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'Pan Am' flies again for ABC as airline drama series debuts By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it Fasten your seat belt for a flight back to the 1960s. By definition, a series titled "Pan Am" would have to be set in an earlier era, since the title airline went out of business in 1991 after 64 years of operation. However, it's now back in business for ABC: With an emphasis on escapism, a drama about the personnel and passengers of Pan American World Airways premieres Sunday, Sept. 25. "What really locked in for me when we were developing the project," says series cre- ator and executive producer Jack Orman ("ER"), "was this concept of the Jet Age. The idea that you could get to go on an airplane was part of the whole trip; it wasn't something you wanted to 'get through.' It almost feels like science fiction now. You went through no security, there was a lounge, they were hav- ing martinis. It was a lot of fun, and it was real." Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Kelli Garner and Karine Vanasse play steward- esses, with Mike Vogel and Michael Mosley among the pilots. Known for often-edgy roles in such movies as "Monster" and "Black Snake Moan," Ricci embraces the idea of playing an air host- ess without her character, Karine Vanasse, Michael Mosley, Margot Robbie, Mike Vogel, Christina Ricci and Kelli Garner (from left) star in "Pan Am," premiering Sunday on ABC. Maggie, being any sort of stereotype. "There is sort of this mis- conception," she reflects, "because in reality, the job allowed these women to have a freedom they weren't re- ally given in a regular role in life at that time. Yes, they did have to pass through the gir- dle checks and the grooming checks ... but having met the education qualifications and all these other things, they were then allowed to travel freely and see the world in a way that other people didn't, and be in charge of their lives in a way that women at that time weren't necessarily." Stutzman MOTOR SALES , INC. 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US 33 West, Goshen • 533-1166 Another executive pro- ducer of "Pan Am" knows that well, since Nancy Hult Ganis actually was a Pan Am stew- ardess from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s. "We would become friends with our pas- sengers," she recalls of that era. "We would know them by name, we would know about their children, where they were going. Because the flights took more time and there wasn't entertainment or iPads or any of that, it was much more interactive. "In those days, nearly 80 percent of Pam Am crews represented 70 different countries," adds Ganis, wife of former film studio executive and Motion Picture Academy president Sid Ganis. "That was part of the discovery, too, learning about each other. The experience opened the world to us and helped us understand and appreciate those different cultures and customs." The Pan Am experience played a role in another significant career: Patricia Ire- land was another stewardess who eventually would serve as president of NOW, the Na- tional Organization for Wom- en, for a decade. It was her legal challenge to Pan Am's employee insurance policy, which she ultimately won, that prompted her to pursue law studies and begin doing volunteer work for NOW. "Pan Am" co-star Vogel ("Poseidon") brings true knowledge to his scenes at the controls as youthful pilot Dean, since he's a licensed aviator in real life. He read- ily admits "there's a massive difference between a little Cessna and a 707, but it gives Mike (Mosley) and me a great opportunity when we get in that cockpit to not be just, 'Grab this here and do that there.' We actually have business that we can do, and it's authentic business." For Kate, played by Gar- ner, "Pan Am" business also involves secret espionage for the U.S. government — com- plicated by the airborne pres- ence of her fellow stewardess sister, Laura (Robbie), who bailed on her wedding at the last minute. "The Cold War was at its height in that time period," Orman explains, "and Pan Am was this international airline. They had a very cozy relationship with the State Department. On a show that can go anywhere in the globe at the time, it's an aspect." Also key to the "Pan Am" creative team is Emmy win- ner Thomas Schlamme, pre- viously an executive producer (and co-creator) of "The West Wing" as well. He directed the "Pan Am" pilot episode that sets the distinctive, retro- looking style for the series, and he's satisfied that it al- ready has a thumbs-up from one of the critics he respects most: Emma, his teenage daughter with his actress wife, Christine Lahti. "For me, the show could be called 'The Best Years of Our Lives' for that group of people at that moment," Schlamme notes. "They're just having an incredible adventure. Think of any of Information on your doorstep Whether you're a teenager, a baby boomer or a senior, newspapers are a great source of information. At The Goshen News , you can find the latest local and business news , sports highlights, travel features, financial tips and more. Subscribe today! 533-2151 ext. 393 8 The Goshen News • Viewer's Choice • Saturday, September 24 - Friday, September 30, 2011 S PECTRU M EYEWEAR GALLERY Can also be seen in Syracuse. To make an appointment call • GLASSES • CONTACTS • EYE EXAMS • SUNGLASSES David Britzke, O.D. is no longer at the Vision Center in Goshen. Please call 574-970-7444 to schedule your appointment. 56028 Parkway Ave., Suite E Elkhart • 574-970-7444 574-457-4476 Allergies? Asthma? We Can Help! Snoring? Daytime Fatigue? Morning Headaches? Excessive Sleepiness? Yatin J. Patel, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Pulmonary Medicine You may have sleep apnea. Sneeze & Snooze C L I N I C 2417 South Berkshire, Goshen 574-534-9911 www.md4lungs.com Watch informational videos on our website. Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. us when we travel; there is an adventure that happens with that, so part of that's the show. They were traveling the world and would go back to their hometowns, and nobody knew what they were talking about. "They had done lots of things ... they were shopping in various places ... they were in Paris. That combination, and their kind of exciting ca- maraderie, is what I think will attract an audience whether they're 17 or 70." 13024 US 20, Middlebury • 574-825-2965 COLLISION • BRAKES • EXHAUST BILL'S COLLISION ALIGNMENTS • OIL CHANGE SERVICE Weblinks "IRT Deadliest Roads" returns for a new season Sunday on History, sending some new truckers and some familiar faces through South America. Click on www.history.com/shows/ irt-deadliest-roads Season five of "Cake Boss" starts Monday on TLC, as Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bakery in New Jersey handles the world's sweet tooth. Get frosted at tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/cake- boss "Hart of Dixie," premiering Monday on The CW, follows New York doctor Zoe Hart, whose dreams fall apart, so she heads Deborah Ponce, RN, MSN, NP-C Nurse Practitioner Our friendly staff is ready to help you!

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