Countdown

TCM's Alicia Malone introduces Countdown, 1968.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Countdown, 1968.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Countdown, 1968.

Shot at director Robert Altman’s home, from his first feature, Robert Ridgely the singing guest, Ted Knight a NASA administrator, James Caan as Lee, the astronaut host, Robert Duvall as Chiz, whom he’s been chosen to replace for a solo moon mission, with early-Altman overlapping dialogue, in Countdown, 1968.

Opening scene from director Robert Altman’s first feature, Robert Duvall, James Caan and Michael Murphy the crew of an Apollo spacecraft, when they get an irritating order from Houston, in Countdown, 1968, from a novel by Henry Searls.

James Caan as scientist-astronaut Lee, joining Barbara Baxley, wife of his Apollo crew chief Chiz (Robert Duvall), who explains to him and colleague Rick (Michael Murphy) about what happened in training that day, and an emergency mission, in director Robert Altman’s first feature, Countdown, 1968.

Robert Duvall is astronaut and Air Force man Chiz, supervising the low-oxygen moon-landing simulation for his civilian colleague Lee (James Caan), who was chosen to replace him for the emergency solo mission, Steve Inhat suggesting mercy, Robert Altman directing, in Countdown, 1968.

An astronaut (James Caan) is caught between precautions and a race to the Moon in Countdown (1968), directed by Robert Altman.