Airport Minute Podcast

Summary Gwen and Vern are in Gwen’s crash pad apartment. Gwen is explaining about why the stewardesses were collecting liquor and glassware — Gracie is getting married. “We’re giving her a party,” says Gwen. “If you could hijack a 707,” says Vern, “you could start your own airline.” “We thought of that,” says Gwen, closing […]

Summary Vern  and Gwen are in Gwen’s crash pad apartment. Vern is explaining about check flights. “Someone has to check you out every six months,” says Vern, “to make sure you don’t pick up any bad habits.” He attempts to tickle Gwen. Vern puts his hands around Gwen’s waist. “Such as nuzzling stewardesses?” she asks.  […]

Guest Host: Royana Black Royana was born and raised in New York and has been acting professionally since she was 10. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and pets. She is super excited that Jim included her in this podcast! Royana’s Official Site Royana’s IMDb Page Summary Vern climbs into a Checker cab and heads out of the airport. While seated on the left side of the screen, he hums “O Sole Mio” while pondering stewardess Gwen Meighen, shown in a split screen on the right-hand side toweling off after a shower. The split screen resolves into a single screen of Vern locked in an embrace with Gwen. Gwen manages to break Vern’s bear hug and yell, “Vern! We just don’t have time!” “But I have a cab waiting downstairs and we can make the airport in fifteen minutes,” says Vern. “The driver doesn’t mind waiting. His meter’s running, and so is mine.” Gwen is having none o

Summary Mel Bakersfeld and his sister Sarah Demerest are talking to each other as Sarah is parked in front of the entrance to the terminal. “– with that overage juvenile delinquent, I’ll never know,” says Mel. “There’s just the two of us,” replies Sarah, “If I left him, what would I have?” “Would you have […]

Summary Mel and Vern are standing on opposite sides of Vern’s car, parked in front of the entrance to the terminal. “Two-Niner’s closed,” says Mel. “A pilot from your Flight Forty Five made a shortcut across the field, … and he didn’t make it.” “Well, what are you doing about it?” asks Vern. “Well, when […]

Summary Mel and Vern are standing on opposite sides of Vern’s car, parked in front of the entrance to the terminal. “Besides everything else, now you’re an authority on snow clearance?” asks Mel. “I call ’em as I see ’em,” replies Vern, opening the trunk of his car. “Then you’re due for an eye check,” […]

Summary “Close down Runway Twenty-Two!” chant the sign-waving protesters at the streetside entrance to Lincoln International. Mel and Commissioner Ackerman survey the scene. “They’ll break it up and go home… after the TV cameras get a few shots.” Ackerman pales. “TV?” he says. “A lawyer they hired yesterday arranged for news coverage,” explains Bakersfeld. Ackerman […]

Summary: Joe Patroni tells Mel to give everyone a shovel and start digging a 10° incline in front of the wheels. Patroni, over and out. Marie is disappointed. “Do you have to go to work on a night like this?” Joe responds, “They don’t call ’em emergencies anymore. They call ’em Patronies.” Joe promises Marie […]

Summary: Bakersfeld returns to the MelMobile, takes the microphone, and says “Yes, Danny.” Danny, at the Snow Desk, reports that he’s calling Patroni and that Mel should stand by on his mobile phone. Mel shuts the MelMobile door, picks up the ringing phone, and talks to Patroni on a split-screen. Joe Patroni tells Mel to save his breath – – Joe isn’t available tonight. Mel tells Joe he’s got “fourteen on the ground and eighteen stacked upstairs.” Joe replies that he’s got his five kids stacked away at his mother’s house so that he and Marie could spend time alone, together. Mel asks Joe to give Marie his apologies, but he needs Runway Two-Niner badly. Joe asks if the Global crew could handle it. Mel replies that he needs someone who knows what to do — a “genius, like Patroni!” Joe tells Mel, “Hold the whipped cream, I’ve just had dessert. ” Joe ponders for a moment, then tells Mel, “Alright, I&

  Summary: The MelMobile arrives at Taxiway Echo, next to the stuck Trans Global Flight 45. Tanya helps passengers get on the nice, warm bus. TGA’s mechanic, Jack Ingram, explains to Mel about how they’ll be able to use pneumatic bags to lift the wings — tomorrow. Mel wants the runway cleared tonight.  “Tonight?” asks […]

  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 […]

Summary “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 […]

Guest Host: Brian Fies 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. Summary 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 ro

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 […]

Guest Host: Peter Regan   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, g

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]