A few weeks ago, I posted a pair of letters from Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin that politely declined membership in the East Coast wing of the cinematographer’s union, at the time known as Local 644.
While the first men to walk on the moon seemed to have had no second thoughts about that decision, they – along with their shipmate Michael Collins – enthusiastically accepted the ASC’s invitation to Honorary Membership. It made perfect sense. Beside being bold adventurers and national heroes, they were the first human beings to record moving images from a place other than the earth.
The letter included below is framed and occupies a special place in the ASC Presidents office. Armstrong and Collins are no longer with us, but at ninety-four years of age, Aldrin remains a part of our roster to this day!
