In the Cockpit with Cliff Robertson is the third volume in the Passion for Flight series. These short biographies (20,000 words or less) tell the stories of notable pilots who inspire young and old alike to take to the skies.
Cliff Robertson appeared in more than one hundred roles in his career as an actor, including a young John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” his Academy Award winning performance in “Charly,” astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the autobiographic “Return to Earth,” Henry Ford in “The Man and the Machine,” and most recently, Uncle Ben from “Spider-Man.”
Cliff always felt more comfortable in a plane than in Hollywood. His fascination for aviation began as a child. He accrued several thousand hours in the cockpit and held single-engine land and sea, multiengine, instrument and commercial licenses, as well as balloon, gliding and seaplane ratings. Over his lifetime he owned a variety of planes, including a Beech Baron 58, Messerschmitt Me 108, Stampe SV4, three Tiger Moths and a Spitfire Mk.IX.
He gave others the opportunity he had as a youth when he became involved with the Experimental Aircraft Association. Within EAA, he founded the Cliff Robertson Work Experience, helped launch EAA’s Young Eagles program in 1992, and served as its first national honorary chairman. At EAA AirVenture 2002, he was presented with the inaugural Key to the City Award, created by EAA and the city of Oshkosh, to honor distinguished personalities for significant contributions to the promotion and support of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the aviation community.
Di Freeze interviewed the Emmy and Academy Award winning actor for this short biography prior to his death. He reviewed and approved this approximately 5,000-word bio. This is not meant to be a comprehensive history of Cliff Robertson's life, but it contains the major milestones in his acting career and aviation history.
About the author:
Author and editor Di Freeze interviewed many well-known aviators during nearly a decade as editor-in-chief for Airport Journals, the founding publication of Living Legends of Aviation. She interviewed some of the world’s best-known pilots, including military heroes, celebrity pilots, aerobatic pilots, astronauts, philanthropists and entrepreneurs.
The books in the Passion for Flight series include In the Cockpit with Chuck Yeager, In the Cockpit with Bob Hoover, In the Cockpit with Cliff Robertson, In the Cockpit with Sean Tucker, In the Cockpit with Morgan Freeman, In the Cockpit with Tony Bill, In the Cockpit with John Travolta, In the Cockpit with Harrison Ford, In the Cockpit with Robin Olds, and In the Cockpit with Al Ueltschi.
Upcoming biographies will feature military greats such as Brig. Gen. Tex Hill; Hollywood director and actor Sydney Pollack; aerobatic superstar Patty Wagstaff; astronauts Maj. Gen. Bill Anders, Capt. Gene Cernan and Brig. Gen. Charlie Duke; entrepreneurs Clay Lacy, Linden Blue, and Barron Hilton; legendary golfer Arnold Palmer; country singer Aaron Tippin; comedian Jeff Dunham, and many others.
Di Freeze lives in Colorado. She also writes a blog, Same Shih Tzu Different Day, about her four rescued shih tzus: three half-sisters from a puppy mill and an owner release male.
Cliff Robertson appeared in more than one hundred roles in his career as an actor, including a young John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” his Academy Award winning performance in “Charly,” astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the autobiographic “Return to Earth,” Henry Ford in “The Man and the Machine,” and most recently, Uncle Ben from “Spider-Man.”
Cliff always felt more comfortable in a plane than in Hollywood. His fascination for aviation began as a child. He accrued several thousand hours in the cockpit and held single-engine land and sea, multiengine, instrument and commercial licenses, as well as balloon, gliding and seaplane ratings. Over his lifetime he owned a variety of planes, including a Beech Baron 58, Messerschmitt Me 108, Stampe SV4, three Tiger Moths and a Spitfire Mk.IX.
He gave others the opportunity he had as a youth when he became involved with the Experimental Aircraft Association. Within EAA, he founded the Cliff Robertson Work Experience, helped launch EAA’s Young Eagles program in 1992, and served as its first national honorary chairman. At EAA AirVenture 2002, he was presented with the inaugural Key to the City Award, created by EAA and the city of Oshkosh, to honor distinguished personalities for significant contributions to the promotion and support of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the aviation community.
Di Freeze interviewed the Emmy and Academy Award winning actor for this short biography prior to his death. He reviewed and approved this approximately 5,000-word bio. This is not meant to be a comprehensive history of Cliff Robertson's life, but it contains the major milestones in his acting career and aviation history.
About the author:
Author and editor Di Freeze interviewed many well-known aviators during nearly a decade as editor-in-chief for Airport Journals, the founding publication of Living Legends of Aviation. She interviewed some of the world’s best-known pilots, including military heroes, celebrity pilots, aerobatic pilots, astronauts, philanthropists and entrepreneurs.
The books in the Passion for Flight series include In the Cockpit with Chuck Yeager, In the Cockpit with Bob Hoover, In the Cockpit with Cliff Robertson, In the Cockpit with Sean Tucker, In the Cockpit with Morgan Freeman, In the Cockpit with Tony Bill, In the Cockpit with John Travolta, In the Cockpit with Harrison Ford, In the Cockpit with Robin Olds, and In the Cockpit with Al Ueltschi.
Upcoming biographies will feature military greats such as Brig. Gen. Tex Hill; Hollywood director and actor Sydney Pollack; aerobatic superstar Patty Wagstaff; astronauts Maj. Gen. Bill Anders, Capt. Gene Cernan and Brig. Gen. Charlie Duke; entrepreneurs Clay Lacy, Linden Blue, and Barron Hilton; legendary golfer Arnold Palmer; country singer Aaron Tippin; comedian Jeff Dunham, and many others.
Di Freeze lives in Colorado. She also writes a blog, Same Shih Tzu Different Day, about her four rescued shih tzus: three half-sisters from a puppy mill and an owner release male.
