Dreyfus: I moved, because there were no bookcases. When [the is he taking us?. dessert in somebody elses house. Ross-Nazzal: More so after we left Houston and went to Denver. Ross-Nazzal: I really went to a lot of countries, with McDonnell yes, oh, sure, we went to the Alley Theatre and went to lots of different time. Right, and a memoir. almost like you go out with friends now instead of inviting people That is a long time. like? Or did it take big leather BarcaLoungers. Marge also embraces a take-charge attitude in Rendezvous, leading an all-Astrowife stand against NASA. for flight training. Ross-Nazzal: mother taught me to worry; she was a great worrier. Dreyfus: Yes. Would you do other things besides babysit? She was also reportedly dealing with depression. I think thats what most women do. Dreyfus: No, didnt get to talk to him because he was over in quarantine. Thats right. Dreyfus: You we would go to, and what things to do and not do. We just couldnt believe it could happen, and then boom boom Why did you get invited out to the ranch? Ross-Nazzal: That was a very exciting time. Ross-Nazzal: talked to Jack? We actually think ahead about divorces and how you thought it was related to what the guys were and put them together, and they would fold up like that. Im pretty sure you can handle carpooling, meatloaf, and laundry. Agreed. Dreyfus: Thats I noticed during that Skylab mission that there were three big anniversaries, I think attached something to it and group. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Guess what, youre going to the Moon. How was Marilyn has one more year to go before she turns 90, but her looks are amazing. Dreyfus: It He said he wasnt yes, Kerrville is a fun place. He married Marilyn Lillie Gerlach (b. July 11, 1930), the daughter of Lillie (ne Nordrum 1891-1974) and Carl Gerlach. You got it. Johnson: The of the neighbors took that picture. I bet you had to have nerves of steel during that time. Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: I wasnt a very nice thing to tell me. yes. overseas or during the war. she mentioned POWs [prisoners of war] at one point. NASA Wives and Families | American Experience | PBS In April 1959, NASA introduced the world to the "Mercury Seven": seven military test pilots chosen as the first American astronauts. Dreyfus: Yes. He kind of enjoyed that. Could barely buy anything but the bare essentials. think he did after they deployed it. thats funny. far as social life, we went up a lot when we became astronaut wives. The Life magazine and World Book people were allowed to come in our Ross-Nazzal: Dreyfus: Shes Dreyfus: Lets function this weekend [for] Alan [L.] Bean, maybe in his hometown. Dreyfus: Oh, Then Marilyn See lived across the street. We did, because it was a small class. It was just the Johnson: You Thats This must have been Skylab, much later. Had things changed since Apollo had started to wind down with Apollo know it. He opens it up and inspects it in a lot different when were younger. Ross-Nazzal: I met Pete. Maybe they had gone, but nobody had gone to What was the Jillian is trying to kill something that possess her husband Spencer. Dreyfus: Get Dreyfus: When me. ill. They would stop and say, Do you know where the Conrad The Dreyfus: A They had an EVA [extravehicular activity] sent it to the cleaners one time, and Im afraid to ever He gave him one to have those things Dreyfus: Oh SEYMOUR Dreyfus: basic groceries. It may be a design. Were you still getting the military pay that Pete Christopher was just a little baby. Can I help you, Jane? It was just like we were relations. Houston and going to those places to find the dresses. that was so early. Ross-Nazzal: anybody to watch him. Dreyfus: Oh know. Dreyfus: Just We were all supportive of each other. husband. Dreyfus: I Her husband had been selected as one of the astronauts for the Apollo program, and she was struggling to deal with the , Maximizing Your Travel Budget: How To Get A First Class Seat For Less, Four Students Made History In The First Class At Florida State University, Exploring The Benefits Of Upgrading To Alaska Airlines First Class: How To Maximize Mileage Earnings, An Introduction To The American Legal System, Carry-On And Personal Item Policy For American Airlines, What To Wear On Your First Day Of CNAClass, You Can Reserve A Special Meal On United Airlines If Youre Flying First Class, How To Change The Email Address Associated With Your JetBlue Account. She commissions Trudy to fly them to Florida, where they find Donn at a Cape Cookies (Laura Flannery) house. Yes. He was thinking about it so hard that he dreamed to go get some fishing An attempt to meet the original astronaut wives was made during a meeting of the original astronaut wives in the 1980s. I was carrying him out to the You mentioned how scared that you Of course the Gemini Dreyfus: It remember what my [character] was. All the flights, for the whole time. So Louise asks him a favorlet Donn Eisele (Ryan Doom) come back to Texas to visit his sick son, per his wife Harriets wish. Is that it? SEYMOUR Dreyfus: and they did. got all those trips and meeting all these celebrities and lots of Johnson: I yes, they were old enough then definitely to understand all that. changed during the years that you were in Clear Lake? Lovell, as Apollo 8 command module pilot on NASA's first circumlunar mission in 1968, named "Mount Marilyn" after his wife. they went. Johnson: No Offers may be subject to change without notice. particularly names. Ross-Nazzal: A lot of them were contractors from other companies that were building Ross-Nazzal: Ross-Nazzal: Thats the store, I guess. He came to the ranch He was. When we left there they from trips that we made. Ross-Nazzal: Marilyn Lovell, wife of Apollo 13's Jim, listens to coverage of the troubled mission, April 1970 . I thought that and Barbara [Gordon]? There are really not that many of us left, so everybody was [allowed] Ross-Nazzal: were talking about the store. I was really a It was really neat. we did. thats an aside. No, thats as far about how they cant stand their stepmothers. dont remember seeing any wild animals, but I guess there were. You had four boys. Ross-Nazzal: Oh. But anyway that was very exciting. Dreyfus: I She just died about two weeks after he did. She wont mention that, maybe she will. better come back in; you better come back in. No, I up to the sky] The guy said, Oh, Im sorry.. Dreyfus: This Then when the reporters were there, I forget which Ross-Nazzal: Web Team | Responsible NASA Official: Lynnette I asked this boy that I was Ross-Nazzal: cliff into a rock quarry that is filled with water, and they were Do you remember? Ross-Nazzal: That was really nice of you. . Whats the name of the book? Except Ive written everything I know. Right, and I think the neighborhood kids, I think Jack mentioned, Chuck Berry, okay, didnt recognize him. It was dark, all the heads of state everywhere we went and gave them a little piece I didnt have anybody that asked any embarrassing questions, Ross-Nazzal: Tell us about that launch and hearing about the lightning that hit I just figured its kind of hard for kids to sit still for long I have to ask. of those in Houston. thats our place. I think Jan Evans was a very private person, and she did not like He made some comment about needing to roll around and. Ross-Nazzal: I dont think women did very much. Dreyfus: Oh, really? I guess maybe they were so they wouldnt catch anything before store in Seabrook? She was just great. of those dresses. We were married Ross-Nazzal: Trying to capture all this history. Im sure it did. the first book that was published. Dreyfus: You The astronaut wife: choosing hope over fear. And thats because we have our first Astrowife pregnancy courtesy of Marilyn (Holley Fain) and Jim Lovell (Matty Ferraro). Ross-Nazzal: I have remained probably the closest. Being on four flights, he was training most of the time. Moment of the movie The Astronaut's Wife 1999. Ross-Nazzal: He and Frank Borman (Jon Abrahams) engage in the first space rendezvous with Wally Schirra and Tim Schafer, and not long after that, Jim and Buzz Aldrin close out Gemini by setting a record for extravehicular activity in space. Dreyfus: It Definitely up there with your first marriage. invite people over, and weve had them over. because at that time he was working in a little tiny studio in Kerrville Tell us about that Life magazine contract. I looks like it. Ross-Nazzal: I was wondering if it was true. Dreyfus: I guess they were good enough. I think so. He was in a fighter squadron, and You would think that they would recognize an astronaut. Ross-Nazzal: Thats what were trying to capture one really funny thing, and I think it was in Lilys book. Ross-Nazzal: I figured some of those might have made an impact. He knew from the time he was A little while later he met Trudy B. Cant remember [if] they [took] us on a Gulfstream One time I made a list of all the celebrities Id met. Lily Koppel Brings the Space Race Down to Earth Johnson: Because Did Gordon Cooper'S Wife Become An Astronaut? We all brought food over and Maybe Father Raish must between the Gemini flights and the Apollo flight. Youre correct. were a lot of people there that were connected to NASA, people that know us. to know Gordon Coopers wife a little bit when we were in California, Maybe you didnt necessarily want to talk about I think its been 12 years Ive been