Tom Hanks On The Moon Landings & What He Learned Working With Astronauts | PODCAST

“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…”
In his speech at Rice University, Texas, in September 1962, President John F. Kennedy reaffirmed America's commitment to an extraordinary, startling project: landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. Facing fierce competition from the U.S.S.R., it would take 11 missions of unimaginable danger to reach this goal, with Neil Armstrong first setting foot on the Moon’s rocky surface on July 21st, 1969.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
650 million people watched in awe that day, as Apollo 11 unfolded on live TV. In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by one of those people, very special guest TOM HANKS, actor, filmmaker and expert on all things Apollo-related, to discuss the epic saga of how humankind made it to the Moon and back. From the tragedy of Apollo 1 and the disaster of Apollo 13, to Buzz Aldrin's "religious moment" after the Eagle had landed, driving foldable cars on the Moon, and the arguments over who would get to take the first lunar steps, Tom Hanks, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland look at the dangerous, daring, and incredible stories of the Apollo missions.

The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks is on at Lightroom, in King’s Cross, London, until the 13th of October 2024.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
04:27 Tom Hanks Joins The Pod
06:36 Tom Hanks' Personal Sense of The Moon Landing
11:00 The Space Race Driven By Cold War Competition
13:00 Tom Holland's JFK Impression & Hanks' Reaction
18:50 Was There Something Special About the 60s?
21:50 Apollo Missions
26:05 What Are Astronauts like?
30:20 Lead Up To Landing On The Moon
33:06 Break
33:11 Landing On The Moon
36:20 Neil Armstrong Fluffs His Famous Line
37:55 Why Was Neil Armstrong The First Man On The Moon?
44:30 Did Playing Jim Lovell Give Tom Hanks More Appreciation For The Apollo Missions?
53:30 What Some Astronauts Left On The Moon
56:20 Tom Hank's Hopes For The Future Of Space Travel
1:02:50 Q&A

*The Rest Is History LIVE in 2024*
Tom and Dominic are back onstage this summer, at Hampton Court Palace in London!

Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook

Producer: Theo Young-Smith
Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett
Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor

[Wallyworld]

I have no idea how you 2 were able to get the great Tom Hanks on your show but that was a real treat! Thank you!

[wubwubwoosh]

Looking forward to the Franco Prussian War with Zendaya next week!

[realspacemusicvideos]

I was lucky enough to meet, chat and interview two Apollo astronauts in person before they passed away. They were always kind and sharp, representing the very best of what America was, is, can, will and should be.

[PFWoody]

Any movie involving history and Hanks is a must watch for me because he cares about history and does his best to get it right. Great conversation. Thanks.

[TheDominionOfElites]

Tom Hanks is the ultimate dad, I love it, he’s just so pure and genuine in his interest in history, for someone with a very fortunate and successful career elsewhere.

[lawrie]

I’ve wondered what makes this podcast so bloody good. There’s much to consider but Dominic’s laugh is the glue that holds it together ❤

[ted]

Tom Hanks is uniquely able to tell these stories. He is from the same generation that I’m from and his description of how we were steeped in “the space race” as kids in the US during the 60s is right on target. Great episode! P.S. I also love “ From the Earth to the Moon”, his series that was on HBO. It’s worth a watch on DVD or streaming.

[allenwelsch]

I could listen to the three of you for hours.

[symingtonm]

Tom (Holland) throwing Dominic under the bus at 43:50 has had me laughing all day.

[tyrellarson]

What a fantastic episode. I love the Rest is History podcast. I'm a long time listener. Having Tom Hanks on is a really testament to the quality of the podcast and he gave some really fanstastic insight. Amazing. Cheers to that.

[matslindeberg]

This was an absolute treat. Love Tom Hanks and he clearly knows his space stuff. Great episode!

[jcr_jcr]

That podcast was magnificient. What a great guy Tom Hanks is. Thank you.

[theartfuldodger]

Cant believe you invited Woody on to discuss Buzz Lightyear stuff...

[nickwoolmer]

Tom Hanks is a great bloke, his depth of knowledge about anything he is involved in is inspiring.

[DoktorLorenz]

This is a nice surprise before I go to work

[louiseoliver]

What a fantastic guest! Tom Hanks has such a real enthusiasm, I loved this edition!

[kevindonahue]

Brilliant episode! Pleasantly surprised not only did Hanks know his stuff, his answers to those final questions about President Coolidge and AA were intriguing. History can be interesting even about the less than popular or front page news. A wonderful episode.

[beaky]

He is just a 100% top guy. Great show, enthusiastically presented. More from Tom, Tom and Dom please

[MohamedGendeel]

Brilliantly done, from both sides, Tom is a highly intellectual guy, with rich knowledge about that era, l really enjoyed the whole interview, many thanks .

[johngameson]

Tom Hanks
Villa Fan and Actor
Fantastic Listen
Thanks