James Lovell and Tom Hanks

A two-fer, rare in Club luncheons, brought dual speakers to the podium on July 26, 1995: Cdr. James Lovell, skipper of the Apollo 13 spacecraft, and Tom Hanks, skipper of the cinematic "Apollo 13". The capacity audience heard Lovell urge continued funding for NASA so that robotic exploration and space station activities go on. He gave a moving account of how insignificant he felt when his upheld thumb obscured his view of the earth from his spacecraft. On the other hand, he was amused at having a BLT cheeseburger named "Apollo 13". Tom Hanks disclosed that as a 13-year old in Oakland he was "inspired by the space program" and wanted such movie roles as a cowboy, soldier, baseball player and astronaut. He likened "Apollo 13" to a Greek myth but added that it was "unbelievably true." Hanks made one less than comic prediction: There would be no sequel to "Forrest Gump". National Press Club Record, Volume XLV, No. 29. August 10, 1995.

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