The Reluctant Astronaut
Roy Fleming, played by Don Knotts, is a kiddie-ride operator in a rural community who suffers from a crippling fear of heights. Roy grudgingly leaves for Houston after finding out that his father has enrolled him in the space program. However, after he arrives in Houston, he discovers that his work is not as an astronaut but rather as a janitor. Roy, who has a father that is overbearing and has high expectations for his son, manages to maintain the appearance to his family and friends that he is an astronaut. Roy is given the opportunity to face his phobias when NASA makes the decision to send an ordinary citizen into space in order to validate the effectiveness of a newly developed robotic spacecraft.
Released: 1967-09-05