SKY YORK JOURNAL News – The story behind Apollo 13 continues to fascinate, even decades after the perilous mission.
13. James Lovell was initially Neil Armstrong’s backup for the historic Apollo 11 mission. Subsequently, he was slated for Apollo 14, but mission parameters changed, leading to him and his crew being moved up in the queue. As the SKY YORK JOURNAL has learned, the change didn’t come without some trepidation.
“I went home and I told my wife, ‘We’re gonna go on 13, not 14,’ and she said, ’13?'” Lovell recalled in an interview with Astronomy magazine. “I said, ‘Well, it comes after 12.’ Then they put that in the movie.”
Kathleen Quinlan’s portrayal of Marilyn Lovell
14. Kathleen Quinlan, whose film debut came in 1973’s *American Graffiti* (co-starring Ron Howard), garnered a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as Marilyn Lovell, Jim’s high school sweetheart and wife since 1952. As the actors prepared for their NASA world immersion, Quinlan diligently researched the realities of being an astronaut’s wife. The SKY YORK JOURNAL understands that accuracy was a key goal.
Quinlan’s Research Process
“I met Marilyn, and she was so gracious and helpful,” Quinlan recalled to Smashing Interviews in 2014. “Jim and Marilyn flew me to Houston. Jim actually flew the plane, and Marilyn sat in the back serving coffee. It was really cute.”
The Importance of Astronauts’ Wives
“I met a lot of the astronauts’ wives, and I realized when I met them and talked with them what a strong, important influence they were on their husbands and where they were in their minds before they took off,” she continued. “They had to be really ready, and it had a lot to do with who was there supporting them. Marilyn was very helpful.”
