On the Threshold of Space
In 1956, Twentieth Century Fox released *On the Threshold of Space*, a full-length motion picture based on Air Force aero medical projects conducted at Holloman AFB, N.M. Starring Guy Madison, John Hodiak, and Dean Jagger, this drama chronicled the high altitude balloon experiments of projects HIGH DIVE/EXCELSIOR and the high-speed track studies conducted by Col. John P. Stapp. Filmed on location at Holloman AFB, Air Force personnel, high altitude balloons, aircraft, vehicles, and other equipment, including the actual anthropomorphic dummies responsible for sightings of aliens, were used in the making of this film.
In an ironic twist, in 1990 the television program *Unsolved Mysteries*, featured a segment on the Roswell Incident. The program, hosted by actor Robert Stack, depicted a dramatized version of the claims of “aliens,” space ships and mysterious government recovery crews. Interestingly, a review of newspapers from 1956 announcing the Hollywood premiere of *On the Threshold of Space*, listed Stack among the persons scheduled to attend this star-studded event.⁷⁰
Fig. 45. Lobby card of the 1956 Twentieth Century Fox release, *On the Threshold of Space* starring Guy Madison (seated) and Martin Milner (right).
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ON THE THRESHOLD OF SPACE
STARRING
GUY MADISON
VIRGINIA LEITH
JOHN HODIAK
DEAN JAGGER
CINEMASCOPE® PICTURE COLOR by DE LUXE
PRODUCED BY WILLIAM BLOOM · SCREENPLAY BY BARBARA WELLS · DIRECTED BY ROBERT D. WEBB · MUSIC BY SIMON WINGELBERG · EDITED BY FRANCIS COCKRELL
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