Yeah, but you have to admit, he became a bit of a nutter in his later years, what with all that UFO stuff.
― Girolamo Savonarola, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)
From Philip Kaufman (with William Goldman)'s script for The Right Stuff..
Pack of Journalists: (approaching, eager) MR. COOPER! THERE HE IS!
Cooper: (straightens tie, sotto voce to Trudy) BIG SMILE.(looks up, smiles)
Interviewer: (to tv cameras) WE'RE TALKING TO GORDON COOPER, THE NEXT AMERICAN ASTRONAUT TO ORBIT THE EARTH. (to Cooper) SINCE YOU'RE THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL SEVEN, AND THE LEAST WELL-KNOWN, TELL US... (slowly, measuring the words) WHO WAS THE BEST PILOT YOU EVER SAW?
Cooper: (turns to Trudy, knowing smile, repeats in disbelief) WHO WAS THE BEST PILOT I EVER SAW? (serious, to journalists) WHO WAS THE BEST PILOT I EVER SAW? (thoughtful) WELL, I'LL TELL YOU...I SEEN A LOT OF THEM. MOST OF THEM ARE JUST PICTURES ON A WALL.
Voice of Journalist: (shouts) WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Cooper: (louder) PICTURES ON A WALL. (faraway look) BACK AT SOME PLACE... (shakes head) THAT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE.
Voice of Journalist: MR. COOPER, SPEAK UP.
Cooper: SOME OF THEM ARE...(looks at Grissom) RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM, AND SOME OF THEM (faraway look) ARE STILL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, DOING WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO -- (patiently) GOING UP EACH DAY IN A HURTLING PIECE OF MACHINERY - PUTTING THEIR HIDES OUT ON THE LINE - HANGING IT OUT OVER THE EDGE - PUSHING THAT ENVELOPE - AND HAULING IT IN. (thoughtful, faraway) BUT THERE WAS ONE PILOT I ONCE SAW WHO I THINK TRULY DID HAVE THE RIGHT--
Voice of Journalist: (shouts) HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO NOT HAULING IT BACK?!
Cooper: (looks around, pause, realizes what's called for, grin) WHO WAS THE BEST PILOT I EVER SAW? WELL, UH...(big grin) YOU'RE LOOKING AT HIM.
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)