History Funny / Apollo13

** The golden urine spray is described as the "Constellation Urion" (which they pronounce Yoo-ryan) - the name was first given to the 'procedure' by Apollo 9 Commander Wally Schirra (one of the original Mercury 7).

** Also counts as a tearjerker - Blanche Lovell had severe Alzheimer's Disease.
** And a heartwarmer/tearjerker combo - Blanche had not been told about what was going on, to spare her the anxiety. Armstrong and Aldrin were assigned to her by Marylin Lovell to prevent her from finding out, either from the other guests or by the news reports.

** The golden urine spray is described as the "Constellation Urion" (which they pronounce Yoo-ryan) - the name was first given to the 'procedure' on Apollo 8 by Commander (and one of the original Mercury 7) Wally Schirra.

This scene was invented for the movie - at no point did anything like such bickering occur. It was later handwaved as being an illustration of the effect the build-up of carbon dioxide could have upon the crews' mood.

** Even better, he's a contractor from Grumman Aircraft Corporation (nicknamed the "Grumman Iron Works" for their planes' legendary durability and reliability), who designed the LEM. After that outburst, Kranz sardonically says to him "I guess you get to keep your job," calling back to their earlier conversation where Kranz told him that he won't hold him responsible. The man's response of "you betcha!" elicits a sly smile out of Kranz. Ironically, firing the LM descent engine while still attached to the CSM had been performed on the Apollo 9 mission, so the Grumman engineer should have known it would work all along. However, this was one of the few scenes in the movie which had no real-life antecdents: this slur upon Grumman's LEM engineers and designers was inserted purely for 'dramatic effect' by Howard.

This scene was invented for the movie - at no point did anything like such bickering occur. It was later handwaved as being an illustration of the effect low CO2 could have upon the crew's mood.

** Even better, he's a contractor from Grumman Aircraft Corporation (nicknamed the "Grumman Iron Works" for their planes' legendary durability and reliability), who designed the LEM. After that outburst, Kranz sardonically says to him "I guess you get to keep your job," calling back to their earlier conversation where Kranz told him that he won't hold him responsible. The man's response of "you betcha!" elicits a sly smile out of Kranz. Ironically, firing the LM descent engine while still attached to the CSM had been performed on the Apollo 9 mission, so the Grumman engineer should have known it would work all along.

** The golden urine spray is instantly christened "Constellation Urion" (which they pronounce Yoo-ryan). According to the commentary, this was another of Pete Conrad's jokes.

** Another funny moment from Blanche is when she is trying to watch 13’s live broadcast from her nursing home, which had been cancelled:
---> '''Blanche Lovell:''' My son is supposed to be on. He’s in outer space.\\

'''Blanche Lovell:''' It’s that damn TV Guide again.

-->'''Lovell:''' How are we feeling, Freddo?
-->'''Haise:''' Charbroiled.

** This was put in as a bit of RuleOfDrama. If Swigert couldn’t pull off the docking maneuver, Lovell or Haise could’ve easily taken over.

--> '''Jim Lovell:''' Yeah, better than Neil Armstrong. And ''way'' better than Pete Conrad!

-->'''Swigert''': That was some 'little jolt'.

'''Barbara:''' (''walking away, groaning''): This stinks!

*** North American Rockwell had a similar sense of humor about it and reminded Grumman that the Command and Service Module had "ferried" the Lunar Module to the Moon previously without payment, and it would be a good idea to just call it even.

'''Jim Lovell:''' ''[calmly]'' Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius.

** This is also a bit of FridgeBrilliance. Lovell knew exactly what to expect during staging because he was the only astronaut at the time who had previously flown a Saturn V.

'''Blanche Lovell:''' It’s that damn TV Guide again...

* A sleeping Mission Control worker wakes, checks his watch and blearily asks a passing colleague if it is AM or PM. The reply is "PM. Very, very PM".

* As Kranz starts the meeting in the discussion room, he brings up an overhead projector, turns it on...and, [[BlackComedy appropriately, it immediately breaks on him]]. He shoves it aside and starts using the chalkboard instead.

** The golden urine spray is instantly christened "Constellation Urion" (which they pronounce [[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY Yoo-ryan]]). According to the commentary, this was another of Pete Conrad's jokes.

-->'''Lovell:''' "I am sick and tired of the entire Western world knowing how ''my kidneys are functioning!!''"\\
'''Flight Surgeon:''' "Flight, now I'm losing all three of them!"\\
'''Kranz:''' ''(chuckles)'' "It's just a little medical mutiny, doc. I'm sure our guys are still with us. Let's give them a break, alright?"\\

--> '''Jim Lovell:''' "Yeah, better than Neil Armstrong. And ''way'' better than Pete Conrad!"

---> '''Lovell:''' Ken Mattingly orbited the Moon as command module pilot on Apollo 16, and flew the Space Shuttle; ''having never gotten the measles.''

* When the doctor at Mission Control begins to freak out when Lovell's bio readings flatline, followed by Haise and Swigert (they just removed their sensors in a fit of cabin fever).
-->"I am sick and tired of the entire Western world knowing how ''my kidneys are functioning!!''"

* When Swigert tells what he thinks is a watching worldwide audience that he forgot to file his income tax return, controller Sy Liebergot down in Mission in Control turns to the others and says seriously "That's no joke. They'll jump on him!" On the DVD commentary director Ron Howard says his brother Clint, who played Sy and had trouble with the IRS ad-lbbed the line!

'''Jim:''' (''mild glance)'' Yeah, sure.\\

* Pete Conrad, just as much a joker in the film as in real life, yelling at the TV for Neil Armstrong to abort his moonwalk at the last minute.