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Beau Bridges, at left, as astronaut Randall Claggett, in the television miniseries "Space" with co-star Harry Hamlin, as astronaut John Pope. Source: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/15776-space?language=es (May be subject to copyright) |
The picture is stark. An astronaut orbiting the moon is fading fast, overcome by something, and crashes into the moon. It was part of an epic miniseries in 1985 called “Space”.
Beau Bridges played Randall Claggett, the hotshot pilot turned astronaut, who suffered that horrible fate.
My spouse and I were watching “Lessons in Chemistry” yesterday when Beau Bridges made a guest appearance as the representative of an endowment fund that supported chemistry labs.
Seeing him brought back memories of “Space”, a comedy he was in with Canadian Helen Shaver, and the famous acting family he comes from.
All in the family
Beau Bridges is the son of famed actor Lloyd Bridges, and brother of Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges. When he was little, he and his brother Jeff even appeared with their father in his TV series “Sea Hunt”. Wikipedia reveals the brothers are close, as Beau acted as a surrogate father because their dad was away working so much when they were kids.
Beau Bridges is the son of famed actor Lloyd Bridges, and brother of Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges. When he was little, he and his brother Jeff even appeared with their father in his TV series “Sea Hunt”. Wikipedia reveals the brothers are close, as Beau acted as a surrogate father because their dad was away working so much when they were kids.
The years before
Beau Bridges started acting in movies in the 1940s, but really hit his stride in the 1970s with “The Other Side of the Mountain”; “Two-Minute Warning”; “Greased Lightning”; and “Norma Rae”.
Beau Bridges started acting in movies in the 1940s, but really hit his stride in the 1970s with “The Other Side of the Mountain”; “Two-Minute Warning”; “Greased Lightning”; and “Norma Rae”.
He was excellent in “Norma Rae”. Sally Field plays a woman trying to unionize the plant she is working at, after her co-workers start to get sick. Bridges plays her boyfriend then husband.
Bridges was also very active on television, starting with a guest spot on “My Three Sons” in 1960, and appearing in shows such as “The Real McCoys”; “Wagon Train”; “Rawhide”; “Ben Casey”; “Gunsmoke”; “The Fugitive”; and “Bonanza”.
In the 1970s, he appeared in a string of made for television movies.
As the 1980s dawned, Beau Bridges was set to keep his career rolling.
Only in America
“TV Guide” used to highlight special events with a box that gave it special attention and covered about an eighth of a page or so. Often they were for the debut of a show, an episode with a special theme, an event such as the Super Bowl, or to highlight a miniseries.
“TV Guide” used to highlight special events with a box that gave it special attention and covered about an eighth of a page or so. Often they were for the debut of a show, an episode with a special theme, an event such as the Super Bowl, or to highlight a miniseries.
One week, I was reading “TV Guide” and one of these boxes highlighted a new show on Channel 7 on Sunday night. It was called “United States” but didn’t have any sort of picture, just a graphic. On that particular Sunday, we had gone to visit family in Brooks so, although I intended to watch it, resigned myself to the fact I wouldn’t be home in time.
We did get home in time and I remembered to turn the TV to Channel 7. There was only about 10 or 15 minutes left, and not what I expected. It starred Beau Bridges and Helen Shaver, and I did see them on screen but that’s all I remember. I don’t even recall it even being on again.
The show came out in March of 1980, focused on what happens in a marriage between two people, and came from the creator of “M*A*S*H”. They made 13 episodes, and only aired nine.
He’s really out there
The next time I saw Beau Bridges. He was absolutely excellent as a pilot who is recruited to the space program in the 1985 miniseries “Space”.
The next time I saw Beau Bridges. He was absolutely excellent as a pilot who is recruited to the space program in the 1985 miniseries “Space”.
Based on the novel of the same name by James Michener, “Space” focused on the lives of several key players in the American space program, over five parts.
James Garner played a senator and congressional supporter of the program; Michael York played German rocket scientist Dieter Kolff, who was spirited away after the Second World War; Harry Hamlin played John Pope, an ambitious pilot who does whatever it takes to make the space program; Blair Brown plays his wife who helps him in that endeavour; and Beau Bridges plays wild, daring and shoot straight from the hip pilot Randall Claggett, who makes the space program because he really is the best.
Claggett and Pope are good friends, and come up together through the space program. In the end, they are part of a daring mission to the moon. Sadly, Claggett is exposed to something that causes him to lose consciousness and crash into the moon. Pope manages to limp back to earth.
It was compelling drama, at least for this 14 year old from Coaldale.
Blinded by rage
A year later Beau Bridges was back in “Outrage!”, a 1986 thriller. Robert Preston plays a father whose daughter is raped and murdered, only to have the killer go free on a technicality. He is so, well, outraged he kills the man himself. He then refuses to plead insanity, so his lawyer, played by Bridges, has to resort to desperate means.
A year later Beau Bridges was back in “Outrage!”, a 1986 thriller. Robert Preston plays a father whose daughter is raped and murdered, only to have the killer go free on a technicality. He is so, well, outraged he kills the man himself. He then refuses to plead insanity, so his lawyer, played by Bridges, has to resort to desperate means.
This is an interesting movie. I got a VCR for Christmas in 1985, and taped a lot of shows. By the Spring of 1986, I had a job after school and the beginnings of a social life. I remember taping “Outrage!”. I even watched the first scene to make sure it taped, where Robert Preston’s character is buying a gun – but that’s it. I never went back to watch.
It sounds good too.
Breaking out
Although it is really hard to say Beau Bridges broke out in 1989, given he had been acting for 40 years, he achieved his biggest success with the theatrical release “The Fabulous Baker Boys”. I never saw it, but Wikipedia reveals it was about a piano duo consisting of brothers played by real-life siblings Beau and Jeff Bridges. They then hire an attractive singer, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, to revive their waning career. The movie was subsequently nominated for four Academy Awards.
Although it is really hard to say Beau Bridges broke out in 1989, given he had been acting for 40 years, he achieved his biggest success with the theatrical release “The Fabulous Baker Boys”. I never saw it, but Wikipedia reveals it was about a piano duo consisting of brothers played by real-life siblings Beau and Jeff Bridges. They then hire an attractive singer, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, to revive their waning career. The movie was subsequently nominated for four Academy Awards.
The years after
Beau Bridges went on to a lot of success on TV and in film. He has been nominated for 14 Emmys and won three, all in miniseries. In the 1993-1994 season he appeared with his father Lloyd in “Harts of the West”, a comedy-western set at a dude ranch in Nevada that lasted 15 episodes. He also guest starred in “The Outer Limits”; “Will and Grace”; “The Agency”; “Stargate: SG-1”; “My Name is Earl”, where he was nominated for an Emmy; “Desperate Housewives”; “The Closer”; “Brothers and Sisters”; “Franklin and Brash”; “The Millers”; “Black-ish”; “Homeland”; and most recently “Lessons in Chemistry”.
Beau Bridges went on to a lot of success on TV and in film. He has been nominated for 14 Emmys and won three, all in miniseries. In the 1993-1994 season he appeared with his father Lloyd in “Harts of the West”, a comedy-western set at a dude ranch in Nevada that lasted 15 episodes. He also guest starred in “The Outer Limits”; “Will and Grace”; “The Agency”; “Stargate: SG-1”; “My Name is Earl”, where he was nominated for an Emmy; “Desperate Housewives”; “The Closer”; “Brothers and Sisters”; “Franklin and Brash”; “The Millers”; “Black-ish”; “Homeland”; and most recently “Lessons in Chemistry”.
He also appeared in “Million Dollar Babies”, a 1994 CBC movie about the Dionne Quintuplets. I did not realize it was co-produced by CBS, and aired in the States on CBS.
Parting thoughts
Beau Bridges has had a solid career, especially in television movies and guest-starring spots on TV series. He has appeared in a wide array of roles, been nominated for and won numerous awards and keeps on acting.
Beau Bridges has had a solid career, especially in television movies and guest-starring spots on TV series. He has appeared in a wide array of roles, been nominated for and won numerous awards and keeps on acting.
Wikipedia says Beau Bridges best-known role may be in “The Fabulous Baker Boys”, but he will always be cowboy astronaut Randall Claggett to me.
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