The Reluctant Astronaut

The story

Roy Fleming is a small-town kiddie-ride operator who is deathly afraid of heights. After learning that his father has signed him up for the space program, Roy reluctantly heads for Houston, only to find out upon arriving that his job is as a janitor, not an astronaut. Anxious to live up to the expectations of his domineering father, Roy manages to keep up a facade of being an astronaut to his family and friends. When NASA decides to launch a layperson into space to prove the worthiness of a new automated spacecraft, Roy gets the chance to confront his fears.

Cast & crew

Don KnottsRoy Fleming

Leslie NielsenMajor Fred Gifford

Joan FreemanEllie Jackson

Jesse WhiteDonelli

Jeanette NolanMrs. Fleming

Frank McGrathPlank

Arthur O'ConnellArbuckle "Buck" Fleming

Joan ShawleeBlonde in Bar

Guy RaymondBert

Nydia WestmanAunt Zana

Paul HartmanRush

Robert F. SimonCervantes