John A. Powers
John A. Powers | |
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Other work | Project Mercury public affairs officer |
John Anthony Powers (August 22, 1922 – December 31, 1979), better known as Shorty Powers, was an American public affairs officer for
Biography
Powers was born August 22, 1922, to
Powers left the service in January 1947; but was recalled to active duty in December 1948 and flew as part of the
Following Korea, Powers bounced around the Air Force, helping establish the first Community Relations Program in 1955. After being assigned to the personal staff of Maj. Gen. Bernard Schriever with the Air Research Development Command in Los Angeles, he handled the public dissemination of information related to the Air Force's ballistic missile program.
Project Mercury
Powers' experience with
He served as mission commentator for the six crewed
Powers enjoyed the limelight, and was accused of scheduling news conferences so he could appear live on national television and occasionally twisting the facts. For example, he told reporters the day before Gus Grissom's flight that the astronaut had gone fishing that day and had cooked and eaten his catch, which would have violated his pre-flight diet.[6]
Later years
Powers retired from the Air Force in 1964 and opened a public relations firm in
Powers was married three times and was the father of three children.[6] He married Sara Kay McSherry, women's editor of the Indianapolis News, on August 7, 1965.[10]
Powers moved to
Film and TV
Powers appeared as himself in the 1963 episode entitled "Junior Astronaut" of CBS's sitcom, Dennis the Menace, starring Jay North in the title role.[11]
He was the narrator for the 1966 Jerry Lewis space comedy, Way...Way Out.
He is referenced in the 1988 cult film, Miracle Mile, by actor Kurt Fuller when, as Soviet warheads appear over Los Angeles, a drug-addled, panicked character in the movie yells, "Talk me down, Shorty Powers".
He appears in Season One, Episode Three of the alt-historical 2019 TV series For All Mankind.[12]
He is portrayed by actor Danny Strong in the Disney+ series The Right Stuff (2020), based on the 1979 book of the same title by Tom Wolfe.[13]
References
- ^ "Shorty Powers Preaches Peace". The Toledo Blade. Vol. 135. May 12, 1970. p. 52. Retrieved June 28, 2015 – via news.google.com.
- ^ TIME. Time Inc. March 2, 1962. Archived from the originalon February 19, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
- ISBN 9780814721131.
- ^ Swenson, Loyd S. Jr.; Grimwood, James M.; Alexander, Charles C. (1989). "This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury, Chap. 10: 'Ham Paves the Way'". Footnote 37. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Retrieved June 22, 2015.
In reporting the Freedom 7 flight, the press attributed the term to Astronaut Shepard, ... A replay of the flight voice communications tape disclosed that Shepard himself did not use the term. . It was Col. John A. "Shorty" Powers ... Tecwyn Roberts of STG and Capt. Henry E. Clements of the Air Force had used "A.OK" frequently in reports written more than four months before the Shepard flight. ... Be that as it may, Powers, "the voice of Mercury Control," by his public use of "A.OK," made those three letters a universal symbol meaning "in perfect working order."
- .
isbn:0374250324.
- ^ a b Benedict, Howard (January 3, 1980). "Voice of the Astronauts' Shorty Powers Dead". Observer–Reporter. Vol. 172, no. 80002. The Associated Press. p. D-3. Retrieved June 28, 2015 – via news.google.com.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. Vol. 198, no. 63. January 3, 1980. pp. 1 &16A. Retrieved June 28, 2015 – via news.google.com.
- UP. July 27, 1963. p. 5. Retrieved June 28, 2015 – via news.google.com.
- Schenectady Gazette. p. 49. Retrieved June 28, 2015 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "Sara McSherry Col. Powers Wed". Indianapolis Star. August 8, 1965. p. 83. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ ""Dennis and the Astronaut", January 13, 1963". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ^ Hough, Quinn (3 November 2019). "For All Mankind Cast & Character Guide". Screen Rant.
- ^ Porter, Rick (19 August 2019). "Danny Strong Joins Nat Geo's 'Right Stuff' Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the
- Benedict, Howard "'Voice of the Astronauts' Shorty Powers Dead" (January 3, 1980), The Associated Press
- "Shorty Powers, 'voice of the astronauts,' is found dead at 57" (January 3, 1980), St. Petersburg Times, p. 1-A