Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-03-2005 03:04 PM
CBS release
In the First Television Profile He Has Agreed to, Neil Armstrong Says He Doesn't Deserve the Celebrity That Comes With Being the First Man on the Moon — "60 Minutes" Sunday on CBS
The man who will be forever famous as the first to step foot on the moon says he doesn't deserve that fame. Neil Armstrong talks to Ed Bradley in the first television profile he's ever agreed to do, revealing his personal feelings about Apollo 11, his family and the fame he shuns. It will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES, Sunday, Nov. 6 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
"I don't deserve [attention for being the first man on the moon because] I wasn't chosen to be first," says Armstrong, visibly uncomfortable. "I was just chosen to command that flight. Circumstance put me in that particular role. That wasn't planned by anyone," he says.
One of the disappointing parts of celebrity, says Armstrong, was the difference in the way he says he was treated after the historic landing. "Friends and colleagues -- all of a sudden -- looked at us, treated us differently than they had months or years before when we were working together," he says. "I never quite understood that."
Another result of his career as a test pilot and astronaut was the toll it took on his family. "The one thing I regret was that my work required an enormous amount of my time and a lot of travel," he tells Bradley, "and I didn't get to spend the time I would have liked with my family as they grew up." Armstrong had two sons with his wife of 38 years, Janet, from whom he was divorced in 1994.
He also had a 2-year-old daughter, Karen, who died in 1962 of brain cancer, a tragedy that he tried to keep from affecting his work. "I thought the best thing for me to do in that situation was to continue with my work, keep things as normal as I could," says Armstrong, "...not to have it affect my ability to do useful things."
Armstrong was so focused on his work, he rarely took a break, even the day he was nearly killed when he was forced to eject from an experimental lunar-landing craft too close to the ground -- a narrow escape that could have resulted in his death. "Yeah, probably would have [been killed]," says Armstrong. Bradley then asks if it was true that he returned to his office to do paperwork afterward. " I did -- there was work to be done," he tells Bradley.
Armstrong has a new authorized biography titled, First Man; it is published by Simon & Schuster, which, like CBS, is a Viacom company.
hinkler Member
Posts: 590 From: Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA Registered: Jan 2000
posted 11-06-2005 03:17 AM
60 Minutes Australia did not show the Armstrong interview this week. I hope all you folks in the US enjoy it when it is shown.
Hopefully it will eventually arrive in Oz.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-06-2005 07:02 PM
The segment with Armstrong just aired; a few thoughts as they are fresh in my head:
This wasn't meant for us - space history enthusiasts - but for the general public. There was very little, if anything new to the "profile"
Armstrong and Cronkite appear; Aldrin was taped for this segment but doesn't appear
Locations where they filmed: atop Pad 39's gantry (an "old Apollo launch pad"), inside the Saturn V Center, at the farm where Armstrong lived; inside a studio, at Armstrong's home (I believe), and inside a sailplane with Armstrong at the controls
A majority of the segment is Ed Bradley narrating archival footage; Armstrong was on-screen for maybe 1/4 (if that) of the (already brief) time
The advance articles wrapped up pretty much what was said; major topics: what it was like to launch, being chosen to be first, death of his daughter Karen, flying sail planes, effects of celebrity, and future of space flight
It was worth tuning in for the footage of Armstrong flying the glider, but otherwise if you're looking to get to know Armstrong, read the book ("First Man").
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-06-2005 10:30 PM
Leonard David's article about the 60 Minutes segment on SPACE.com:
Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the Moon back in July 1969 remains surprised that America deserted the Apollo program so quickly in the early 1970s.
"I knew we [the Apollo program] would have a limited life," Armstrong said in an interview on the CBS news show 60 Minutes which aired Sunday. "But I must say it was a bit shorter than my expectation. I fully expected that by the end of the [20th] century we would have achieved substantially more than we actually did," Armstrong said.
albatron Member
Posts: 2804 From: Stuart, Florida Registered: Jun 2000
posted 11-07-2005 08:24 AM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: This wasn't meant for us...
I agree Rob in that it had nothing new to us "grizzled space vets," but it was nice to see the person outlined in the book, for a change. Unless meeting him in person all you ever see of him is at various functions or engagements and he's a tad more guarded.
No 'ol Neil, he done good. From a human perspective this was done well, but I do feel it could've been done better. At risk of being prejudiced (I am but that's not the point) — from a historical standpoint the first man on the moon deserved more than a one-third segment — especially as he's never done something like this before. They missed a great opportunity by keeping it short. Lot's more could've been brought into the mix, but then this wasn't as much to profile Neil, but rather to advance the book.
Glint Member
Posts: 1135 From: New Windsor, Maryland USA Registered: Jan 2004
posted 11-07-2005 11:30 AM
My impression was that there was too much doting on Walter Cronkite during the show.
It was great seeing the archival footage of Cronkite but was it really necessary to then show the 2005 Cronkite recalling his words just aired a few secdonds before? Redundant waste of precious program seconds.
Tic, tic, tic, tic...
mjanovec Member
Posts: 3811 From: Midwest, USA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 11-07-2005 01:06 PM
I have to agree the Cronkite part took away from time that should have been devoted to talking to Armstrong. But then they probably thought that many people's memories of the moon landing including watching Cronkite react to the successful landing (just like Cronkite announcement of JFK's death is often replayed in Kennedy documentaries). It's the connection that many people have to the story.
Ideally, more time should have been devoted to the story in general...allowing them to keep the short Cronkite bit and maybe even include the Aldrin interview they shot. I would have been curious to hear what questions they asked Buzz. He probably had to suffer through questions like "Do you wish you had been first?" only to then not have his interview make the program.
posted 11-07-2005 02:06 PM
I enjoyed the show, but let's face it, for us space geeks it could have lasted hours and hours and we STILL would have wanted more. Robert made a great point in that the show was directed towards the average person and not for those that have a great interest in space. But it was still great to see Armstrong. Can't wait to read the book!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
In a rare interview, the first astronaut to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, talks with Ed Bradley about his historic moon landing, NASA, his family, and the fame he shuns. Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11, tells about a near disaster just moments before the Eagle touch down on the moon.
Release date: June 15, 2006
Media Format: NTSC
Run time: 14 minutes
SCE to AUX Member
Posts: 245 From: Anytown USA Registered: Feb 2006
posted 05-30-2006 10:36 AM
Just got a copy over the weekend.
It is a DVD-R. The disc contains the entire show, not just the Armstrong segment. In this case it works out because the other two segments are pretty good.
One bummer though, it dips to black for minutes at a time during the commercial inserts, not sure if why they didn't edit these out. Also, no chapter breaks. enjoy!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
CustomFlix and Amazon.com to Distribute CBS News' "60 Minutes" Broadcasts as Customized DVDs
60 Minutes viewers can now order DVD versions of many of their favorite stories from the broadcast at Amazon.com.
And soon CBS News archive, one of the great treasures of news content in the world, will make selected segments available on customized DVDs through a unique agreement CBS News has signed with Amazon.com and its subsidiary, CustomFlix. The deal was announced July 14, 2006, by Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.
Containing millions of feet of film and over 2 million videocassettes, the CBS News archive is one of the world's largest repositories of news content and historical footage.
A virtual video history of the world from the mid-20th Century on, the archive includes some of the best reporting and footage from World War II, the Cold War, the Kennedy assassinations, the Civil Rights movement, the space program — including the 1969 moon landing — the Vietnam War, Middle East conflicts, the 9/11 attacks and every important news event in between.
The archive also contains news segments produced by 60 Minutes — the most watched and respected television news magazine in history.
"This arrangement provides us a way to make thousands of hours of CBS News content accessible to millions of Amazon.com customers on DVD," McManus said. "The service is another way to fulfill our goal of making CBS News content easily accessible to the public."
"CBS News programming is a natural fit for the CustomFlix Create Your Own DVD service," said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix. "We understand that many customers want the flexibility of picking and choosing CBS News content in a collectible format and customized DVDs are a perfect solution. Through the CustomFlix Create Your Own DVD service, customers can select the specific news they want and then CustomFlix builds a customized DVD containing just that content."
Amazon.com customers can order segments of daily or weekly news broadcasts and compilations on Amazon.com, or choose to assemble their own compilations from thousands of news segments through the CustomFlix Create Your Own DVD service. Customers can also order single reports or customized discs of CBS News programming on CBSNews.com.
CBS News programming now available for purchase includes:
60 Minutes — Content from the most successful news broadcast in television history, from hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews and feature segments to profiles of the people who have helped change our world.
CBS Evening News — Classic and current news segments from the CBS Network's daily newscasts' weekday and weekend editions.
CBS News Sunday Morning — Content from the number one Sunday morning news program, from newsmaker and celebrity profiles to compelling feature segments.
CBS Long-Form Documentaries — Numerous single-topic documentaries produced by CBS News Productions during the past 10 years.
The DVDs created by the CustomFlix Create Your Own DVD system have uniquely customized artwork, are professionally packaged with full-color DVD faces and covers in over-wrapped amaray-style cases, and can contain up to 10 news segments or 90 minutes of video.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52350 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-26-2006 07:54 PM
"60 Minutes", CBS' news magazine, won four Emmys at the 27th annual news and documentary awards ceremony. From CBS News:
"60 Minutes" won the most awards for a single program, which were presented Monday, Sept. 25, 2006. The awards were for the following reports...
Outstanding Interview in a News Magazine:
"First Man" — Ed Bradley speaks to Neil Armstrong in a rare interview with the first man on the moon. Mitch Weitzner, Kara MacMahon, producers; Matthew Danowski, editor.
mjanovec Member
Posts: 3811 From: Midwest, USA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 09-26-2006 08:43 PM
Sometimes I see that certain 60 Minutes interviews get extended airings on cable networks, showing more footage than was originally broadcast. Now that the Armstrong interview has earned an Emmy, I wonder if we'll eventually see an extended version.
SVaughan Member
Posts: 42 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Aug 2006
posted 09-27-2006 08:59 AM
Hmmm...I can't help but wonder if the fact that it was an interview with Neil Armstrong that won the Emmy, rather than the interview itself. I didn't find the interview particularly insightful or revealing and was in fact quite disappointed with it given that we may never see another one.
Then again, maybe my opinion is swayed because I am quite familiar with Mr. Armstrong's life and was hoping for more. It certainly didn't strike me as award-winning journalism, however.
mjanovec Member
Posts: 3811 From: Midwest, USA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 10-03-2006 10:06 AM
I think the award might have been somewhat based on the fact the interview was with a "media-reluctant" personality. While the interview didn't tell space enthusiasts very much that they didn't already know, it was probably more interesting to the average person.
Neil has a reputation for a very private person and, for many people, this is the first time they saw him in the spotlight since Apollo 11 (other than maybe a car commercial). Or, at least, it's the first really good look that most people have had of Neil in decades. The interview dispelled some myths about Armstrong being an eccentric who locks himself away in his home. It showed a guy who is quite normal (and humble) and just has a desire to live his life out of the spotlight.
I suspect those of us here would be more interested in the interview bits that didn't make it onto the program. There is probably a lot on the cutting room floor that we would find interesting. With any luck, longer segments from the interview will eventually be seen. The fact it won the award increases those odds.
413 is in Member
Posts: 726 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
posted 11-09-2006 12:30 PM
Per CNN: CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Ed Bradley has died from leukemia at the age of 65.
Mike Isbell Member
Posts: 608 From: Silver Spring, Maryland USA Registered: Aug 2003
posted 11-09-2006 04:30 PM
I first remember watching Mr. Bradley when he anchored the CBS Sunday night news in the late 1960's. During the Vietnam war, Mr. Bradley was wounded while serving as a news correspondent.
Perhaps my favorite memory of Mr. Bradley came in the early 1990's when he made a guest appearence on a music show, the name of which I can no longer remember, and the band sang their then new song 'Sixty Minute Man' in his honor. Sadly on this day it is time to say goodbye to a 60 minute man.
posted 11-09-2006 04:31 PM
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bradley on a flight once and spoke with him for a few minutes...a class act! He will be missed.
dss65 Member
Posts: 1367 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
posted 11-09-2006 08:55 PM
Yet another icon of our time gone. He always seemed to have a wonderful dignity about him. Rest in peace, sir.
ea757grrl Member
Posts: 811 From: South Carolina Registered: Jul 2006
posted 11-10-2006 05:09 AM
I remember seeing a snippet of Mr. Bradley on stage with the Neville Brothers singing "Sixty Minute Man" (a hit for The Dominoes in the early 1950s, and I think you can find it on the "Pleasantville" soundtrack — it's a favorite song of mine). I imagine in the coming days, with the tributes that will air, we'll get to see that clip again.
Ed Bradley was very close to the Nevilles, so much so that they considered him "the fifth Neville brother." Aaron Neville performed a very sweet musical tribute to Bradley at the end of "Larry King" last night.
As for the Armstrong interview, I think it was somehow appropriate that Ed Bradley did the interview with Neil Armstrong. They're both very understated people, sort of "cool" personalities, and the more I think about it, the more appropriate it was. It was an interview with a man with a lot of class, conducted by another man who was a class act himself.
Ed Bradley's gonna be missed, for sure.
KSCartist Member
Posts: 3079 From: Titusville, FL Registered: Feb 2005
posted 11-10-2006 07:02 AM
I was reminded by the tape last night. I saw Mr. Bradley go into the water to help the Vietnamese Boart People ashore. It spoke to his belief that everyone has a responsibility to make the world a better place. No matter with large or small gestures - do something positive.
Thank you Mr. Bradley for your body of work, your mentoring of young people and for your humanity. You will be missed.
Last night at the close of a video tribute, Mr. Bradley comes on the screen and says "When I'm standing at the pearly gates and St Peter asks what have you done to deserve entrance? I'll reply did you see my interview with Lena Horne?"
Skythings Member
Posts: 273 From: Registered: Jun 2014
posted 05-08-2024 03:32 PM
I came across the 60 Minutes 2005 interview with Neil Armstrong on YouTube today. I realize it was discussed years ago but the old links no longer worked to view it.
posted 11-03-2005 03:04 PM
advertisement