciting a Clipper trip of plaques recognizing the landmark tion picture presentations provided could be. Viewed today, the presenta- status of the building and commemorat- the perfect visual aids for group tion can seem campy and quaint. But ing the massive mural by James Brooks presentations — a huge advance the places filmed decades ago have which depicts the history of flight and over the ‘magic lantern’ used previ- long since changed. For example, Pan Am’s significant role in aviation. A ously. With the advent of portable shots of 1934 Port of Spain, Trinidad new, larger model of the Boeing B-314 is film cameras and projectors (mostly are today valuable as a window onto proposed to hang in the Rotunda. ✈ using 16mm ‘safety’ film rather than highly flammable nitrate film com- a bygone time and place. And the se- Please see page 3 for Ed Trippe’s report of monly used in Hollywood), public quences of the aircraft, terminals, and the Foundation sponsored tour through presentations enjoyed a powerful personnel are true historical gems. Egypt on the eve of the pandemic. new dynamic visual dimension. Persistence cont. p. 6 2 2 A report on the Pan Am Historical Foundation 2020 Tour on the Eve of the Covid 19 Pandemic By Ed Trippe n early March, an enthusiastic group of Cairo has changed dramatically since government moved quickly and all hotels IPan Am colleagues, along with family my days visiting Egypt in the 1980s. The and cruise ships on the Upper Nile were and friends, descended on Alexandria from urban sprawl has grown in all directions immediately quarantined. We were under far-flung corners of the globe to embark and the traffic is crippling. Unchanged and lockdown at the Moudira Hotel, unsure on a two-week adventure of a lifetime. still incredibly impressive are the Egyptian whether our Egyptian tour was about to be Upon arrival, we were greeted by Dina Ezz antiquities. On the first day, we visited the cancelled. By noon, the Egyptian medical El Din, our tour leader and Egyptologist Citadel, a massive fortification and mosque authorities had tested our group and we extraordinaire.