APOLLO 11 IS ALL THE BUZZ

"But no doubt, the conspiracy theorists will have fun finding even more evidence that the moon landings were faked. Some have already suggested that the tapes went missing for a sinister reason."

-- Emma Woollacott, TG Daily.

Seems NASA, lacking a sense of history or shelf space, or both, over the years re-used or misplaced 45 tapes containing footage of the Apollo 11 moon-or-bust expedition of 1969.

Some footage was saved, however, and is now being digitally restored by a company out in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Buzz Lightyear will introduce some other Hollywood tapes, one of which chronicles a faked space voyage.

"TCM Goes to the Moon With Buzz Aldrin" finds Erwin "Buzz" Aldrin, the second man to wipe his boots on the lunar welcome mat, joining TCM host Robert Osborne for a mini film festival on Monday, beginning at 8 p.m. ET with the 1914 short "A Trip to the Moon."

The festival continues with "For All Mankind" (8:15 p.m.), "The Right Stuff" (10 p.m.), "Marooned" (1:30 a.m. Tuesday) and "Capricorn One" (3:45 a.m.).

Aldrin doesn't suffer fools gladly, even if he good-naturedly went along with the joke when Sacha Baron Cohen, as Ali G, once asked him if man would ever walk on the sun.

Several years back, Aldrin was in a different state of mind when he clocked a ranting conspiracy stalker stupid enough to invade his airspace.

So it'll be interesting to hear what Aldrin has to say about "Capricorn One," a film that's likely to come up when lunar-landing conspiracy theorists get together to compare notes and discuss various psychotropic drugs they should be taking but aren't.

Here's what Variety said upon the movie's 1978 release:

"'Capricorn One' begins with a workable, if cynical cinematic premise: the first manned space flight to Mars was a hoax and the American public was fooled through Hollywood gimmickry into believing that the phony landing happened.

"But after establishing the concept, (director) Peter Hyams' script asks another audience -- the one in the theatre -- to accept something far more illogical, the uncovering of the hoax by reporter Elliott Gould."

"Capricorn One" was made at a time when Watergate was still fresh in the bruised public psyche, so Gould's Carl Bernstein-like newshound makes some sense, despite Variety's skepticism.

The film was also made long enough ago that O.J. Simpson was cast as an astronaut, along with James Brolin and Sam Waterston, the three agreeing to participate in the government hoax.

Also in the cast were familiar faces Telly Savalas, Karen Black, Brenda Vaccaro, David Doyle, Barbara Bosson and many others, including Hal Holbrook and Robert Walden.

If you like cinematic string theory, Holbrook and Walden had both figured two years earlier in the greatest-ever government conspiracy film, "All the President's Men," Holbrook as Deep Throat, Walden as GOP prankster Donald Segretti.

Approached by the filmmakers for technical assistance, NASA understandingly passed, as the agency is likely to do with a proposed remake of "Capricorn One" slated for next year.

Time for a question.

"Marooned" was released in 1969, the same year as the Apollo 11 mission. The film concerns three astronauts stranded in space, with one of the three played by a future two-time Oscar winner.

Who he be?

Here's a big hint: his first Oscar came for playing a cop in a film two years after "Marooned."

OK, up with the hands, people. You, a little light in the space boots, what'll it be?

That's right, Gene Hackman.

Now try these. Get them all right and you could win an audio version of Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" as read by Jose Jimenez.

1. What famous space-age test pilot had a cameo in "The Right Stuff"?

2. Who was nominated for a supporting Oscar for his role as Gene Kranz in "Apollo 13"?

3. Fittingly because of his surname, Mark Goddard played a space explorer in what sci-fi series of the '60s?

4. What 1969 David Bowie single featured doomed astronaut Major Tom?

5. "Forbidden Planet" is a 1956 sci-fi take on what Shakespeare work?

6. In what 1983 Oscar-winning film would you find fictional astronaut Garrett Breedlove?

7. On what sci-fi series of the '60s would you find the United Federation of Planets?

8. Who played an acrophobic kiddie-ride operator sent into space in 1967's "The Reluctant Astronaut"?

9. In what year was Pink Floyd's mega-selling "Dark Side of the Moon" released?

10. What network first aired the 1998 miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon"?

Answers tomorrow. Yesterday's answers.

1. Stephen, Neil, David and Graham. (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

2. Vicki, Susannah, Debbi, Michael. (The Bangles)

3. Levi, Obie, Duke, Lawrence. (The Four Tops)

4. Eddie, David, Michael, Alex. (Van Halen)

5. Ray, Dave, Pete, Mick. (The Kinks)

6. Michael, Peter, Mike, Bill. (R.E.M.)

7. Jim, Ray, John, Robby. (The Doors)

8. Vince, Mick, Tommy, Nikki. (Motley Crue)

9. Wanya, Michael, Shawn, Nathan. (Boyz II Men)

10. Felix, Eddie, Gene, Dino. (The Young Rascals)