Destination Moon is a 1950 adventure film detailing the journey of Dr. Charles Cargraves and his team to build a rocket to the moon. The movie was directed by Irving Pichel and starred John Archer, Warner Anderson, and Tom Powers. The film won an Oscar among other awards and provides an in-depth view into its behind-the-scenes and trivia.
Where it Filmed?
The movie was filmed in various locations in the United States. Some of these include; the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, General Service Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Lockheed Airplane Works in Burbank, California. The filming phase took place from January 1950 to March 1950.
Cast Details
| Cast Name | Role |
|---|---|
| John Archer | Jim Barnes |
| Warner Anderson | Dr. Charles Cargraves |
| Tom Powers | General Thayer |
| Dick Wesson | Joe Sweeney |
| Erin O’Brien-Moore | Emily Cargraves |
| Steve Carruthers | Businessman at Meeting (uncredited) |
| Franklyn Farnum | Factory Worker (uncredited) |
| Jack Gargan | Businessman at Meeting (uncredited) |
| Everett Glass | Mr. La Porte (uncredited) |
| Kenner G. Kemp | Businessman at Meeting (uncredited) |
| Knox Manning | Knox Manning (uncredited) |
| Mike Miller | Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) |
| Irving Pichel | Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoon (uncredited) |
| Cosmo Sardo | Businessman at Meeting (uncredited) |
| Grace Stafford | Woody Woodpecker (uncredited) (voice) |
| Bert Stevens | Businessman at Meeting (uncredited) |
| Ted Warde | Brown (uncredited) |
Trivia and Facts
- The film included a Woody Woodpecker cartoon that was later used by NASA to explain space travel to the public.
- In the movie, titanium was stated as the material used to construct the space ship. Interestingly, the magnet boots would not stick to the hull and walls of the ship because titanium is non-magnetic.
- The film has been edited into “One Way to the Moon (1966)”.
- At the end of the film, “THIS IS THE END” is displayed first, followed by “OF THE BEGINNING” which likely refers to the dawn of a new era of space travel.
Geo Location Details
- Location Name: White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA
- Latitude: 32.943896
- Longitude: -106.4196598
- Place ID: ChIJN0rYgD9x4IYRkyiz4k60N4g
- Map Link: Google Map
- Place Address: White Sands Missile Range, NM, USA
- Timezone: America/Denver
- Location Name: General Service Studios – 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Latitude: 34.0896389
- Longitude: -118.3352069
- Place ID: ChIJF22Lwy2_woARMgHpFeoVNRQ
- Map Link: Google Map
- Place Address: 1040 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
- Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
- Location Name: Lockheed Airplane Works, Burbank, California, USA
- Latitude: 34.207559
- Longitude: -118.3536368
- Place ID: EiNMb2NraGVlZCBEciwgQnVyYmFuaywgQ0EgOTEzNTIsIFVTQSIuKiwKFAoSCdniK5hTlMKAES-ZEjquA4fVEhQKEgmVxRgoFZXCgBHUih-Qr5F3MA
- Map Link: Google Map
- Place Address: Lockheed Dr, Burbank, CA 91352, USA
- Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
