Summary:

A blank movie screen. Sounds of a crowded airport terminal, drowned out by noise of a passing jet. The airport terminal announcer intones, “Attention. Attention, please. Continental Airlines announces the departure of Flight 3, for Los Angeles and Honolulu at Gate 28, the Blue Concourse.”  The scene fades into a bustling lane of ticket counters at Lincoln International Airport.  Stenciled titles appear.

UNIVERSAL PRESENTS

A ROSS HUNTER PRODUCTION

The scene then shifts outside to a view of departing planes as the main title appears:

AIRPORT

Snow blowers toss a blizzard of white spray from the runway.

BURT LANCASTER

DEAN MARTIN

In This Minute:

No characters are seen during this segment of the opening credits.

Summary:

Credits continue

More snow plowing
JEAN SEBERG

More snow plowing
JACQUELINE BISSET

Even more snow plowing
GEORGE KENNEDY

Even more snow plowing
HELEN HAYES

Even more snow plowing
VAN HEFLIN

Even more snow plowing with the Conga Line
ALSO STARRING
MAUREEN STAPLETON
BARRY NELSON

Even more snow plowing with the Conga Line
DANA WYNTER
LLOYD NOLAN

Even more snow plowing with the Conga Line
BARBARA HALE
GARY COLLINS

Sanding trucks driving away from camera
CO-STARRING
JOHN FINDLATER
JESSIE ROYCE LANDIS
LARRY GATES
PETER TURGEON
WHIT BISSELL

Ice melting fire trucks driving away from camera
WITH
VIRGINIA GREY
EILEEN WESSON
PAUL PICERNI
ROBERT PATTEN
CLARK HOWAT
LEW BROWN
ILANA DOWDING
LISA GERRITSON

More of the ice melting fire trucks driving away from camera
JIM NOLAN
PATTY POULSEN
ENA HARTMAN
MALILA SAINT DUVAL
SHARON HARVEY
ALBERT REED
JODEAN RUSSO

Even more of the ice melting fire trucks driving away from camera
NANCY ANN NELSON
DICK WINSLOW
LOU WAGNER
JANIS HANSEN
MARY JACKSON
SHELLY NOVACK
CHUCK DANIEL
CHARLES BREWER

In This Minute:

No characters are seen during this segment of the opening credits.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Helen Hayes US Forever stamp

Summary:

Credits continue

Even more of the ice melting fire trucks driving away from camera
NANCY ANN NELSON
DICK WINSLOW
LOU WAGNER
JANIS HANSEN
MARY JACKSON
SHELLY NOVACK
CHUCK DANIEL
CHARLES BREWER

A Northwest 727 takes off across the screen

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ERNEST LASZLO A.S.C.

A view of “Lincoln International Airport” from the parking lot

ART DIRECTORS:
ALEXANDER GOLITZEN   AND E. PRESTON AMES

SET DECORATIONS:
JACK D. MOORE
MICKEY S. MICHAELS

UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER:
RAYMOND GOSNELL

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR:
DONALD ROBERTS
A front loader hoists snow out of the parking lot while a driver wipes snow off his windsheld

FILM EDITOR
STUART GILMORE

SOUND
WALDON O. WATSON
DAVID H. MORIARITY
RONALD PIERCE

TECHNICAL ADVISORS
JOHN N DENEND – F.A.A. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
CAPTAIN LEE DANIELSON

MUSIC EDITOR
ARNOLD SCHWARZWALD

Another view of the “SA” parking lot being cleared of snow.

MAKE-UP
BUD WESTMORE

HAIR STYLIST
LARRY GERMAIN

SCRIPT SUPERVISOR
BETTY ABBOTT

COSMETICS BY
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PROFESSIONAL COSMETICS

SMPTE bug
Westrex logo
© MCMLXIX BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES
AND ROSS HUNTER PRODUCTIONS, INC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Telephoto shot of dozens of 60’s cars parked in a snow-covered lot, with travelers walking between the cars.

PRODUCED IN TODD-AO®
DEVELOPED BY
THE AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY
AND MAGNA

Same parking lot scene

COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR®

SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC EFFECTS
FILM EFFECTS OF HOLLYWOOD
DON W. WEED
JAMES B. GORDON, A.S.C.

MPAA Logo Number 22114

Three snow-covered Fords in the parking lot as the streetlights begin to illuminate the scene.

COSTUMES BY EDITH HEAD

The same scene, with suitcase toting travelers walking toward their cars.

MUSIC COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY ALFRED NEWMAN

Lincoln International’s control tower, as night descends.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER JACQUE MAPES

A toroidal radar dish rotates in the twilight sky

FROM THE NOVEL BY ARTHUR HAILEY

Six men seated at Lincoln Approach Control radar screens are busy at work.

In This Minute:

No characters are seen during this segment of the opening credits.

Peter Regan is a Senior VP for an unnamed hospitality resort conglomerate. He loves “Airport” with all his heart and distrusts those who think otherwise. He also went to school with Mark and Jim a million years ago, so there’s that.

Summary

Stenciled titles over the ATC radar room:

PRODUCED BY ROSS HUNTER

Stenciled titles over a snowy evening in the Lincoln control tower:

WRITTEN FOR THE SCREEN AND DIRECTED BY
GEORGE SEATON

It’s a snowy evening in suburban Chicago’s Lincoln International Airport. From the Lincoln tower, four air traffic controllers manage takeoffs and landings along Lincoln’s two runways: Two-Two and Two-Niner.

Two-Niner is Lincoln’s longest runway, and their most frequently used approach and departure route.

An ATC operator tells Trans Global Flight 45 (a 707 jetliner)  they’re cleared to land on Two-Niner. Winds are at 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The copilot responds, saying the runway’s in sight.

The movie’s iconic shot of the approaching runway lights fills the screen. Flight 45 touches down.

In This Minute

Robert Patten as Captain Benson
Ed Deemer as Copilot Crowley
Michael Rougas as Second Officer
Unknown as Controller

Summary

Trans Global Flight 45 rolls off Runway Two-Niner slightly short of Taxiway Echo, driving into  the drifting snow. She’s stuck wheels-deep, with her tail sticking out into the flight path of Two-Niner.

The ATC Manager calls the radar room to report they have a “Condition Four” at Taxiway Echo. The Manager tells the other ATC operators to change traffic to Runway Two-Two.  Two-Niner is closed.  Another ATC operator tells Air Canada to hold short of Taxiway Bravo.

Copilot Crowley calls Lincoln Tower to report their situation.

In This Minute

Ed Deemer as Copilot Crowley
John N. Denend as Doug, the Tower Chief
Unknown as ATC Operator

Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist who created the award-winning graphic novels Mom’s Cancer and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow, as well as the Eisner Award-nominated webcomic The Last Mechanical Monster. He’s been a newspaper reporter, environmental chemist, science writer, husband, and dad to twin girls. He also saw “Airport” in a theater during its first run. He lives in California.

The ATC Operator tells Air Canada Flight 10 that emergency equipment will pass on their right.

A tractor hauling an Auxiliary Power Unit and a van with portable lighting equipment speeds out of the Lincoln service parking garage. A stair car heads across the snow-covered tarmac. A TGA passenger bus and a TGA school bus-styled employee van roll out to the field. A portable conveyor belt mounted on a Jeep leads a tractor towing three luggage wagons off to the stuck 707.

Meanwhile, Frank at East Arrivals in the radar room explains to inbound flights that Two-Niner is closed due to a stuck aircraft. Other radar operators are seen notifying the stack of aircraft still airborne. The radar room manager talks on the phone, saying they’ll stay on Two-Two with all traffic.

Back in the Lincoln Tower, the red-haired operator informs Global Ten they’re cleared for takeoff. Flight Ten begins its rollout down Runway Two-Two.  The wheels lift off the runway as the 707 takes to the skies over Meadow Wood.

The scene shifts to a dining room in the housing development of Meadow Wood. A husband and wife and their two boys are saying Grace before their meal.

The husband prays, “For this food, your many blessings, and your bounteous goodness, we give thanks to thee, in the Name of JESUS CHRIST!” as the jet noise rattles their windows and knocks down dishes in their china closet.

Back at Lincoln Tower, Tower Chief Doug is on the phone. “Hello, Mel? I’m glad I caught you before you got away. Yeah, we just lost Runway Two-Niner.” He tells Mel the tail of TGA Flight 45 is sticking out on the runway about 20 yards.  And no, he doesn’t know how long it’ll take to resolve.

In This Minute

John N. Denend as Doug, the Tower Chief
Unknown as ATC Operator
Unknown at ATC Operator #2
Unknown as Meadow Wood Dad
Unknown as Meadow Wood Mom
Unknown as Meadow Wood Son #1
Unknown as Meadow Wood Son #2
Larry Delaney as Frank, East Arrivals
Unknown as Radar Room Manager
Unknown as Radar Operator #1
Unknown as Radar Operator #2

Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist who created the award-winning graphic novels Mom’s Cancer and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow, as well as the Eisner Award-nominated webcomic The Last Mechanical Monster. He’s been a newspaper reporter, environmental chemist, science writer, husband, and dad to twin girls. He also saw “Airport” in a theater during its first run. He lives in California.

“Could be a long time,” says Doug, the Tower Chief.

“All right, I’ll be right out there.” A man in a tuxedo looks at the white courtesy phone in his hand before hanging up. Meet Mel Bakersfeld, General Manager of Lincoln International Airport.  Mel walks along a balcony corridor overlooking the ticket counters of Lincoln International, while a janitor vacuums the balcony carpet. Bakersfeld removes his bow tie as he steps into his empty office anteroom. He steps into his main office and turns on the lights.

Meanwhile, Trans Global 45 is still stuck in the snow as the emergency vehicles arrive on the scene.

Back to Mel, now dressed in a suit and tie, hat, and coat. He struggles with his galoshes as his office phone rings.  “Bakersfield,” he says into his speakerphone.

The screen splits. Meet Tanya Livingston, TGA business agent for Lincoln Airport. “How about some coffee?” asks Tanya, “I’ve just found something…”

“I’ve just lost something,” replies Mel, buckling up his other snow boot. “Runway Two-Niner.”

“Oh no!” says Tanya. “Snow?”

“One of your jockeys missed a turnoff,” says Mel, “buried the wheels.”

“No one told us,” says Tanya.

“Well, it just happened,” says Mel. “Flight 45. I’m on my way.”

“Any casualties?” asks Tanya.

“Just me,” laughs Mel.

“There’s bound to be a passenger with a $50 wrenched back,” replies Tanya. “I’d better get out there with some release forms and plenty of sympathy and understanding.”

In This Minute

John Denend as Tower Chief Doug
Burt Lancaster as Mel Bakersfeld
Jean Seberg as Tanya Livingston
Unknown as Lincoln Janitor

Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist who created the award-winning graphic novels Mom’s Cancer and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow, as well as the Eisner Award-nominated webcomic The Last Mechanical Monster. He’s been a newspaper reporter, environmental chemist, science writer, husband, and dad to twin girls. He also saw “Airport” in a theater during its first run. He lives in California.

Tanya hitches a ride with Mel in the MelMobile. Mel’s office phone rings but he ignores it. Mel gets paged for the White Courtesy phone, “Urgent!” It’s Mel’s wife, Cindy, wondering where the hell he is. “You promised me you wouldn’t miss this dinner. You promised me a week ago!” says Cindy. “A week ago, I didn’t know we’d have the worst storm in six years,” replies Mel. He tells Cindy he’ll call her back and hangs up. Mel and Tanya jump into the MelMobile, parked in the MelCave. Bakersfeld fishtails out of the office complex, headed for Taxiway Echo on Runway Two-Niner.

In This Minute:

Burt Lancaster as Mel Bakersfeld
Jean Seberg as Tanya Livingston
Dana Wynter as Cindy Bakersfeld