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When the German zepplin "Hindenburg" exploded at Lakehurst, NJ on May 6th, 1937, the world experienced one of it's first "you-are-there" reports, courtesy of Herb Morrison's famous radio broadcast. For years people speculated about the explosion that took the lives of 13 passengers, 22 crewmen, and one member of the U.S. Navy's ground crew. Officially, the experts said it was St. Elmos Fire that caused the explosion, but many felt it was sabotage that brought down Hitlers propaganda tool. When author Michael Mooney published his book on the sabotage theory, director Robert Wise thought it would make a great movie. The movie would tell the tale of the airships last voyage from Frankfurt, Germany to Lakehurst Naval Air Station. The film company would utilize the black and white footage shot when the zepplin exploded, intercut with the scenes shot in the studio.
Heading up the cast would be George C. Scott as German Colonel Ritter, assigned to Hindenburg to look out for saboteurs, and Anne Bancroft as "The Countess", on the run from the Nazis to see her daughter in America. Co-starring are William Atherton, Roy Thinnes, Gig Young, Burgess Meredith, and Charles Durning as Captain Pruss.
Filming commenced on August 12th, 1974 with scenes done in Germany, Washington D.C. and El Toro Marine Base in California, doubling for Lakehurst.
The movie opened up Christmas, 1975 and won 2 Oscars for Sound and Visual Effects.
The 27 foot "miniature" used in the movie now hangs in the Smithsonian Institute.
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