Title: Destination Moon - Script/Screenplay
Written: Summer 1948 Pages: 1277
Description:
Part 1, 230 pages, contains 10 pages of diagrams and calculations about moon flight. 7 pages of calculations and notes about technical aspects of story. 3 pages correspondence (one to George Pal). Heinlein’s report on faults and flaws in the script of Destination Moon addressed to George Pal, lengthy with extensive hand-edits. Letter from RAH on “spacesuit procurement”. 17 pages, single-spaced by RAH “The Care and Feeding of Spaceships” discussing technical elements for film. Page 86, a few script pages with a new scene. Several letters and memoranda from RAH to the director and producer with script edits and technical notes. 98 page notes for screenplay that’s almost a narrative version of the story. A couple pages about possible shooting locations.
Part 2, 206 pages, contains letter from RAH discussing technical experts who could be consulted. 66 pages of script page revisions. Article in Aviation Week about movie. Eulogy for George Pal, by Forrest Ackerman, 1980. 1970 Los Angeles Times article about moon movies (following Apollo 11). Several more scattered articles in newspapers and magazines. 1957 letter from an attorney to RAH about possible money from the movie (talks about law suits). Return letter from RAH. United Artists cost accounts, pg. 192. More letters from 1956 about trying to get more of the profits of the film, followed by a 1949 letter (copy) from George Pal to Forrest Ackerman about rights to other stories. Repeat of a magazine article about the film. Notes, calculations and diagrams working out the moon flight and landing. Studio call sheets and shooting schedules for the production.
Part 3, 147 pages, contains Script #1 with RAH’s extensive penciled-in revisions.
Part 4, 270 pages, contains Script versions #2 and #3.
Part 5, 132 pages, contains Script #4, Heinlein’s copy.
Part 6, 193 pages, contains Script #5, with autographs of production team and actors.
Part 7, 100 pages, 100 pages, Article in Filme Cultura (from Brazil) about movie. West magazine.
Publication: Crossed Referenced in OPUS 080, OPUS 081, OPUS 158
Notes: Co-written with Alford Rip Van Ronkelscript credit also to James O’Hanlon produced by George Pal and filmed in November 1949 to January 1950, directed by Irving Pichel; Released in June 1950 and received an Academy Award for Best Special Effects the following year 96-page Treatment and Filmscript exists in five different versions, ranging from 115 to 130 pages; James O’Hanlon shares script credit with Heinlein and Van Ronkel on the 1949 George Pal production