How the cia used a fake scifi flick to rescue americans from tehran. He received the intelligence star for valor for the argo operation, the story of which was told in the 20 movie of the same name. It focuses on cia officer tony mendez and his team as they plan for, and eventually expatriate the 6 diplomats being hidden. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical. Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio the boston globe. Argo is a 2012 american historical drama thriller film directed by ben affleck. The film was based on a book written by him and his wife, also titled argo. A riveting story of secret identities and international intrigue, argo is the gripping account of the historymaking collusion between hollywood and highstakes espionage. Antonio mendez served in the cia for twentyfive years and is a highly decorated cia officer, one of the top 50 officers in its first 50 years and a recipient of the intelligence star for valor for the argo operation. How the cia used a fake scifi flick to rescue americans from tehran and from tony mendezs memoir, the master of disguise 1999.
How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious. He died on january 19, 2019 in frederick, maryland, usa. Antonio mendez finally details the extraordinarily complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. He smuggled six state department employees out of tehran during the iran hostage crisis, an operation portrayed in the movie argo. Central intelligence agency operative tony mendez, the master of disguise, and the 2007 wired article by joshuah bearman, the great escape. I suspect that tony mendez was forced to hold a lot back for security reasons. Tony mendez was born on november 15, 1940 in eureka, nevada, usa as antonio joseph mendez. He wrote multiple memoirs about his cia experiences. If you enjoyed the oscar winning argo but wanted to really under stand what the operation to save the house guests was really like, this is where to start. Argo drew its inspiration from a 2007 article in wired magazine written by joshuah bearman titled the great escape. A very brave cia officer, tony mendez, using commercial cover, entered iran.
Tony mendez, the spy whose involvement in the iran hostage crisis inspired ben afflecks argo, died saturday after a longterm battle with. Secretary of defense, in his book from the shadows. Jan 20, 2019 together and separately, mendez and tony have written several books, including tony s book with matt baglio argo. Tony mendez, the cia disguise expert whose daring rescue of six americans from iran was immortalized in ben afflecks oscarwinning movie argo, has. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the. Tony mendez has written a book titled argo, avaliable now. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo. Apr 05, 2015 antonio joseph tony mendez born november 15, 1940 is an american cia technical operations officer, now retired, who specialized in support of clandestine and covert cia operations. Mendez died early saturday morning, succumbing to a decadelong battle with parkinsons. Jan 19, 2019 tony mendez, the former cia officer who rescued six american diplomats from revolutionary iran in 1980, died saturday. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history 2012, with matt baglio.
The major motion picture will be released october 12th. Jan 22, 2019 tony mendez in a 1997 portrait after his retirement from the cia. Before he was a spy, argos tony mendez was an artist. Tony mendez, former cia technical operations officer, at the premiere of argo, a 2012 film based on a covert mission mendez led in 1979 that. This news piece features tony mendez in 20 shortly after argo won the academy award for best picture. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in. Written the real ben affleck tony mendez, you can hear about the role of the canadians british and the real world politics of a crisis that affects the world to this day. Tony and jonna mendez are former cia intelligence officers with 52 years of. The mendezs have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and. He is known for his work on argo 2012, our man in tehran 20 and argo. Jan 19, 2019 tony mendez, the former cia officer who famously supervised the rescue of six american diplomats from iran in 1980 and authored the memoir upon which the 2012 film argo was based, has died. The true, declassified account of cia operative tony mendez s daring rescue of american hostages from iran that inspired the criticallyacclaimed film directed by and starring ben affleck, and costarring john goodman, alan arkin, and bryan cranston. Jan 19, 2019 tony mendez, whose 1980 rescue of six american diplomats was depicted in best picture winner argo, died at age 78.
Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the 6. Together and separately, mendez and tony have written several books, including tonys book with matt baglio argo. Officer celebrated in the film argo it was a blind ad in a newspaper that caught tony mendezs eye in 1965. In january 1980 he was awarded the intelligence star for valor for engineering and conducting. Tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo, dead. Antonio joseph tony mendez was an american cia technical operations officer who specialized in clandestine and covert cia operations. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history. Argo is proof that espionage reality is more riveting than spy fiction. Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio the declassified cia story behind the. It focuses on cia officer tony mendez and his team as they plan for, and eventually expatriate the 6 diplomats being hidden by the. Tony mendez, cia master of disguise who was the real argo. Tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo, dead at. Mendez fills argo with the drama, pressure and tension of one of cias most spectacular rescue operations.
Tony mendez is no longer a spy for the cia, but the qualities that helped make him one of the best his wit and unassuming personality were on full display oct. Tim weiner has won the pulitzer prize and the national book award for. Jan 19, 2019 tony mendez, the argo spy who in 1980 smuggled u. On november 4, 1979, iranian militants stormed the american embassy in tehran and captured dozens of american hostages, sparking a 444day ordeal. Robert wallace, former director, cia office of technical service tony mendez is a spys spy. Tony talks about going to the oscars and reflects on the argo true story. Tony mendez, a spy best known for rescuing six american diplomats during the 19791981 iran hostage crisis which was the subject of the 2012 film argo has passed away. He and his colleagues had decided to book swissair, the airline he regarded. A classic case of deception mendez on the background of the canadian caper, studies in intelligence, winter 19992000 tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo, reveals the real story behind film smash. Argo author tony mendez to speak at pathways hospice benefit.
Tony mendez is a retired cia officer, an author, and the reallife inspiration for the movie argo. The cia and the canadian government collaborated on a rescue plan, and it falls to cia exfiltration expert tony mendez and his team to get them out. Artistspy tony mendez paints a dramatic portrait of unlikely collaboratorshollywood, the cia and canadaallied in the common cause of freedom. Screenwriter chris terrio adapted the screenplay from the book by the u. Jan 20, 2019 tony mendez, the cia disguise expert whose daring rescue of six americans from iran was immortalized in ben afflecks oscarwinning movie argo, has died. Antonio tony mendez served in the cia for twentyfive years and is a highly decorated cia officer, one of the top fifty officers in its first fifty years. Tony mendez, the former cia technical operations officer who orchestrated the 1980 rescue of six american diplomats from iran and who was portrayed by ben affleck in the academy award winning film. Tony mendez, whose 1980 rescue of six american diplomats was depicted in best picture winner argo, died at age 78. Officer celebrated in the film argo tony mendez in a photograph taken around the time he orchestrated the rescue of six american diplomats who were trapped in. While the iranian hostage crisis was a very serious situation and has had a serious impact on the united states foreign relations with iran the book argo is very enjoyable and almost lighthearted at times.
Tony mendez is best known for his role in rescuing american diplomats during the iran hostage crisis, portrayed in his book and the movie adaptation, argo. This book narrates how tony mendez, a cia agent, managed to rescue six american diplomats who were hiding in tehran after the embassy was taken. Ben affleck pays tribute to tony mendez after argo spy. These books are highly recommended reading for new recruits in the us intelligence community, and are part of the curriculum at universities and in the intelligence community. Excia agent tony mendez explains how he hatched a hairy plan to rescue six americans hiding in tehran, on which the film argo was based. Tony mendez, the former cia officer who famously supervised the rescue of six american diplomats from iran in 1980 and authored the memoir upon which the 2012 film argo was based, has died. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behindthescenes story of. Tony mendez and jonna mendez recently completed their fourth book that will be titled the moscow rules. Tony mendez, the reallife spy behind ben afflecks oscarwinning film argo, has died at the age of 78. Jan 21, 2019 tony mendez, the reallife spy behind ben afflecks oscarwinning film argo, has died at the age of 78. Antonio tony mendez, a former cia technical operations officer who helped rescue six u. A former cia technical operations officer whose role in rescuing six american diplomats from iran in 1980 was immortalized in the academy awardwinning drama argo has died.
Tony mendez, the former cia officer who rescued six american diplomats from revolutionary iran in 1980, died saturday. While affleck, who also directed the film, was praised for his evocation of tension and. If youve seen the movie you know the ending, so ill just say its a brilliant book, and a on november 4, 1979, iranian activists stormed the united states embassy in tehran. Former cia agent talks disguise, new book at frederick. Crisis was a very serious situation and has had a serious impact on the united states foreign relations with iran the book argo is very enjoyable and almost lighthearted at times.
Antonio mendez signed book argo premiere collectibles. Tony is the featured speaker at the one from the heart awards breakfast, a benefit for pathways hospice. Tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo. His story was immortalized in the 2012 movie argo, in which he was portrayed. Antonio joseph tony mendez born november 15, 1940 is an american cia technical operations officer, now retired, who specialized in support of clandestine and covert cia operations. Tony mendez, the argo spy who rescued americans in iran.
Jan 20, 2019 a former cia technical operations officer whose role in rescuing six american diplomats from iran in 1980 was immortalized in the academy awardwinning drama argo has died. Tony mendez the retired cia operative whose exploits during the iranian hostage crisis inspired the movie argo has retired from the spy business. The book, along with bearmans article in wired, served as the source material for argo, which won the oscar for best picture. The author of the master of disguise and spy dust, mendez lives with his family in rural washington county, maryland.
712 105 791 1170 543 1391 1421 618 209 393 1336 1049 1452 1223 974 756 442 1060 1512 1680 90 1099 757 108 1690 1266 990 1425 791 520 785 238 973 331 313 1514 1426 858 360 1273 1177 356 1160 464 1201 1117 1265 1038