The Reluctant Astronaut
Released: 1967
Science Fiction, Comedy, Family
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.
Starring: Don Knotts, Leslie Nielsen, Joan Freeman, Jesse White, Jeanette Nolan, Frank McGrath, Arthur O'Connell, Joan Shawlee
Directed by: Edward Montagne
Written by: James Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum
Language: English
Scenes
In the opening scene, Roy (Don Knotts) is operating a children's "space flight" ride. He tells the kids that they will be landing in 20 minutes, but then one girl immediately says she has to go to the bathroom. "We have just landed," he says. His girlfriend Ellie (Joan Freeman) tells Roy later that she helped with the girl's buttons.
While serving as a real astronaut, Roy asks Mission Control for the proper procedures for relieving himself. After they explain it to him, he says "You're kidding!" Nothing shown.