Designer Times: 1984 Los Angeles Olympics - Closing Ceremonies Spacecraft
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45. 1984 Los Angeles Olympics - Closing Ceremonies Spacecraft

An audible gasp swept the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the closing ceremonies of the Twenty-Third Olympiad. Los Angeles and it's special entertainment folks were showing the world how to celebrate the most joyous games in Olympic history. As a blinding searchlight swept the 92,000 spectators, a dazzling flash of lights appeared out of the eastern sky. With a full moon as backdrop, an alien Spacecraft joined the Olympic celebrants.

A special stage in the Olympic playing field sent landing instructions via unique lighting patterns accompanied by space music from John Williams. Recognizing friendly invitation from the Olympians, the Spacecraft returned the salute with it's own music and even more dazzling light effects. Each new flash was echoed by more gasps and screams from those lucky enough to witness the first alien Spacecraft landing in modern times....a real Close Encounters of The Third Kind.

Amid a brilliant red glow and plumes of white smoke, the Spacecraft descended. Seconds later, an alien giant appeared on the peristyle where only minutes before, the Olympic flame was extinguished, signaling the end of the the XXIII Olympiad at Los Angeles.

Was it real? Some of the 92,000 onlookers certainly thought so. Millions of world wide TV viewers stared in amazement....was this really happening? Or just more of what the entertainment capital of the world does for everyday life. Two unique onlookers, David L. Wolper and Tommy Walker, knew more than anyone just how real it all was. And just how miraculously it actually appeared, especially to them. They conceived and produced the Opening and Closing Olympic Ceremonies. One of the many show features was the alien Spacecraft.

Only 24 hours earlier, the Spacecraft's turbine electrical power generator had shut down in flight during a final rehearsal. And just nine days before show night, the first test flight ended in disaster when the Spacecraft, originally built as a flying saucer, collapsed in flight. All this had followed two failed business efforts to to produce the device as one company declined to build it at the last moment, and a second company went bankrupt during negotiations.

David L. Wolper Productions inherited the monumental task of Olympic Ceremonies Producer when Walt Disney Productions was unable to proceed just ten months prior to the Olympic games, due to their inability to furnish a budget. Tommy Walker. enlisted as Director of Ceremonies, suggested a flying saucer as a Ceremonies highlight. Since Walker had flown three previous saucers, he knew they always worked.

In response to Walker's request for a saucer embodying hundreds of of special lights on a 50 foot diameter giant never before attempted, Planview of Hollywood was the winning design bidder and went to work. Designers John McGraw and John Miles contacted many equipment suppliers and formed a team to furnish the generator, controls, and lights for the saucer. This only two months prior to the August 12, 1984 show night. Finally approving McGraws design for production, the Olympics committee, at Walker's direction, drafted a contract with McGraw's Planview Company.