"The Right Stuff" Vintage Movie Poster, Signed by Chuck Yeager, 1983

Presented is an original movie poster for Warner Brothers 1983 film, “The Right Stuff.” Tom Jung designed this one-sheet poster, which features profile illustrations of the seven test pilots, set against a starry sky, and a singular pilot emerging from a wrecked test. The movie’s title, “The Right Stuff,” and catch-phrase, “How the future began,” are printed at bottom center.  A collectible piece of movie history, this poster is made even more desirable with the addition of test-pilot Chuck Yeager’s signature on the poster at middle left. 

In 1972, journalist Tom Wolfe covered the launch of the final Moon mission, Apollo 17, for Rolling Stone. He wrote a four-part article about the astronauts for the magazine, entitled “Post-Orbital Remorse,” which appeared in Rolling Stone throughout 1973. After his piece was completed, Wolfe was still curious about the emotional and psychological bravery required to rocket into space, and so he began researching a broader history of the United States’ human spaceflight program. Throughout much of the 1970s, Wolfe worked on the research and writing for his book, The Right Stuff. 

In his foreword, Wolfe notes that as late as 1970, almost one in four career Navy pilots died in accidents. "The Right Stuff," he explains, "became a story of why men were willing--willing?--delighted!--to take on such odds in this, an era literary people had long since characterized as the age of the anti-hero." Focusing on the earliest American human spaceflights of Project Mercury and writing 15 years after the events themselves, Wolfe had the benefit of hindsight, archives, and first-hand recollections to help him answer that question. Wolfe interviewed test pilots, the astronauts, and their wives, among other experts in the field of space, flight, and psychology. 

The book was well received by critics upon publication in 1979. It was hailed as “one of the most romantic and thrilling books ever written about men who put themselves in peril." (The Boston Globe).  It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. This success prompted the development and creation of the Warner Brothers film, of the same title. 

Written and directed by Philip Kaufman, the 1983 film chronicles the first 15 years of America’s space program. Similar to Wolfe’s book, the movie follows the Mercury Seven test pilots closely, humanizing the professional and personal trials, tribulations, stressors, and pressure each faced. The film starred Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Hershey and Kim Stanley. It was narrated by Levon Helm, who plays Air Force test pilot Jack Ridley.

"The Right Stuff" was unsuccessful at the box-office bomb, grossing only $21 million. But it received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for eight Oscars, winning four. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

CONDITION:

Chuck Yeager Signed “The Right Stuff" poster. Warner Bros., 1983. One-sheet. Art by Tom Jung. Paper is healthy, save fold-lines. Nice color, without fading. Signed by Chuck Yeager in black felt-tip marker at left. Poster Dimensions: 41" H x 27" W.

Artfully framed to archival standards in a custom-built black wooden frame with UV plexiglas.

Framed Dimensions: 43 3/4" H x 29 3/4" W x 2 1/4" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.