1 00:00:08,602 --> 00:00:12,522 Speaker 1: The originals. This is an iHeart original. 2 00:00:17,762 --> 00:00:21,522 Speaker 2: The Clark County Marriage Licensed Bureau in Las Vegas is 3 00:00:21,602 --> 00:00:24,682 Speaker 2: about as far from the glitz and glamour of the 4 00:00:24,762 --> 00:00:28,362 Speaker 2: Strip as you can get. But for one night in 5 00:00:28,522 --> 00:00:32,802 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty five, this blanned government office in the County 6 00:00:32,842 --> 00:00:37,162 Speaker 2: Courthouse was home to one of the wildest shows in town. 7 00:00:39,842 --> 00:00:44,962 Speaker 2: On Thursday August twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five, hundreds of 8 00:00:45,082 --> 00:00:48,882 Speaker 2: young couples from all over the United States flocked to 9 00:00:48,962 --> 00:00:53,722 Speaker 2: Las Vegas, desperate to get married before the clock struck midnight. 10 00:00:54,522 --> 00:00:55,282 Speaker 1: Why the rush? 11 00:00:56,042 --> 00:01:01,642 Speaker 2: Just hours earlier, President's Lyndon Johnson issued a surprise executive order. 12 00:01:02,202 --> 00:01:06,762 Speaker 2: With the war escalating in Vietnam, the army needed more soldiers. 13 00:01:07,362 --> 00:01:11,322 Speaker 2: Lbj's executive order said that as of midnight, you would 14 00:01:11,362 --> 00:01:15,242 Speaker 2: no longer get special treatment for the Vietnam draft by 15 00:01:15,282 --> 00:01:20,642 Speaker 2: getting married. The surprise announcement set off a panic. Getting 16 00:01:20,722 --> 00:01:24,642 Speaker 2: drafted in nineteen sixty five was seen as a straight 17 00:01:24,682 --> 00:01:28,322 Speaker 2: shot to the front lines in Vietnam, but there was 18 00:01:28,562 --> 00:01:32,882 Speaker 2: still hope. If you could somehow get married before midnight 19 00:01:32,962 --> 00:01:37,562 Speaker 2: local time, you might be in the clear. The problem 20 00:01:37,762 --> 00:01:41,402 Speaker 2: was finding a place to get hitched on such short notice. 21 00:01:41,962 --> 00:01:46,402 Speaker 2: Nearly every state required blood tests or a waiting period 22 00:01:46,722 --> 00:01:52,082 Speaker 2: between getting a marriage license and actually getting married. Every state, 23 00:01:52,362 --> 00:01:58,322 Speaker 2: that is, except Nevada. At nine thirty pm on August 24 00:01:58,442 --> 00:02:02,882 Speaker 2: twenty sixth, Justice of the Piece James Brennan, returned from 25 00:02:02,962 --> 00:02:07,122 Speaker 2: conducting a late night wedding at the Dunes Hotel to 26 00:02:07,202 --> 00:02:11,442 Speaker 2: find a mob scene at the Clark County Courthouse. There 27 00:02:11,562 --> 00:02:15,522 Speaker 2: was a long, snaking line of fifty couples waiting to 28 00:02:15,562 --> 00:02:21,162 Speaker 2: get married, and the crowd was growing fast. Most of 29 00:02:21,202 --> 00:02:24,322 Speaker 2: the brides and grooms to be came from California, but 30 00:02:24,482 --> 00:02:27,322 Speaker 2: some couples had flown all the way from New Jersey, 31 00:02:27,602 --> 00:02:32,722 Speaker 2: New York, and Pennsylvania, frazzled parents in tow. Judge Brennan 32 00:02:32,882 --> 00:02:37,282 Speaker 2: had never seen anything like it. On a normal Thursday, 33 00:02:37,402 --> 00:02:42,522 Speaker 2: his office might issue eight or ten marriage licenses, But 34 00:02:42,642 --> 00:02:45,442 Speaker 2: over the next couple of hours, in what can only 35 00:02:45,482 --> 00:02:50,442 Speaker 2: be described as quote an orgy of officiating, Brennan and 36 00:02:50,522 --> 00:02:54,722 Speaker 2: his harried clerks issued more than one hundred and fifty licenses. 37 00:02:55,402 --> 00:02:59,922 Speaker 2: The judge personally presided over sixty seven weddings in one 38 00:02:59,962 --> 00:03:03,882 Speaker 2: hour and fifty minutes, which must be some kind of record. 39 00:03:04,682 --> 00:03:08,482 Speaker 2: With minutes to go before midnight and ordered his secretary 40 00:03:08,602 --> 00:03:12,162 Speaker 2: to put her typewriter cover over the clock. He didn't 41 00:03:12,202 --> 00:03:15,002 Speaker 2: want to know if the last few I dos were 42 00:03:15,042 --> 00:03:19,002 Speaker 2: exchanged before or after twelve. As far as the state 43 00:03:19,042 --> 00:03:23,522 Speaker 2: of Nevada was concerned, everyone got married on August twenty sixth. 44 00:03:25,242 --> 00:03:28,882 Speaker 2: The Vietnam Era was an incredibly stressful time to be 45 00:03:29,042 --> 00:03:32,922 Speaker 2: young in America. If you were nineteen or twenty, it 46 00:03:32,962 --> 00:03:36,402 Speaker 2: didn't matter what your plans were, getting a job, starting 47 00:03:36,402 --> 00:03:40,242 Speaker 2: a family. A draft board could send you halfway around 48 00:03:40,362 --> 00:03:43,602 Speaker 2: the world to fight, and you might never come home. 49 00:03:44,162 --> 00:03:48,002 Speaker 2: It was stressful for young women too. Imagine you're an 50 00:03:48,002 --> 00:03:50,522 Speaker 2: eighteen year old girl fresh out of high school and 51 00:03:50,602 --> 00:03:54,082 Speaker 2: your boyfriend calls out of the blue and says, marry 52 00:03:54,082 --> 00:03:57,362 Speaker 2: me tonight, or they're going to send me to Vietnam. 53 00:03:57,722 --> 00:04:00,802 Speaker 2: What would you do? Would you set aside your own 54 00:04:00,882 --> 00:04:08,962 Speaker 2: plans and dreams to protect someone you love. Welcome back 55 00:04:09,002 --> 00:04:14,242 Speaker 2: to Very Special Episodes and iHeart original podcast. I'm your host, 56 00:04:14,442 --> 00:04:18,482 Speaker 2: Danish Schwartz, and this is Night of one thousand Weddings. 57 00:04:22,202 --> 00:04:26,002 Speaker 3: We are back. She's Danish Schwartz, He's Aaron Burnett, I'm 58 00:04:26,122 --> 00:04:29,282 Speaker 3: Jason English. This is the very Special Episodes podcast. How's 59 00:04:29,282 --> 00:04:31,442 Speaker 3: everybody doing doing well? How about y'all? 60 00:04:31,642 --> 00:04:32,442 Speaker 1: I'm doing good. 61 00:04:32,522 --> 00:04:34,802 Speaker 2: Have we spoken since we had a new addition to 62 00:04:34,842 --> 00:04:36,762 Speaker 2: the very special episodes Family. 63 00:04:36,882 --> 00:04:37,522 Speaker 1: No, we have not. 64 00:04:37,802 --> 00:04:39,442 Speaker 3: Please introduce. Introduce. 65 00:04:39,842 --> 00:04:42,442 Speaker 2: There's a little baby. There's an Arthur Carmel. So if 66 00:04:42,442 --> 00:04:45,322 Speaker 2: you hear any crying in the background, it's the co 67 00:04:45,402 --> 00:04:47,362 Speaker 2: host who's mad that he doesn't get a chance to 68 00:04:47,442 --> 00:04:48,682 Speaker 2: participate in this banter. 69 00:04:48,962 --> 00:04:51,602 Speaker 3: We're going to write some baby vo parts into some 70 00:04:51,642 --> 00:04:53,842 Speaker 3: of these episodes. Put us in touch with his reps. 71 00:04:54,282 --> 00:04:56,082 Speaker 2: We do live in La so he does already have 72 00:04:56,122 --> 00:04:59,642 Speaker 2: an agent, manager, talent agent, modeling wrap. 73 00:05:00,082 --> 00:05:03,522 Speaker 1: By the way, great name, great name for his future career. 74 00:05:03,362 --> 00:05:04,042 Speaker 2: Artie Karns. 75 00:05:04,242 --> 00:05:05,082 Speaker 1: Yes, I love it. 76 00:05:05,802 --> 00:05:08,482 Speaker 3: Have you gotten all this social media handles and everything 77 00:05:08,522 --> 00:05:09,482 Speaker 3: that you need to reserve? 78 00:05:09,762 --> 00:05:11,922 Speaker 2: I think I did. I couldn't get the Gmail, but 79 00:05:11,962 --> 00:05:14,882 Speaker 2: I got something close. Isn't that crazy that that's how 80 00:05:14,882 --> 00:05:16,602 Speaker 2: fast it is. I think as soon as we landed 81 00:05:16,642 --> 00:05:19,322 Speaker 2: on the name, I was like, Instagram, Gmail, It's the 82 00:05:19,362 --> 00:05:20,602 Speaker 2: best gift I'll ever give him. 83 00:05:20,722 --> 00:05:21,562 Speaker 1: That's true. 84 00:05:21,642 --> 00:05:24,842 Speaker 3: I got the Gmail. I'm squatting on the Gmail to 85 00:05:24,962 --> 00:05:26,762 Speaker 3: the thirteenth birthday President. 86 00:05:27,362 --> 00:05:28,282 Speaker 1: You are a man now. 87 00:05:28,842 --> 00:05:32,122 Speaker 3: Perfect. Speaking of La, Saren and I just met up 88 00:05:32,162 --> 00:05:34,482 Speaker 3: for a couple of days in La. We made a 89 00:05:34,522 --> 00:05:37,762 Speaker 3: start in Venice at a I guess you call it 90 00:05:37,802 --> 00:05:41,162 Speaker 3: a creator space called the Lighthouse, and Saren and I 91 00:05:41,202 --> 00:05:43,882 Speaker 3: gave a nice talk to a very cool group of people. 92 00:05:44,042 --> 00:05:44,562 Speaker 1: Great crowd. 93 00:05:44,642 --> 00:05:46,722 Speaker 3: Hopefully they'll have us back. Hopefully we picked up some 94 00:05:46,842 --> 00:05:48,562 Speaker 3: new listeners to this podcast. 95 00:05:48,762 --> 00:05:50,922 Speaker 4: Yeah, I really liked that crowd. I was going down there. 96 00:05:51,082 --> 00:05:53,242 Speaker 4: I used to live in Venice. It was a nice homecoming, 97 00:05:53,482 --> 00:05:55,642 Speaker 4: but that crowd was amazing. I wish they had spaces like. 98 00:05:55,642 --> 00:05:56,522 Speaker 1: That when I lived there. 99 00:05:56,682 --> 00:05:59,242 Speaker 3: Speaking of big cross country trips, we've got a few 100 00:05:59,282 --> 00:06:00,322 Speaker 3: of them in this episode. 101 00:06:00,402 --> 00:06:04,282 Speaker 2: Oh God, a frantic road trip to save someone's life. 102 00:06:04,402 --> 00:06:11,322 Speaker 2: Pretty much, most of us have no idea what it's 103 00:06:11,442 --> 00:06:14,682 Speaker 2: like to live under the shadow of the draft, that 104 00:06:14,762 --> 00:06:17,482 Speaker 2: any day a letter could show up in the mail 105 00:06:17,962 --> 00:06:22,242 Speaker 2: ordering you to report for duty. For most people, getting 106 00:06:22,282 --> 00:06:25,962 Speaker 2: shot at in a foreign country isn't on their bucket list. 107 00:06:26,682 --> 00:06:29,882 Speaker 2: For the first few years of the conflict in Vietnam, 108 00:06:30,242 --> 00:06:33,882 Speaker 2: only small numbers of American troops were needed, but that 109 00:06:34,082 --> 00:06:38,962 Speaker 2: changed in nineteen sixty four following reports of North Vietnamese 110 00:06:39,002 --> 00:06:43,202 Speaker 2: torpedo boats attacking an American ship in the Gulf of Tonkin. 111 00:06:45,522 --> 00:06:51,122 Speaker 2: In response, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing 112 00:06:51,162 --> 00:06:56,522 Speaker 2: the President to send conventional troops into Vietnam. The Draft 113 00:06:56,842 --> 00:07:03,042 Speaker 2: was designed to most efficiently distribute America's manpower. Every American 114 00:07:03,082 --> 00:07:06,482 Speaker 2: man between the ages of eighteen and twenty six was 115 00:07:06,522 --> 00:07:11,562 Speaker 2: eligible for the Draft. Not everyone was sent overseas to fight, though. 116 00:07:12,042 --> 00:07:15,922 Speaker 2: There were all sorts of built in deferments available ways 117 00:07:15,962 --> 00:07:19,482 Speaker 2: to legally get a reprieve. If you were in college, 118 00:07:19,602 --> 00:07:23,522 Speaker 2: for example, you could get a student deferment. If you 119 00:07:23,602 --> 00:07:26,482 Speaker 2: were a doctor or a farmer, you could get an 120 00:07:26,522 --> 00:07:31,082 Speaker 2: occupational or agricultural deferment. If you had kids to raise, 121 00:07:31,442 --> 00:07:33,482 Speaker 2: you could get a hardship deferment. 122 00:07:34,082 --> 00:07:37,122 Speaker 5: The whole purpose of the deferments in general, right, is 123 00:07:37,162 --> 00:07:40,122 Speaker 5: to create a system of selective service. That's what selective 124 00:07:40,162 --> 00:07:43,082 Speaker 5: service means. So some men are needed more in uniform, 125 00:07:43,082 --> 00:07:45,962 Speaker 5: and some men are needed more as civilians, or at 126 00:07:46,042 --> 00:07:49,962 Speaker 5: least needed less in uniform. That's true across the board 127 00:07:50,002 --> 00:07:50,842 Speaker 5: in US history. 128 00:07:51,762 --> 00:07:56,282 Speaker 2: That's Amy Ruttenberg, a historian who researches and writes about 129 00:07:56,322 --> 00:08:00,402 Speaker 2: the Draft. Amy's also really interested in all of the 130 00:08:00,442 --> 00:08:04,322 Speaker 2: ways that people tried to get around the draft, legal 131 00:08:04,482 --> 00:08:05,362 Speaker 2: and otherwise. 132 00:08:07,042 --> 00:08:07,282 Speaker 3: Well. 133 00:08:07,962 --> 00:08:12,762 Speaker 5: There are all kinds of stories that circulated about people 134 00:08:12,802 --> 00:08:15,682 Speaker 5: going to Mexico to have knee surgery to ruin their 135 00:08:15,762 --> 00:08:20,562 Speaker 5: knees rather than fix them, People purposefully starving themselves to 136 00:08:20,602 --> 00:08:23,442 Speaker 5: get under the weight limit so that they would be 137 00:08:23,522 --> 00:08:29,042 Speaker 5: for f or not eligible physically, people refusing to shower 138 00:08:29,482 --> 00:08:32,442 Speaker 5: for weeks leading up to their induction exams so that 139 00:08:32,482 --> 00:08:34,162 Speaker 5: they would be found mentally unfit. 140 00:08:34,922 --> 00:08:38,482 Speaker 2: According to one study, more than sixty percent of draft 141 00:08:38,522 --> 00:08:42,602 Speaker 2: eligible men actively took some type of measure to avoid 142 00:08:42,682 --> 00:08:46,562 Speaker 2: being drafted, or at least to avoid being sent to 143 00:08:46,602 --> 00:08:51,442 Speaker 2: the front lines. Army infantry was the most dangerous job, 144 00:08:51,882 --> 00:08:54,882 Speaker 2: so a lot of men enlisted in other branches of 145 00:08:54,922 --> 00:08:59,002 Speaker 2: the military that had lower odds of being sent to Vietnam, 146 00:08:59,522 --> 00:09:03,522 Speaker 2: like the National Guard or even the Navy. Others did 147 00:09:03,642 --> 00:09:07,682 Speaker 2: everything they could to qualify for a deferment, which were 148 00:09:07,722 --> 00:09:11,642 Speaker 2: relatively easy to get at first, but as the fighting 149 00:09:11,842 --> 00:09:16,402 Speaker 2: escalated and the army needed more men, the rules started 150 00:09:16,402 --> 00:09:17,362 Speaker 2: to tighten up. 151 00:09:17,642 --> 00:09:20,962 Speaker 5: There's a pattern that's established through all the wars where 152 00:09:20,962 --> 00:09:23,362 Speaker 5: the United States has used a draft, and that is 153 00:09:23,962 --> 00:09:27,842 Speaker 5: at the outset, when there are relatively high rates of volunteering, 154 00:09:28,082 --> 00:09:31,362 Speaker 5: or when the US hasn't needed quite as many men 155 00:09:31,402 --> 00:09:34,962 Speaker 5: in uniform, the deferments are pretty easy to get. And 156 00:09:35,002 --> 00:09:38,202 Speaker 5: then as it becomes harder to get people to enlist 157 00:09:38,522 --> 00:09:43,122 Speaker 5: or the military simply needs more men, those deferments get 158 00:09:43,162 --> 00:09:44,402 Speaker 5: closed off one by one. 159 00:09:45,562 --> 00:09:49,762 Speaker 2: That's what happened in nineteen sixty five. Two years earlier, 160 00:09:49,882 --> 00:09:53,322 Speaker 2: John F. Kennedy had signed an executive order saying that 161 00:09:53,522 --> 00:09:58,242 Speaker 2: married men would be drafted last, only after all eligible 162 00:09:58,322 --> 00:10:02,602 Speaker 2: single men were used up. Kennedy's announcement even triggered a 163 00:10:02,762 --> 00:10:04,322 Speaker 2: miniature marriage boom. 164 00:10:04,722 --> 00:10:07,762 Speaker 5: Marriage rates were seven point five percent hire for twenty 165 00:10:07,842 --> 00:10:10,882 Speaker 5: year olds and ten point nine percent higher for twenty 166 00:10:10,922 --> 00:10:15,162 Speaker 5: one year olds between October sixty three and June sixty 167 00:10:15,162 --> 00:10:18,282 Speaker 5: four than they had been during the previous two years. 168 00:10:18,322 --> 00:10:21,282 Speaker 5: In other words, there's a spike in twenty and twenty 169 00:10:21,282 --> 00:10:22,802 Speaker 5: one year olds getting married. 170 00:10:23,402 --> 00:10:27,322 Speaker 2: With the marriage deferment. If a young person really didn't 171 00:10:27,362 --> 00:10:30,362 Speaker 2: want to fight in Vietnam, they didn't have to starve 172 00:10:30,442 --> 00:10:33,882 Speaker 2: themselves or go to Mexico and get reverse knee surgery. 173 00:10:34,322 --> 00:10:37,642 Speaker 2: They just had to find a woman. At least that 174 00:10:37,842 --> 00:10:42,162 Speaker 2: was the case until August twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five. 175 00:10:43,402 --> 00:10:45,242 Speaker 6: I was going to work one night, and I worked 176 00:10:45,282 --> 00:10:47,722 Speaker 6: a late afternoon shift at the phone company, and I 177 00:10:47,762 --> 00:10:50,282 Speaker 6: heard on the radio that Lyndon Johnson had changed the 178 00:10:50,362 --> 00:10:52,802 Speaker 6: rules for getting a deferment and that you had to 179 00:10:52,802 --> 00:10:54,202 Speaker 6: be married before midnight that night. 180 00:10:55,082 --> 00:10:59,402 Speaker 2: That's Candy Rydell. In nineteen sixty five, Candy was an 181 00:10:59,482 --> 00:11:03,162 Speaker 2: eighteen year old student at El Camino Junior College in 182 00:11:03,242 --> 00:11:08,162 Speaker 2: southern California. Candy was dating a guy named George Warren. 183 00:11:08,762 --> 00:11:11,722 Speaker 2: George was different from most of the other guys at 184 00:11:11,762 --> 00:11:16,602 Speaker 2: El Camino. He was an intellectual, a free thinker. George 185 00:11:16,642 --> 00:11:20,842 Speaker 2: didn't approve of Candy being in a sorority, too conventional, 186 00:11:20,922 --> 00:11:26,162 Speaker 2: too bourgeois, so they started going to anti war protests instead. 187 00:11:26,722 --> 00:11:29,522 Speaker 6: I remember my mother was horrified because she had long hair, 188 00:11:29,842 --> 00:11:31,762 Speaker 6: which wasn't long hair at all. 189 00:11:31,882 --> 00:11:32,082 Speaker 7: You know. 190 00:11:32,162 --> 00:11:34,282 Speaker 6: It was just like he could combit and it came 191 00:11:34,322 --> 00:11:36,202 Speaker 6: to his bottom of his ear, you know. 192 00:11:37,082 --> 00:11:38,682 Speaker 7: But she never liked anybody that was with. 193 00:11:39,482 --> 00:11:43,202 Speaker 2: George had his whole life planned out, and central to 194 00:11:43,282 --> 00:11:46,682 Speaker 2: that plan was not getting sent to Vietnam. 195 00:11:46,962 --> 00:11:48,722 Speaker 6: That was his life, you know. He was a student 196 00:11:48,762 --> 00:11:51,442 Speaker 6: and an anthropologist student, so that had a big future. 197 00:11:51,842 --> 00:11:54,602 Speaker 6: And he figured that he would go to school and 198 00:11:54,642 --> 00:11:56,482 Speaker 6: then go to graduate school, and then go on to 199 00:11:56,522 --> 00:11:58,162 Speaker 6: get a doctorate, and then by the time he was 200 00:11:58,202 --> 00:12:00,722 Speaker 6: twenty eight, he would have to get married just to 201 00:12:00,762 --> 00:12:01,642 Speaker 6: avoid the draft. 202 00:12:02,242 --> 00:12:05,322 Speaker 2: Candy and George had only been dating for three months. 203 00:12:05,722 --> 00:12:08,962 Speaker 2: They never talked about marriage, or if they had, it 204 00:12:09,042 --> 00:12:13,682 Speaker 2: was something in the way distant future. But when Candy 205 00:12:13,842 --> 00:12:17,922 Speaker 2: heard lbj's announcement on the radio, she felt her world 206 00:12:18,082 --> 00:12:22,322 Speaker 2: turn upside down. If the marriage deferment was gone, what 207 00:12:22,402 --> 00:12:26,642 Speaker 2: if the college deferment was next, what would stop George 208 00:12:26,682 --> 00:12:30,522 Speaker 2: from being drafted. The second Candy got to work, she 209 00:12:30,682 --> 00:12:33,722 Speaker 2: called George's house and left a message with his mom. 210 00:12:34,282 --> 00:12:37,442 Speaker 2: She said that she would do whatever he wanted, whatever 211 00:12:37,562 --> 00:12:40,042 Speaker 2: was necessary to keep him safe. 212 00:12:40,082 --> 00:12:41,842 Speaker 6: After a couple of hours, I got a phone call 213 00:12:41,882 --> 00:12:43,482 Speaker 6: that said there was an emergency that I had to 214 00:12:43,522 --> 00:12:45,882 Speaker 6: go home. I remember telling the girl next to me, 215 00:12:46,362 --> 00:12:47,562 Speaker 6: I think I'm getting married. 216 00:12:48,242 --> 00:12:52,442 Speaker 2: So as it happens, Candy wasn't the only young woman 217 00:12:52,522 --> 00:12:55,882 Speaker 2: in southern California getting an urgent phone call in the 218 00:12:55,882 --> 00:12:59,882 Speaker 2: middle of the afternoon. Eighteen year old Claudia was working 219 00:12:59,962 --> 00:13:03,682 Speaker 2: as a bookkeeper at the Jolly Roger Inn near Disneyland 220 00:13:04,002 --> 00:13:07,002 Speaker 2: when her boyfriend David called out of the blue. 221 00:13:07,162 --> 00:13:09,922 Speaker 8: So Claudia is at work, she gets a phone call 222 00:13:09,962 --> 00:13:13,922 Speaker 8: from David saying, Hey, there's this executive order that was issued. 223 00:13:14,362 --> 00:13:15,482 Speaker 8: We need to get married. 224 00:13:16,362 --> 00:13:20,722 Speaker 2: That's Ashton Avila, a filmmaker. Ashton made a short film 225 00:13:20,802 --> 00:13:24,362 Speaker 2: called I Got You Babe. That's a fictionalized account of 226 00:13:24,442 --> 00:13:28,522 Speaker 2: Claudia and David's adventures that night in nineteen sixty five. 227 00:13:29,242 --> 00:13:33,082 Speaker 2: Ashton says that Claudia was in the same boat as Candy. 228 00:13:33,562 --> 00:13:37,522 Speaker 2: She'd only started dating David that summer, and suddenly she 229 00:13:37,682 --> 00:13:43,362 Speaker 2: was faced with a huge decision. Sensing Claudia's hesitation, David 230 00:13:43,442 --> 00:13:47,042 Speaker 2: pushed harder. So you don't love me, he asked. Claudia, 231 00:13:47,522 --> 00:13:51,322 Speaker 2: you just want me to die over in Vietnam. Of 232 00:13:51,442 --> 00:13:54,162 Speaker 2: course she loved him, and of course she didn't want 233 00:13:54,202 --> 00:13:57,922 Speaker 2: him to die anywhere. She just needed a minute to think. 234 00:13:58,402 --> 00:14:01,682 Speaker 2: But David said if they wanted to get married before midnight, 235 00:14:02,002 --> 00:14:04,122 Speaker 2: they had to leave right now. 236 00:14:04,722 --> 00:14:07,682 Speaker 8: After the announcement, people realized the old only place in 237 00:14:07,762 --> 00:14:10,962 Speaker 8: the US that you could get married without a blood 238 00:14:10,962 --> 00:14:13,842 Speaker 8: test or a waiting period was the State of Nevada. 239 00:14:14,402 --> 00:14:17,562 Speaker 8: So people all over the country who knew that they 240 00:14:17,602 --> 00:14:20,402 Speaker 8: wanted to make it in for this draft deferment fled 241 00:14:20,482 --> 00:14:21,322 Speaker 8: to Nevada. 242 00:14:22,642 --> 00:14:25,002 Speaker 2: David's friend had a car and the plan was to 243 00:14:25,202 --> 00:14:28,722 Speaker 2: drive to Vegas, which was at least five hours away. 244 00:14:29,362 --> 00:14:33,842 Speaker 2: Completely overwhelmed, Claudia tried to explain the situation to her boss, 245 00:14:34,162 --> 00:14:38,042 Speaker 2: who was less than sympathetic. He was from the World 246 00:14:38,042 --> 00:14:42,282 Speaker 2: War II generation and had strong feelings about so called 247 00:14:42,562 --> 00:14:43,642 Speaker 2: draft dodgers. 248 00:14:44,242 --> 00:14:45,802 Speaker 8: She said, I need to go because I need to 249 00:14:45,842 --> 00:14:47,882 Speaker 8: go and get married, and he said, well, if you leave, 250 00:14:47,922 --> 00:14:49,722 Speaker 8: don't bother coming back, because you don't have a job 251 00:14:49,762 --> 00:14:50,322 Speaker 8: here anymore. 252 00:14:51,122 --> 00:14:55,162 Speaker 2: As if Claudia's decision wasn't hard enough now her job 253 00:14:55,282 --> 00:14:58,042 Speaker 2: was on the line, but there wasn't time to think. 254 00:14:58,562 --> 00:15:01,242 Speaker 2: David needed her help, and that's all she knew. 255 00:15:01,722 --> 00:15:04,122 Speaker 8: She left the job. They went to get married. They 256 00:15:04,122 --> 00:15:06,642 Speaker 8: got in their friend's car and they started driving towards 257 00:15:06,722 --> 00:15:07,602 Speaker 8: life Las Vegas. 258 00:15:08,122 --> 00:15:11,522 Speaker 2: Candy and George also had their sights set on Vegas, 259 00:15:11,762 --> 00:15:15,642 Speaker 2: but they bought plane tickets. Actually, George's mom bought the 260 00:15:15,642 --> 00:15:19,162 Speaker 2: plane tickets. She was dead set on getting George married 261 00:15:19,202 --> 00:15:21,962 Speaker 2: before midnight and keeping him out of harm's way. 262 00:15:22,722 --> 00:15:23,522 Speaker 1: When Candy and. 263 00:15:23,482 --> 00:15:26,482 Speaker 2: George got to the airport, it was full of other 264 00:15:26,642 --> 00:15:31,002 Speaker 2: young couples with the same determined and slightly dazed look 265 00:15:31,122 --> 00:15:31,842 Speaker 2: in their eye. 266 00:15:32,242 --> 00:15:35,122 Speaker 6: It was Bonanza Airlines and they had to put on 267 00:15:35,202 --> 00:15:39,002 Speaker 6: three extra airplanes because there were so many couples going 268 00:15:39,042 --> 00:15:40,882 Speaker 6: to Las Vegas right then to get married. 269 00:15:41,442 --> 00:15:42,482 Speaker 7: So that was a big deal. 270 00:15:43,202 --> 00:15:47,602 Speaker 2: For Amy Ruttenberg, the historian, hearing about these young couples 271 00:15:47,722 --> 00:15:51,722 Speaker 2: dropping everything and racing to Vegas drives home just how 272 00:15:51,762 --> 00:15:55,842 Speaker 2: anxious this entire generation was about being drafted. 273 00:15:56,322 --> 00:15:59,042 Speaker 5: Well, it certainly shows how serious these couples were about 274 00:15:59,042 --> 00:16:01,922 Speaker 5: avoiding this. I mean, if the news drops and within 275 00:16:01,962 --> 00:16:03,882 Speaker 5: twenty four hours you're on a plane to Las Vegas 276 00:16:03,922 --> 00:16:08,122 Speaker 5: in nineteen sixty five, right, that's pretty serious. 277 00:16:08,522 --> 00:16:11,682 Speaker 2: When we asked Candy if she had any second thoughts 278 00:16:11,682 --> 00:16:14,922 Speaker 2: as she was boarding a Bonanza Airlines flight to Vegas 279 00:16:15,042 --> 00:16:17,882 Speaker 2: to marry a guy she'd only known for three months, 280 00:16:18,242 --> 00:16:19,002 Speaker 2: she said no. 281 00:16:19,922 --> 00:16:23,722 Speaker 6: There wasn't any hesitation. It was just like, well, this 282 00:16:23,802 --> 00:16:25,962 Speaker 6: is something we have to do. It's different, but let's 283 00:16:26,002 --> 00:16:29,362 Speaker 6: do it, you know, So I didn't worry. I called 284 00:16:29,402 --> 00:16:33,602 Speaker 6: my mother before I left, and she said, are you pregnant, 285 00:16:33,922 --> 00:16:34,842 Speaker 6: because that's my mother. 286 00:16:38,202 --> 00:16:42,162 Speaker 2: Claudia, on the other hand, wasn't convinced. The long car 287 00:16:42,282 --> 00:16:45,722 Speaker 2: ride to Vegas gave her way too much time to think. 288 00:16:46,362 --> 00:16:50,242 Speaker 2: David's friend brought his fiance, and the other couple bickered 289 00:16:50,282 --> 00:16:53,602 Speaker 2: and fought in the front seat the entire trip. How 290 00:16:53,642 --> 00:16:56,722 Speaker 2: did Claudia know that she and David wouldn't end up 291 00:16:56,802 --> 00:17:00,402 Speaker 2: like them? Was she really ready to be somebody's wife? 292 00:17:01,042 --> 00:17:03,602 Speaker 8: I think she was torn between She really, you know, 293 00:17:03,762 --> 00:17:06,722 Speaker 8: loved David and she wanted to be with him, and 294 00:17:06,762 --> 00:17:08,922 Speaker 8: she didn't want him to go to war. Like obviously 295 00:17:09,042 --> 00:17:12,722 Speaker 8: she said yes for a reason, but I think she 296 00:17:12,882 --> 00:17:15,442 Speaker 8: also was battling with the idea of what does it 297 00:17:15,522 --> 00:17:17,922 Speaker 8: mean to be a woman in nineteen sixty five and 298 00:17:17,962 --> 00:17:21,402 Speaker 8: what does it mean to get married and have your 299 00:17:21,442 --> 00:17:24,442 Speaker 8: life change it that way? And the expectations of you 300 00:17:24,602 --> 00:17:27,242 Speaker 8: as a wife and a mother, And then all of 301 00:17:27,282 --> 00:17:30,362 Speaker 8: a sudden it's like, hey, you have, you know, six 302 00:17:30,402 --> 00:17:32,642 Speaker 8: hours to decide if you were going to give all 303 00:17:32,682 --> 00:17:33,002 Speaker 8: that up. 304 00:17:34,042 --> 00:17:38,162 Speaker 2: As Claudia, David, Candy, and George set off for Vegas, 305 00:17:38,562 --> 00:17:43,482 Speaker 2: they had two burning questions racing through their minds. One, 306 00:17:43,682 --> 00:17:46,482 Speaker 2: would they actually make it to Vegas on time to 307 00:17:46,482 --> 00:17:50,522 Speaker 2: get married by midnight, and two was all of this 308 00:17:50,842 --> 00:18:03,202 Speaker 2: completely crazy. On August twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five, Larry 309 00:18:03,202 --> 00:18:06,122 Speaker 2: Fugate was a twenty year old cub reporter for the 310 00:18:06,322 --> 00:18:10,242 Speaker 2: Las Vegas Review Journal, the city paper. It was close 311 00:18:10,322 --> 00:18:13,522 Speaker 2: to nine pm on a Thursday and the journal office 312 00:18:13,682 --> 00:18:16,802 Speaker 2: was almost empty. Then the phone rang. 313 00:18:16,962 --> 00:18:19,642 Speaker 8: And he gets this phone call that somebody says, Hey, 314 00:18:19,642 --> 00:18:22,842 Speaker 8: there's something going on at the courthouse. And Larry says 315 00:18:23,122 --> 00:18:25,082 Speaker 8: to like one of the last reporters there, being like, hey, 316 00:18:25,722 --> 00:18:27,962 Speaker 8: there's something going on at the courthouse that maybe we 317 00:18:28,002 --> 00:18:31,082 Speaker 8: should go and look into. And they were like, I'm 318 00:18:31,082 --> 00:18:32,482 Speaker 8: going home. If you want to go do. 319 00:18:32,482 --> 00:18:33,042 Speaker 1: That, you can. 320 00:18:33,842 --> 00:18:37,322 Speaker 2: So Larry, being an eager beaver, grabbed his notebook and 321 00:18:37,522 --> 00:18:41,202 Speaker 2: high tailed it for the courthouse. He couldn't believe what 322 00:18:41,362 --> 00:18:45,682 Speaker 2: he saw. There were people everywhere. Police were on duty 323 00:18:45,762 --> 00:18:50,602 Speaker 2: trying to control the increasingly jittery crowd. When Larry realized 324 00:18:50,642 --> 00:18:53,202 Speaker 2: that people had flown to Vegas from all over the 325 00:18:53,242 --> 00:18:56,922 Speaker 2: country for a last minute draft reprieve, he knew that 326 00:18:57,002 --> 00:19:00,162 Speaker 2: he'd stumbled on the best story in Vegas that night. 327 00:19:01,562 --> 00:19:04,762 Speaker 8: I remember him describing he goes there were women with 328 00:19:04,842 --> 00:19:08,282 Speaker 8: soda pop cans in their hair, the curling and he goes, 329 00:19:08,282 --> 00:19:11,442 Speaker 8: and men who look like they walked off a construction site. 330 00:19:11,842 --> 00:19:14,602 Speaker 8: And it was just this kind of chaotic group of people. 331 00:19:15,402 --> 00:19:18,002 Speaker 8: And he went and he interviewed a bunch of the 332 00:19:18,042 --> 00:19:18,602 Speaker 8: people there. 333 00:19:19,282 --> 00:19:21,642 Speaker 2: There was a tall young man who'd flown all the 334 00:19:21,642 --> 00:19:25,322 Speaker 2: way from Pittsburgh with his sweetheart and his parents. He 335 00:19:25,402 --> 00:19:29,202 Speaker 2: admitted that he'd only known his future wife for four weeks, 336 00:19:29,562 --> 00:19:36,002 Speaker 2: but said they'd discussed marriage before. Once emotions were running high. 337 00:19:36,362 --> 00:19:39,202 Speaker 2: Most of the young women were either giddy or in 338 00:19:39,322 --> 00:19:44,402 Speaker 2: tears or both. The young men paced around chain smoking cigarettes. 339 00:19:44,802 --> 00:19:48,402 Speaker 2: One twenty year old kid told Larry quote, sure, I'm 340 00:19:48,402 --> 00:19:50,522 Speaker 2: not ready to be married, but I'm not going to 341 00:19:50,562 --> 00:19:56,362 Speaker 2: fight in some dirty jungle. The parents were on edge too. 342 00:19:56,442 --> 00:20:00,162 Speaker 2: When Larry tried to interview one father, he was shouted away. 343 00:20:00,802 --> 00:20:03,682 Speaker 2: The man didn't want his son's name in the papers 344 00:20:03,762 --> 00:20:05,802 Speaker 2: as a quote. Draft Dodger. 345 00:20:06,962 --> 00:20:10,482 Speaker 8: Did have their opinions of what was right and what 346 00:20:10,602 --> 00:20:13,322 Speaker 8: was wrong. And also, you know, we were closer to 347 00:20:13,642 --> 00:20:16,282 Speaker 8: that World War II victory right where America was the 348 00:20:16,282 --> 00:20:19,162 Speaker 8: big hero and you know, or one of the big heroes, 349 00:20:19,242 --> 00:20:21,442 Speaker 8: and you know, the pride of being like, you know, 350 00:20:21,482 --> 00:20:24,282 Speaker 8: you fought the Nazis, you like, did good for the world, 351 00:20:24,402 --> 00:20:27,002 Speaker 8: all of that, and then to go into this war 352 00:20:27,282 --> 00:20:30,682 Speaker 8: that was so muddy about the intention of it, and 353 00:20:30,722 --> 00:20:34,122 Speaker 8: to have those veterans from World War Two be like, 354 00:20:34,162 --> 00:20:36,242 Speaker 8: you fight for your country, We're proud to be American, 355 00:20:36,362 --> 00:20:39,322 Speaker 8: all this stuff, and then to have this war that's like, wait, 356 00:20:39,362 --> 00:20:43,042 Speaker 8: this isn't the same situation, But how do I explain 357 00:20:43,082 --> 00:20:44,282 Speaker 8: that to an older generation. 358 00:20:45,322 --> 00:20:48,642 Speaker 2: One of the Clark County police officers turned to larry 359 00:20:48,682 --> 00:20:52,442 Speaker 2: and equipped. It seems romance is now spelled v I 360 00:20:52,722 --> 00:20:58,722 Speaker 2: e T NAM. Inside the marriage license bureau, things were 361 00:20:58,762 --> 00:21:03,282 Speaker 2: getting chaotic. Lydia Cartwright was on duty that night. She 362 00:21:03,442 --> 00:21:06,722 Speaker 2: remembers getting frantic phone calls from all over the country. 363 00:21:07,162 --> 00:21:10,362 Speaker 2: Men were calling from New York in Chicago asking Lydia 364 00:21:10,402 --> 00:21:14,442 Speaker 2: to marry them right over the phone. She politely declined. 365 00:21:15,202 --> 00:21:18,322 Speaker 2: Most of the couples didn't have wedding rings, and none 366 00:21:18,322 --> 00:21:21,842 Speaker 2: of the girls wore wedding dresses. Someone showed up with 367 00:21:21,882 --> 00:21:25,082 Speaker 2: a veil and several of the brides passed it around, 368 00:21:25,282 --> 00:21:28,642 Speaker 2: recycling it for their rushed ceremony with the Justice of 369 00:21:28,682 --> 00:21:33,042 Speaker 2: the Peace Meanwhile, more and more couples were arriving in 370 00:21:33,122 --> 00:21:36,642 Speaker 2: Vegas by plane and by car, trying to beat the 371 00:21:36,682 --> 00:21:37,882 Speaker 2: midnight deadline. 372 00:21:38,202 --> 00:21:41,682 Speaker 8: The feeling of Las Vegas that night was cars were 373 00:21:41,762 --> 00:21:45,202 Speaker 8: driving down the boulevard and people were yelling at the 374 00:21:45,242 --> 00:21:48,122 Speaker 8: cars and saying, the courthouse is that way, Like people 375 00:21:48,242 --> 00:21:50,842 Speaker 8: in the streets were pointing them in the direction because 376 00:21:50,842 --> 00:21:52,282 Speaker 8: they knew what everyone was doing. 377 00:21:52,922 --> 00:21:57,042 Speaker 2: Candy Riddell and George Warren landed in Las Vegas around 378 00:21:57,242 --> 00:22:00,642 Speaker 2: nine thirty. They had no idea if the courthouse was 379 00:22:00,682 --> 00:22:03,722 Speaker 2: even open. They jumped in a taxi and the driver 380 00:22:03,882 --> 00:22:07,922 Speaker 2: insisted on stopping at every single quickie, wea chapel along 381 00:22:07,962 --> 00:22:08,482 Speaker 2: the strip. 382 00:22:08,802 --> 00:22:10,722 Speaker 6: They must have had a deal with them, you know 383 00:22:10,762 --> 00:22:13,322 Speaker 6: that he's tried to sell people on the way, and 384 00:22:13,402 --> 00:22:15,002 Speaker 6: we had to get out and go into some of them, 385 00:22:15,082 --> 00:22:17,202 Speaker 6: and we're just panicky, you know. We got to get 386 00:22:17,202 --> 00:22:19,042 Speaker 6: to the We got to get to the courthouse. And 387 00:22:19,082 --> 00:22:21,082 Speaker 6: then when you get to the courthouse it was closed. 388 00:22:21,162 --> 00:22:23,002 Speaker 6: They had to close for an hour to take lunch. 389 00:22:23,482 --> 00:22:25,482 Speaker 6: This was like at ten o'clock at night, though, you know, 390 00:22:25,642 --> 00:22:29,122 Speaker 6: so they were preparing for a big influx and then 391 00:22:29,202 --> 00:22:32,322 Speaker 6: so there was just jam a hallway jammed of people 392 00:22:32,602 --> 00:22:34,282 Speaker 6: waiting for the courthouse. 393 00:22:33,802 --> 00:22:34,442 Speaker 1: To open again. 394 00:22:35,042 --> 00:22:37,082 Speaker 6: I think it's just that we were all nervous that 395 00:22:37,122 --> 00:22:38,282 Speaker 6: we were going to get married in time. 396 00:22:40,242 --> 00:22:42,642 Speaker 2: Candy and George didn't know it, but they were some 397 00:22:42,722 --> 00:22:46,562 Speaker 2: of the lucky ones. All across America, thousands of other 398 00:22:46,602 --> 00:22:49,722 Speaker 2: couples like them were frantically trying to get married too, 399 00:22:50,322 --> 00:22:54,042 Speaker 2: but with little luck. In Elkton, Maryland, for example, which 400 00:22:54,082 --> 00:22:57,042 Speaker 2: at one time was the most popular marriage mill on 401 00:22:57,122 --> 00:23:01,362 Speaker 2: the East Coast, police and city officials fielded hundreds of 402 00:23:01,402 --> 00:23:05,642 Speaker 2: phone calls. They tried to explain that Maryland outlawed quickie 403 00:23:05,642 --> 00:23:09,442 Speaker 2: marriages years ago, but that didn't stop throngs of young 404 00:23:09,482 --> 00:23:13,722 Speaker 2: couples for making the late night drive. Elkton police told 405 00:23:13,762 --> 00:23:17,562 Speaker 2: newspapers that out of state couples quote ran around like 406 00:23:17,602 --> 00:23:21,082 Speaker 2: a bunch of ninnies trying to circumvent the forty eight 407 00:23:21,082 --> 00:23:25,282 Speaker 2: hour waiting period. They even tracked down a local judge 408 00:23:25,322 --> 00:23:28,522 Speaker 2: who had the authority to waive the waiting period, but 409 00:23:28,642 --> 00:23:31,602 Speaker 2: only it turned out if one of the parties was 410 00:23:31,642 --> 00:23:36,482 Speaker 2: a Maryland resident. At the night court in New York City, 411 00:23:36,842 --> 00:23:39,962 Speaker 2: a rush of young couples begged the judge to marry 412 00:23:39,962 --> 00:23:44,202 Speaker 2: them before midnight, but he sent them packing. In Texas, 413 00:23:44,242 --> 00:23:46,842 Speaker 2: a reporter caught up to a nineteen year old couple 414 00:23:47,082 --> 00:23:49,962 Speaker 2: who were turned away from a county clerk's office because 415 00:23:49,962 --> 00:23:53,802 Speaker 2: of the three day waiting period. The dejected young man 416 00:23:53,842 --> 00:23:58,722 Speaker 2: accused the reporter of being a spy for the draft board, saying, quote, 417 00:23:58,882 --> 00:24:01,322 Speaker 2: if I give you my name, I'd be drafted in 418 00:24:01,362 --> 00:24:05,362 Speaker 2: the morning. Nevada was one of the only places left 419 00:24:05,402 --> 00:24:08,802 Speaker 2: in the country where a quick wedding was legal, but 420 00:24:08,922 --> 00:24:14,322 Speaker 2: the window was closing there too. Back in Vegas, Candy 421 00:24:14,362 --> 00:24:16,242 Speaker 2: and George made it to the front of the line 422 00:24:16,322 --> 00:24:20,122 Speaker 2: around eleven o'clock. They got their marriage license and then 423 00:24:20,202 --> 00:24:23,522 Speaker 2: had to wait in another anxious line for the Justice 424 00:24:23,522 --> 00:24:27,522 Speaker 2: of the Peace. Judge Brennan, performed a short ceremony in 425 00:24:27,602 --> 00:24:30,562 Speaker 2: his office, but Candy says it was all a blur. 426 00:24:31,002 --> 00:24:34,002 Speaker 2: She doesn't remember a word. Before she knew it, she 427 00:24:34,162 --> 00:24:37,202 Speaker 2: and George were back out on the streets of Las Vegas, 428 00:24:37,522 --> 00:24:39,042 Speaker 2: two newly weds. 429 00:24:39,402 --> 00:24:43,002 Speaker 6: Well, it was just not my intention to have a wedding, 430 00:24:43,082 --> 00:24:45,442 Speaker 6: you know, I wasn't I never thought about being a bride. 431 00:24:45,642 --> 00:24:47,282 Speaker 6: You know, if it happened one day, it would happen, 432 00:24:47,402 --> 00:24:50,482 Speaker 6: so it was all still a kind of a swirling around, and. 433 00:24:50,722 --> 00:24:51,722 Speaker 7: It was just I don't know. 434 00:24:52,002 --> 00:24:53,122 Speaker 6: We were just in a daze. 435 00:24:53,162 --> 00:24:54,322 Speaker 3: I think for a long time. 436 00:24:54,882 --> 00:24:58,522 Speaker 2: Claudia and David had an even wilder ride. They drove 437 00:24:58,602 --> 00:25:01,362 Speaker 2: all the way from la but it took longer than 438 00:25:01,362 --> 00:25:04,522 Speaker 2: they thought. The whole drive, Claudia was going back and 439 00:25:04,562 --> 00:25:07,962 Speaker 2: forth in her mind, should she do this? Was she crazy? 440 00:25:08,482 --> 00:25:11,682 Speaker 2: She decided to let fate decide. If we don't make 441 00:25:11,722 --> 00:25:14,922 Speaker 2: it by twelve, that design that you wasn't supposed to 442 00:25:14,962 --> 00:25:18,802 Speaker 2: marry David. They pulled up to the courthouse at exactly 443 00:25:18,882 --> 00:25:20,122 Speaker 2: the stroke of midnight. 444 00:25:20,682 --> 00:25:21,922 Speaker 8: They were like, we're not going to make it. We're 445 00:25:21,922 --> 00:25:24,562 Speaker 8: not going to make it, and the car pulls up, 446 00:25:24,602 --> 00:25:26,402 Speaker 8: they get out of the car, they run, and as 447 00:25:26,482 --> 00:25:28,962 Speaker 8: they're going to the entrance to the courthouse, people are 448 00:25:29,042 --> 00:25:32,282 Speaker 8: leaving the courthouse in tears and they're crying and they're upset, 449 00:25:32,482 --> 00:25:34,282 Speaker 8: and they say, what's going on, and they say, we 450 00:25:34,322 --> 00:25:36,562 Speaker 8: didn't make it in time. It's too late. We didn't 451 00:25:36,562 --> 00:25:39,642 Speaker 8: make it in time. And Claudia is like, well, that's it, 452 00:25:39,682 --> 00:25:41,562 Speaker 8: we didn't make it in time, and David says, no, 453 00:25:42,282 --> 00:25:44,322 Speaker 8: if they're going to tell me. No, They're going to 454 00:25:44,362 --> 00:25:45,242 Speaker 8: tell me to my face. 455 00:25:45,922 --> 00:25:49,002 Speaker 2: Ashton admits that this next part sounds like a scene 456 00:25:49,042 --> 00:25:52,282 Speaker 2: from a cheesy movie, but she swears that it's true. 457 00:25:52,762 --> 00:25:55,602 Speaker 8: So they get to the door and the woman is 458 00:25:55,642 --> 00:25:59,562 Speaker 8: literally putting like the padlock, like locking the door, and 459 00:25:59,682 --> 00:26:01,922 Speaker 8: he tells her, I don't want to go to Vietnam. 460 00:26:01,962 --> 00:26:03,642 Speaker 8: I don't want to die like I need to get 461 00:26:03,682 --> 00:26:07,322 Speaker 8: married tonight, and she just took pity on him and 462 00:26:07,602 --> 00:26:09,362 Speaker 8: let the two of them in, and they were the 463 00:26:09,442 --> 00:26:12,322 Speaker 8: last people to be married in Clark County that night. 464 00:26:14,042 --> 00:26:17,922 Speaker 2: Judge Brennan didn't leave the Clark County Courthouse until after 465 00:26:18,082 --> 00:26:21,562 Speaker 2: two am. Too wired to sleep, he went for a 466 00:26:21,602 --> 00:26:25,642 Speaker 2: beer at the back bar of the Horseshoe Casino. George's 467 00:26:25,722 --> 00:26:29,362 Speaker 2: mom booked Candy and him a room at the Sands Hotel, 468 00:26:29,802 --> 00:26:32,522 Speaker 2: but Claudia and David didn't have anywhere to go after 469 00:26:32,562 --> 00:26:36,362 Speaker 2: their midnight wedding. They wandered into an old school casino 470 00:26:36,482 --> 00:26:40,802 Speaker 2: called Diamond Jim's Nevada Club, and Claudia dropped a nickel 471 00:26:40,842 --> 00:26:43,922 Speaker 2: into one of the slot machines. Ding ding went the 472 00:26:44,002 --> 00:26:48,082 Speaker 2: lights and out poured twenty dollars in change enough to 473 00:26:48,162 --> 00:26:52,682 Speaker 2: afford a low budget honeymoon at the Hacienda Hotel and Casino. 474 00:26:53,242 --> 00:26:55,522 Speaker 8: They got married and they stayed in a hotel that night, 475 00:26:55,562 --> 00:26:58,602 Speaker 8: But it was also kind of a very somber feeling 476 00:26:58,722 --> 00:27:01,322 Speaker 8: of what did we just do? I imagine it's like that 477 00:27:01,442 --> 00:27:03,482 Speaker 8: moment in the Graduate where they're sitting in the back 478 00:27:03,522 --> 00:27:06,002 Speaker 8: of the bus and they have to realize, oh shit, 479 00:27:06,962 --> 00:27:07,962 Speaker 8: oh what just happened. 480 00:27:08,642 --> 00:27:11,602 Speaker 2: Less than twelve hours ago, Claudia and David were just 481 00:27:11,802 --> 00:27:15,002 Speaker 2: two kids living in Anaheim, with no real plans for 482 00:27:15,042 --> 00:27:18,482 Speaker 2: the future. Now they were two married people with no 483 00:27:18,602 --> 00:27:21,802 Speaker 2: real plans for the future. All they knew was that 484 00:27:21,922 --> 00:27:27,122 Speaker 2: David was safe for now, at least. We read a 485 00:27:27,162 --> 00:27:31,242 Speaker 2: lot of old newspaper articles while researching the craziness of 486 00:27:31,322 --> 00:27:36,242 Speaker 2: August twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five. There was Larry Fugate's 487 00:27:36,282 --> 00:27:39,882 Speaker 2: story for the Las Vegas Review Journal, of course, but 488 00:27:40,002 --> 00:27:43,522 Speaker 2: every major newspaper in the country also ran an article 489 00:27:43,842 --> 00:27:48,642 Speaker 2: about the midnight marriage madness. Of all the wedding stories 490 00:27:48,682 --> 00:27:52,722 Speaker 2: we read, though one stood out as the most improbable 491 00:27:53,082 --> 00:27:57,282 Speaker 2: and perhaps the most magical of them all. The details 492 00:27:57,322 --> 00:28:02,682 Speaker 2: were first reported in the Saint Joseph Gazette, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. 493 00:28:03,282 --> 00:28:05,802 Speaker 2: But to tell it, we need to take you back 494 00:28:05,842 --> 00:28:10,642 Speaker 2: to that fateful night when everything changed for one young couple. 495 00:28:20,322 --> 00:28:24,242 Speaker 2: Dan and Nancy Wilson started dating in nineteen sixty two. 496 00:28:24,722 --> 00:28:28,642 Speaker 2: Dan was a senior at Benton High School in Saint Joseph, Missouri, 497 00:28:28,842 --> 00:28:30,242 Speaker 2: and Nancy was a freshman. 498 00:28:30,882 --> 00:28:34,362 Speaker 7: Well, actually, we've known each other almost all of our life. 499 00:28:34,802 --> 00:28:36,682 Speaker 7: We grew up only about a block and a half 500 00:28:36,682 --> 00:28:40,642 Speaker 7: away from each other, and so there was a few 501 00:28:40,722 --> 00:28:43,242 Speaker 7: years of difference between us in age, so I was 502 00:28:43,282 --> 00:28:46,162 Speaker 7: always ahead of her, And it wasn't until the teenage 503 00:28:46,242 --> 00:28:49,282 Speaker 7: years that I finally started noticing this pretty little girl 504 00:28:49,322 --> 00:28:52,202 Speaker 7: down the street and she caught my eye, and thanks 505 00:28:52,282 --> 00:28:53,202 Speaker 7: kind of took off from there. 506 00:28:54,202 --> 00:28:58,122 Speaker 9: Well, we'd kind of been noticing each other in school, 507 00:28:58,482 --> 00:29:01,402 Speaker 9: and then during the summer spent a little time over 508 00:29:01,442 --> 00:29:03,922 Speaker 9: the swimming pool and happened to notice him there, And 509 00:29:04,282 --> 00:29:07,722 Speaker 9: one weekend we went to a county fair and he 510 00:29:07,802 --> 00:29:09,522 Speaker 9: asked me if I would like to have a ride 511 00:29:09,562 --> 00:29:13,002 Speaker 9: home with him, and been together pretty much ever since then. 512 00:29:14,322 --> 00:29:18,202 Speaker 2: By the time Nancy graduated, Dan already had the rest 513 00:29:18,202 --> 00:29:21,402 Speaker 2: of their lives planned out. They'd own a funeral home. 514 00:29:21,562 --> 00:29:26,322 Speaker 2: Of course, let me explain. After high school, Dan attended 515 00:29:26,322 --> 00:29:28,922 Speaker 2: community college and got a part time job at a 516 00:29:28,922 --> 00:29:30,922 Speaker 2: local funeral home, and. 517 00:29:30,882 --> 00:29:33,282 Speaker 7: The gentleman that owned the funeral home came to him 518 00:29:33,322 --> 00:29:35,722 Speaker 7: and said, you know, I got this funeral home, but 519 00:29:35,762 --> 00:29:37,602 Speaker 7: I have three daughters and none of them have any 520 00:29:37,602 --> 00:29:40,242 Speaker 7: interest in the business. So for the right young man, 521 00:29:40,282 --> 00:29:42,042 Speaker 7: if you want to get your license, come back and 522 00:29:42,082 --> 00:29:43,602 Speaker 7: work here at the funeral home. There could be a 523 00:29:43,602 --> 00:29:44,282 Speaker 7: bright future. 524 00:29:45,122 --> 00:29:48,162 Speaker 2: Dan was all in, but to take over the business, 525 00:29:48,242 --> 00:29:51,202 Speaker 2: he had to attend mortuary school first and get his 526 00:29:51,362 --> 00:29:57,442 Speaker 2: mortuary license. Dan and Nancy were deeply committed to each other, 527 00:29:57,962 --> 00:30:02,282 Speaker 2: but to realize their bright future as funeral home owners, 528 00:30:02,642 --> 00:30:06,722 Speaker 2: they'd have to spend a whole year apart mortuary school 529 00:30:07,162 --> 00:30:11,802 Speaker 2: in Dallas, Texas, five hundred and fifty miles from Saint Joseph. 530 00:30:12,602 --> 00:30:15,722 Speaker 2: Being a part would be hard for the young lovebirds, 531 00:30:16,042 --> 00:30:19,882 Speaker 2: but during Christmas break in nineteen sixty four, Dan made 532 00:30:19,882 --> 00:30:23,762 Speaker 2: it official. He asked Nancy to marry him, and she 533 00:30:23,922 --> 00:30:28,082 Speaker 2: said yes, of course. They set a date for September fourth, 534 00:30:28,242 --> 00:30:32,602 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty five, exactly a week after Dan would graduate. 535 00:30:33,162 --> 00:30:37,402 Speaker 2: Everything was falling into place. Dan went back to Dallas. 536 00:30:37,682 --> 00:30:41,042 Speaker 2: Nancy stayed in Saint Joseph, and they dreamed of their 537 00:30:41,082 --> 00:30:42,202 Speaker 2: September wedding. 538 00:30:42,602 --> 00:30:44,682 Speaker 7: The plan was to get married at our church whenever 539 00:30:44,762 --> 00:30:48,282 Speaker 7: got back home. Invitations were out, just immediate family, her 540 00:30:48,322 --> 00:30:52,002 Speaker 7: family and mine, just a small we'll get together, and 541 00:30:52,242 --> 00:30:55,282 Speaker 7: everything was all set out and we were looking forward 542 00:30:55,322 --> 00:30:55,642 Speaker 7: to that. 543 00:30:56,442 --> 00:30:59,082 Speaker 2: Dan says he didn't think much about the draft at 544 00:30:59,082 --> 00:31:01,842 Speaker 2: the time. He knew kids from high school who were 545 00:31:01,882 --> 00:31:05,682 Speaker 2: serving in Vietnam, and he didn't have anything against the war. 546 00:31:06,242 --> 00:31:09,082 Speaker 2: In fact, Dan says he would have been proud to 547 00:31:09,202 --> 00:31:12,202 Speaker 2: serve his country, but all he was thinking about in 548 00:31:12,322 --> 00:31:17,122 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty five was finishing school, getting that mortuary license, 549 00:31:17,282 --> 00:31:24,122 Speaker 2: and marrying his sweetheart. Then came August twenty sixth LBJ 550 00:31:24,362 --> 00:31:28,162 Speaker 2: signed the executive order saying that after midnight the marriage 551 00:31:28,162 --> 00:31:31,882 Speaker 2: to Ferment was going away. Dan heard the news about 552 00:31:31,882 --> 00:31:35,602 Speaker 2: the rule change around five PM, but he didn't really 553 00:31:35,642 --> 00:31:39,122 Speaker 2: see how it affected him. It wasn't until later that 554 00:31:39,322 --> 00:31:43,562 Speaker 2: night that some of Dan's classmates from Missouri gave him 555 00:31:43,642 --> 00:31:46,962 Speaker 2: something to worry about. If any of them were drafted 556 00:31:47,122 --> 00:31:51,362 Speaker 2: right out of mortuary school, they were up a creek. Apparently, 557 00:31:51,562 --> 00:31:56,762 Speaker 2: the licensing process in Missouri followed a strict timeline. After 558 00:31:56,802 --> 00:32:01,362 Speaker 2: you got your mortuary degree, there was a one year preceptorship, 559 00:32:01,642 --> 00:32:04,602 Speaker 2: and then you took the state boards. If Dan and 560 00:32:04,682 --> 00:32:08,162 Speaker 2: his friends were sent to Vietnam, the process could be 561 00:32:08,242 --> 00:32:11,522 Speaker 2: delayed for years, or they might even have to repeat 562 00:32:11,522 --> 00:32:13,362 Speaker 2: mortuary school when they got back. 563 00:32:13,642 --> 00:32:15,802 Speaker 7: And we thought that was a tremendous waste of time 564 00:32:15,842 --> 00:32:17,682 Speaker 7: and money. And I had already borrowed the mighty to 565 00:32:17,682 --> 00:32:20,042 Speaker 7: go to school to start with the first time. So 566 00:32:20,442 --> 00:32:23,362 Speaker 7: I was on a pretty tight time frame anyway already, 567 00:32:23,722 --> 00:32:26,242 Speaker 7: and we were looking to get married, so I didn't 568 00:32:26,282 --> 00:32:30,202 Speaker 7: need anything that might potentially interrupt me completing my preceptorship, 569 00:32:30,482 --> 00:32:33,322 Speaker 7: passing my state boards, and then getting license. So we're 570 00:32:33,322 --> 00:32:37,322 Speaker 7: having this discussion with my classmates, and I decided that 571 00:32:37,402 --> 00:32:39,882 Speaker 7: this may be an issue here for us in the 572 00:32:39,882 --> 00:32:42,682 Speaker 7: state of Missouri if we don't follow through on a 573 00:32:42,722 --> 00:32:43,282 Speaker 7: time frame. 574 00:32:43,762 --> 00:32:47,482 Speaker 2: What's crazy was that Dan and Nancy were all set 575 00:32:47,522 --> 00:32:50,602 Speaker 2: to get married in a little over a week. They 576 00:32:50,642 --> 00:32:55,202 Speaker 2: even had their marriage license already. The fact that lbj's 577 00:32:55,242 --> 00:32:59,922 Speaker 2: announcement came when it did during the extremely narrow window 578 00:33:00,082 --> 00:33:04,002 Speaker 2: between the end of school and marriage too perfectly legit 579 00:33:04,242 --> 00:33:09,602 Speaker 2: draft deferments was wild. Now Dan and Nancy's entire plan 580 00:33:09,922 --> 00:33:12,682 Speaker 2: was in jeopardy. But what could they do about it. 581 00:33:13,602 --> 00:33:16,282 Speaker 7: One of the guys suggested, well, you know, you guys 582 00:33:16,322 --> 00:33:19,042 Speaker 7: have already got your license and everything. You could go 583 00:33:19,042 --> 00:33:21,522 Speaker 7: ahead and get married over the phone, and then we 584 00:33:21,682 --> 00:33:25,082 Speaker 7: could you school from there and have your church wedding later. Well, 585 00:33:25,122 --> 00:33:27,082 Speaker 7: we all laughed about that and thought it was funny, 586 00:33:27,082 --> 00:33:29,602 Speaker 7: and then we pondered it a little longer. 587 00:33:30,482 --> 00:33:34,842 Speaker 2: Wait a second, could that actually work? Can two people 588 00:33:35,002 --> 00:33:38,482 Speaker 2: really get married over the phone? He needed to talk 589 00:33:38,522 --> 00:33:42,642 Speaker 2: to Nancy. It was now ten thirty pm, ninety minutes 590 00:33:42,722 --> 00:33:47,442 Speaker 2: until midnight. Nancy, it turned out, was at a bridal shower, 591 00:33:48,082 --> 00:33:51,722 Speaker 2: her bridal shower when Dan called in the middle of 592 00:33:51,762 --> 00:33:55,562 Speaker 2: her party, yapping about a telephone wedding. She thought he 593 00:33:55,722 --> 00:34:00,682 Speaker 2: was kidding, But after Dan explained everything, Nancy had no choice. 594 00:34:01,202 --> 00:34:02,442 Speaker 2: She was on board. 595 00:34:03,002 --> 00:34:05,042 Speaker 7: Well, we had to find out first of all if 596 00:34:05,082 --> 00:34:06,922 Speaker 7: it was legal and what could be done about it. 597 00:34:07,002 --> 00:34:11,322 Speaker 7: And eventually we got to a magistrate judge in Saint Joe, Missouri, 598 00:34:11,802 --> 00:34:15,282 Speaker 7: Margaret Young was her name, and she said, yes, it's. 599 00:34:15,162 --> 00:34:18,162 Speaker 2: Legal, but there was a catch. 600 00:34:18,962 --> 00:34:22,082 Speaker 7: You'll have to have the parties together. She said, I'll 601 00:34:22,122 --> 00:34:24,242 Speaker 7: have to be with Nancy and You'll need to be 602 00:34:24,322 --> 00:34:28,562 Speaker 7: hooked up in Dallas with some officient in Dallas. Well, 603 00:34:28,682 --> 00:34:32,922 Speaker 7: I'm thinking, okay, Margaret Young, the judge is on a phone, 604 00:34:33,242 --> 00:34:36,122 Speaker 7: Nancy's on a phone, the minister in Dallas is on 605 00:34:36,162 --> 00:34:38,002 Speaker 7: a phone, and I'm on a phone. Now we got 606 00:34:38,002 --> 00:34:40,482 Speaker 7: a four way conference call. Let's make it happen. And 607 00:34:40,522 --> 00:34:43,162 Speaker 7: so we started moving to that direction. And now we're 608 00:34:43,202 --> 00:34:46,442 Speaker 7: talking about it's getting ten thirty eleven o'clock at nine, 609 00:34:46,882 --> 00:34:52,842 Speaker 7: so sneaking up on that midnight hour. And Margaret Young says, no, no, no, Dan, 610 00:34:53,042 --> 00:34:55,682 Speaker 7: you have to be in the presence of the minister. 611 00:34:56,162 --> 00:34:58,002 Speaker 7: You can't just be on the phone. And I have 612 00:34:58,122 --> 00:34:59,482 Speaker 7: to be in the presence of Nancy. 613 00:35:00,842 --> 00:35:03,882 Speaker 2: So let's get this straight. If Dan and Nancy were 614 00:35:03,922 --> 00:35:06,642 Speaker 2: going to pull this off, if they were really going 615 00:35:06,642 --> 00:35:10,242 Speaker 2: to get married by telephone from different states, Dan had 616 00:35:10,242 --> 00:35:11,842 Speaker 2: to find a minister in Dallas. 617 00:35:11,962 --> 00:35:12,802 Speaker 1: Like now. 618 00:35:14,882 --> 00:35:18,362 Speaker 2: Dan and his friends grabbed the Yellow Pages, flipped to 619 00:35:18,482 --> 00:35:22,922 Speaker 2: the church's section, and started making phone calls. At eleven 620 00:35:23,042 --> 00:35:29,122 Speaker 2: fifteen pm, someone finally picked up doctor G. N. Goldstin, 621 00:35:29,482 --> 00:35:33,402 Speaker 2: Associate pastor of the East Dallas Christian Church was in 622 00:35:33,442 --> 00:35:36,562 Speaker 2: the shower when he fielded Dan's random call. 623 00:35:37,162 --> 00:35:40,522 Speaker 7: I said, here's our situation, here's what we'd like to do, 624 00:35:40,602 --> 00:35:42,522 Speaker 7: and I went through the whole background. I said, we 625 00:35:42,522 --> 00:35:44,882 Speaker 7: have a judge at the other end who says this 626 00:35:45,002 --> 00:35:48,042 Speaker 7: will be legallet but we need an efficient here. I 627 00:35:48,082 --> 00:35:51,922 Speaker 7: explained the story, and he was compassionate and understanding. He said, okay, 628 00:35:51,962 --> 00:35:52,962 Speaker 7: I help you out. 629 00:35:53,362 --> 00:35:56,562 Speaker 2: Dan and his three friends jumped in a car and 630 00:35:56,762 --> 00:35:59,002 Speaker 2: raced to doctor Goldstein's house. 631 00:35:59,402 --> 00:36:02,082 Speaker 7: We had to scurry across Dallas to get to the minister, 632 00:36:02,202 --> 00:36:04,962 Speaker 7: and by this it's now getting late at night, and 633 00:36:05,202 --> 00:36:08,242 Speaker 7: the minister that we were talking to, he was in 634 00:36:08,322 --> 00:36:10,042 Speaker 7: his pajamas when he answered the door. 635 00:36:12,162 --> 00:36:16,322 Speaker 2: Meanwhile, back in Saint Joseph, Nancy's bridal shower was quickly 636 00:36:16,362 --> 00:36:21,082 Speaker 2: being converted into a wedding. The bridesmaids snapped into action. 637 00:36:21,922 --> 00:36:25,082 Speaker 10: One of the girls her parents owned a floor's shop, 638 00:36:26,122 --> 00:36:29,042 Speaker 10: so that's how we were able to get a bouquet 639 00:36:29,082 --> 00:36:32,762 Speaker 10: at the last minute, and they grabbed my dress and 640 00:36:33,482 --> 00:36:37,722 Speaker 10: it's just kind of chaos. They're all changing my clothes 641 00:36:37,762 --> 00:36:42,082 Speaker 10: and making the bouquet, and somehow it all worked out. 642 00:36:43,762 --> 00:36:47,322 Speaker 2: At eleven thirty eight pm, Nancy stood in her parents' 643 00:36:47,402 --> 00:36:51,602 Speaker 2: kitchen in Saint Joseph, wearing her beautiful white wedding dress, 644 00:36:51,882 --> 00:36:55,362 Speaker 2: bouquet in one hand, phone receiver in the other. One 645 00:36:55,402 --> 00:36:59,242 Speaker 2: of Nancy's bridesmaids held up a framed photo of Dan 646 00:36:59,522 --> 00:37:03,482 Speaker 2: so they'd feel a little closer to each other. Magistrate 647 00:37:03,682 --> 00:37:07,322 Speaker 2: Margaret Young was in an upstairs bedroom with Nancy's pa parents, 648 00:37:07,602 --> 00:37:11,922 Speaker 2: officiating from a separate line two states away in Dallas. 649 00:37:12,242 --> 00:37:16,762 Speaker 2: Dan said, I do witnessed as law required by an 650 00:37:16,922 --> 00:37:22,082 Speaker 2: ordained stranger. In pajamas, Dan and Nancy made the midnight 651 00:37:22,122 --> 00:37:26,242 Speaker 2: deadline with a few minutes to spare. As a wedding present. 652 00:37:26,682 --> 00:37:30,802 Speaker 2: Dan's friend Jerry offered to pay doctor Goldstin for the 653 00:37:30,962 --> 00:37:36,162 Speaker 2: long distance charges. It was thirteen dollars. Only when Dan 654 00:37:36,362 --> 00:37:38,962 Speaker 2: hung up the phone did it hit him. He was 655 00:37:39,042 --> 00:37:42,522 Speaker 2: finally married to his favorite girl, but she was five 656 00:37:42,602 --> 00:37:45,002 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty miles away. 657 00:37:45,002 --> 00:37:47,362 Speaker 7: It was not at all what I had anticipated my 658 00:37:47,442 --> 00:37:52,002 Speaker 7: wedding night was going to be. I'm going home by myself. 659 00:37:51,202 --> 00:37:54,602 Speaker 7: You know, That's not when it's supposed to be. But 660 00:37:55,482 --> 00:37:57,402 Speaker 7: the last thing that we said to each other, and 661 00:37:57,402 --> 00:38:00,882 Speaker 7: whenever we finished the phone call was I'll see you 662 00:38:00,882 --> 00:38:03,562 Speaker 7: in two days, because two days later it was going 663 00:38:03,642 --> 00:38:05,482 Speaker 7: to be graduation and she was coming. 664 00:38:05,282 --> 00:38:10,322 Speaker 2: To Dallas later, the long distance newlyweds finally shared a 665 00:38:10,362 --> 00:38:14,322 Speaker 2: first kiss and set off on their life together. As 666 00:38:14,362 --> 00:38:18,042 Speaker 2: it turned out, the whole mortuary school thing was a bust. 667 00:38:18,562 --> 00:38:21,722 Speaker 2: The older couple who owned the funeral home decided not 668 00:38:21,842 --> 00:38:26,162 Speaker 2: to retire after all. Dan switched to a marketing career 669 00:38:26,322 --> 00:38:30,842 Speaker 2: and never looked back. This August, Dan and Nancy Wilson 670 00:38:30,962 --> 00:38:33,842 Speaker 2: will celebrate their sixtieth wedding anniversary. 671 00:38:34,322 --> 00:38:37,882 Speaker 10: Yeah, it's a long time in it. I've let him 672 00:38:37,922 --> 00:38:38,842 Speaker 10: live that long. 673 00:38:42,242 --> 00:38:46,122 Speaker 7: We are both so blessed and that we have each other. 674 00:38:46,642 --> 00:38:50,082 Speaker 7: And somehow we knew from the very beginning that we 675 00:38:50,082 --> 00:38:53,202 Speaker 7: were met for each other. It's just just so we've 676 00:38:53,242 --> 00:38:56,002 Speaker 7: always been together. We don't know any different. We love 677 00:38:56,042 --> 00:39:00,842 Speaker 7: each other, we cherish each other time together, So it's 678 00:39:00,882 --> 00:39:02,562 Speaker 7: all good. It's all good. 679 00:39:03,322 --> 00:39:08,002 Speaker 2: By one estimate, twenty thousand couples got married on August 680 00:39:08,202 --> 00:39:12,922 Speaker 2: twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five. Not all of them ended 681 00:39:13,002 --> 00:39:17,522 Speaker 2: as happily as Dan and Nancy's. Candy and George stayed 682 00:39:17,562 --> 00:39:22,082 Speaker 2: together for five years. They moved to Eugene Oregon, so 683 00:39:22,202 --> 00:39:25,762 Speaker 2: George could attend graduate school within a day's drive of 684 00:39:25,802 --> 00:39:29,922 Speaker 2: the Canadian border. He never did get over that draft thing. 685 00:39:30,682 --> 00:39:33,562 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy, George fell in love with a woman 686 00:39:33,642 --> 00:39:37,282 Speaker 2: he met in Mexico, and he and Candy divorced, no 687 00:39:37,362 --> 00:39:41,762 Speaker 2: hard feelings. Candy says they remained good friends until George 688 00:39:41,802 --> 00:39:46,202 Speaker 2: passed away in twenty eighteen. Does she regret marrying George 689 00:39:46,242 --> 00:39:49,602 Speaker 2: so suddenly in nineteen sixty five, would she have done 690 00:39:49,682 --> 00:39:50,642 Speaker 2: anything differently? 691 00:39:51,082 --> 00:39:51,162 Speaker 7: No? 692 00:39:51,282 --> 00:39:52,362 Speaker 3: I think I did the right thing. 693 00:39:52,642 --> 00:39:56,202 Speaker 6: He had definite desires to avoid being in the service 694 00:39:56,242 --> 00:39:58,122 Speaker 6: at that time, you know, and I believed in him, 695 00:39:58,242 --> 00:40:01,242 Speaker 6: and you know we were in love. You know, you 696 00:40:01,322 --> 00:40:02,522 Speaker 6: do stuff then, right? 697 00:40:02,922 --> 00:40:07,362 Speaker 2: What about Claudia and David, Well, they almost didn't make 698 00:40:07,402 --> 00:40:11,562 Speaker 2: it either. Claudia's family was so ashamed that she'd married 699 00:40:11,642 --> 00:40:15,242 Speaker 2: a quote draft dodger that they told her not to 700 00:40:15,282 --> 00:40:19,322 Speaker 2: tell anyone. Two days later, Claudia had to attend her 701 00:40:19,362 --> 00:40:20,522 Speaker 2: cousin's wedding. 702 00:40:20,802 --> 00:40:22,802 Speaker 8: And as she was walking her down the aisle, no 703 00:40:22,842 --> 00:40:25,762 Speaker 8: one knew that Claudia was married, and she was crying 704 00:40:25,762 --> 00:40:27,762 Speaker 8: and she goes and I'm sure it was interpreted as 705 00:40:27,922 --> 00:40:31,002 Speaker 8: tears of joy for this wedding, but I was crying 706 00:40:31,042 --> 00:40:33,082 Speaker 8: because I was watching her have the wedding I was 707 00:40:33,122 --> 00:40:37,602 Speaker 8: never going to get to have, which was very, very heartbreaking. 708 00:40:38,802 --> 00:40:41,842 Speaker 2: Claudia and David tried to make it work though they 709 00:40:41,882 --> 00:40:46,842 Speaker 2: had two kids together, but after six years they split up. 710 00:40:47,042 --> 00:40:51,562 Speaker 2: That was nineteen seventy one. Fast forward to twenty eleven. 711 00:40:52,202 --> 00:40:56,002 Speaker 2: Because they had kids together, Claudia and David never completely 712 00:40:56,082 --> 00:41:00,322 Speaker 2: left each other's lives. In twenty eleven, their first great 713 00:41:00,362 --> 00:41:05,042 Speaker 2: grandson was born in San Diego. Claudia and David made 714 00:41:05,042 --> 00:41:08,602 Speaker 2: the drive down from La together and got to talking. 715 00:41:09,402 --> 00:41:13,602 Speaker 2: David told Claudia that even after forty years, he never 716 00:41:13,682 --> 00:41:18,682 Speaker 2: stopped loving her. Two months later they were remarried, but 717 00:41:18,762 --> 00:41:22,762 Speaker 2: not in Vegas this time. When Ashton Avila was making 718 00:41:22,802 --> 00:41:26,362 Speaker 2: her short film based on Claudia and David's story, she 719 00:41:26,562 --> 00:41:30,922 Speaker 2: worried that Claudia's character would come across as weak. Clearly 720 00:41:31,002 --> 00:41:33,842 Speaker 2: she wasn't ready to marry David that day in nineteen 721 00:41:33,962 --> 00:41:36,282 Speaker 2: sixty five, but she did it anyway. 722 00:41:36,762 --> 00:41:39,922 Speaker 8: I think there are different looks of what strength is 723 00:41:40,002 --> 00:41:42,842 Speaker 8: for women, and that was a huge discussion we had 724 00:41:42,842 --> 00:41:45,842 Speaker 8: when we were working on the film. Was at the end, 725 00:41:46,402 --> 00:41:49,402 Speaker 8: would a strong woman walk away and not get married 726 00:41:50,002 --> 00:41:54,082 Speaker 8: because she knows that she wants her own life, or 727 00:41:54,522 --> 00:41:59,122 Speaker 8: would a strong woman sacrifice what she wants to save 728 00:41:59,162 --> 00:42:02,082 Speaker 8: the life of somebody else? And I think that there's 729 00:42:02,362 --> 00:42:04,082 Speaker 8: strength in both of those options. 730 00:42:04,962 --> 00:42:09,242 Speaker 2: Like thousands of other couples, lives took an unexpected turn 731 00:42:09,362 --> 00:42:14,082 Speaker 2: on August twenty sixth, nineteen sixty five, Claudia decided to 732 00:42:14,202 --> 00:42:18,282 Speaker 2: stand by David's side sixty years ago, and she's still 733 00:42:18,362 --> 00:42:23,522 Speaker 2: there today. Happy sixtieth anniversary to all the gray haired 734 00:42:23,562 --> 00:42:27,162 Speaker 2: couples out there who have LBJ to think or to 735 00:42:27,322 --> 00:42:31,322 Speaker 2: blame for sending them scrambling to the altar all those 736 00:42:31,402 --> 00:42:35,522 Speaker 2: years ago. You've shown us that there's truly no limit 737 00:42:35,722 --> 00:42:37,682 Speaker 2: to the things we'll do for love. 738 00:42:41,802 --> 00:42:44,442 Speaker 3: So we often say about these episodes that you know, 739 00:42:44,482 --> 00:42:46,242 Speaker 3: this should be a movie, but I really mean it 740 00:42:46,282 --> 00:42:48,602 Speaker 3: with this one. I think there's some real juicy roles 741 00:42:48,602 --> 00:42:51,802 Speaker 3: for a lot of nice ensemble in this. Saren is 742 00:42:51,802 --> 00:42:55,562 Speaker 3: our resident casting director. Did you happen to cast this one? 743 00:42:55,642 --> 00:42:57,722 Speaker 4: I got to completely agree with you that this is 744 00:42:57,802 --> 00:43:00,642 Speaker 4: film ready, Like Hollywood, take note. So here's just some 745 00:43:00,722 --> 00:43:04,162 Speaker 4: casting suggestions. I started with the twenty something cub reporter 746 00:43:04,202 --> 00:43:06,442 Speaker 4: from the Las Vegas Review Journal who was bouncing around 747 00:43:06,482 --> 00:43:08,922 Speaker 4: that night covering everybody. I thought, for him, you wanted 748 00:43:08,962 --> 00:43:11,642 Speaker 4: somebody fun, but yes, also somebody who feels like a journalist. 749 00:43:11,642 --> 00:43:14,482 Speaker 4: So I picked Noah Sentino, that guy from the Netflix 750 00:43:14,482 --> 00:43:15,602 Speaker 4: spy show The Recruit. 751 00:43:15,882 --> 00:43:17,402 Speaker 1: He's kind of a floppy haired kid. 752 00:43:17,922 --> 00:43:20,802 Speaker 2: I know him from the Netflix series To all the 753 00:43:20,802 --> 00:43:22,162 Speaker 2: boys I loved before. 754 00:43:21,962 --> 00:43:23,882 Speaker 4: Yes, there you go. Of course I should have mentioned 755 00:43:23,882 --> 00:43:26,882 Speaker 4: that one. Yes, I thought he'd be good. And then 756 00:43:26,922 --> 00:43:29,082 Speaker 4: so for the couples, I went with like, I wanted 757 00:43:29,122 --> 00:43:31,522 Speaker 4: people who felt like the time period. I wanted them 758 00:43:31,522 --> 00:43:34,042 Speaker 4: to have kind of like, you know, not Internet faces. 759 00:43:34,082 --> 00:43:36,562 Speaker 4: So I went for Candy and George, the couple who 760 00:43:36,562 --> 00:43:39,962 Speaker 4: flew on Bonanza Airlines. I went with Haley Stanfield for 761 00:43:40,122 --> 00:43:43,002 Speaker 4: Candy and Finn Cole for George. Finn Cole, if you 762 00:43:43,042 --> 00:43:45,322 Speaker 4: don't know him, he played Michael Gray, Polly's son from 763 00:43:45,322 --> 00:43:46,162 Speaker 4: Peaky Blinders. 764 00:43:46,522 --> 00:43:48,882 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know who I was kind of picturing as 765 00:43:48,922 --> 00:43:50,722 Speaker 2: one of the boys, maybe just because he had like 766 00:43:50,762 --> 00:43:53,842 Speaker 2: a minor part in Oppenheimer was Jack Quaid. 767 00:43:54,442 --> 00:43:55,962 Speaker 1: Oh, I like that call. 768 00:43:56,202 --> 00:43:58,562 Speaker 4: I also went with some World War Two era actors 769 00:43:58,642 --> 00:44:00,482 Speaker 4: or at least their most recent parts have been that 770 00:44:00,522 --> 00:44:02,882 Speaker 4: it picked some guys from Masters of Air. So I 771 00:44:02,922 --> 00:44:06,402 Speaker 4: had Austin Butler also aka Elvis. I had him playing David, 772 00:44:06,442 --> 00:44:09,002 Speaker 4: and then claw Aaudia, the couple who drove to Las Vegas. 773 00:44:09,002 --> 00:44:11,802 Speaker 4: I thought, for Claudia, go with Florence Pugh. I thought 774 00:44:11,802 --> 00:44:14,122 Speaker 4: that would be a nice couple. Florence Peugh Austin Butler. 775 00:44:14,162 --> 00:44:16,042 Speaker 4: I can imagine them in that car ride, stuck with 776 00:44:16,082 --> 00:44:17,682 Speaker 4: the other couple, crying and everything. 777 00:44:17,842 --> 00:44:19,722 Speaker 1: So I was like, Okay, now the other one I 778 00:44:19,802 --> 00:44:20,242 Speaker 1: picked with. 779 00:44:20,242 --> 00:44:23,722 Speaker 4: The Wilsons, Dan Wilson and Nancy Wilson, not from Heart 780 00:44:23,802 --> 00:44:26,562 Speaker 4: the Band. Now Dan Wilson, I went with Callum Turner, 781 00:44:26,602 --> 00:44:28,842 Speaker 4: who played Bucky Egan from Masters of War. And then 782 00:44:28,842 --> 00:44:31,402 Speaker 4: for Nancy, I went with Sydney Sweeney. I thought they 783 00:44:31,402 --> 00:44:34,242 Speaker 4: can nail that as a relationship, and I really loved them. 784 00:44:34,242 --> 00:44:36,602 Speaker 4: And then all the details like when she's sitting there 785 00:44:36,642 --> 00:44:38,442 Speaker 4: holding up the photo of Dan so she can feel 786 00:44:38,442 --> 00:44:39,522 Speaker 4: closer to him at the wedding. 787 00:44:39,842 --> 00:44:41,362 Speaker 1: Oh Mike, my heart melted at that. 788 00:44:41,482 --> 00:44:43,442 Speaker 4: And then the fact that the end when they get 789 00:44:43,482 --> 00:44:45,642 Speaker 4: back together, Oh my god, I lost it. 790 00:44:45,682 --> 00:44:47,242 Speaker 1: I loved this whole series. 791 00:44:47,042 --> 00:44:50,962 Speaker 3: I'm in the fandango app trying to get tickets already. 792 00:44:51,202 --> 00:44:52,802 Speaker 4: Yes, oh my god, Yes, did you guys have any 793 00:44:52,882 --> 00:44:54,842 Speaker 4: very special characters you pulled from the step? 794 00:44:55,042 --> 00:44:56,922 Speaker 3: So I didn't want to play favorites with any of 795 00:44:56,922 --> 00:44:59,802 Speaker 3: the actual couples, So I'm trying to pick from the 796 00:44:59,802 --> 00:45:02,082 Speaker 3: people who helped them along their way. So whether it's 797 00:45:02,122 --> 00:45:05,042 Speaker 3: the judge in Missouri and the minister in Texas, maybe 798 00:45:05,042 --> 00:45:08,482 Speaker 3: they could share the honor the secretary who covered the 799 00:45:08,562 --> 00:45:13,042 Speaker 3: clock with her typewriting cover. That's that's great, But I'm 800 00:45:13,082 --> 00:45:15,242 Speaker 3: going to give it to the fast thinking people of 801 00:45:15,322 --> 00:45:19,122 Speaker 3: Bonanza Airlines who in real time were able to decide 802 00:45:19,242 --> 00:45:22,282 Speaker 3: we need more flights. Can you imagine that today? Like 803 00:45:22,322 --> 00:45:25,002 Speaker 3: you're at an airport and someone just decides that, yes, 804 00:45:25,042 --> 00:45:26,602 Speaker 3: we got a lot of people going to Vegas for 805 00:45:26,642 --> 00:45:28,922 Speaker 3: some reason, get the other planes out of the hangar 806 00:45:29,802 --> 00:45:30,602 Speaker 3: a different time. 807 00:45:30,602 --> 00:45:32,682 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, what about you, Dana, did you have one? 808 00:45:32,762 --> 00:45:34,762 Speaker 2: I think it is the secretary for me because I 809 00:45:34,762 --> 00:45:37,202 Speaker 2: can imagine that scene in the movie when she goes 810 00:45:37,442 --> 00:45:39,642 Speaker 2: midnight not on my time. 811 00:45:43,522 --> 00:45:45,922 Speaker 4: Yeah, I loved that lady from the Clark County Courthouse 812 00:45:45,922 --> 00:45:48,322 Speaker 4: who undoes the lock. So they can go in and 813 00:45:48,362 --> 00:45:50,162 Speaker 4: get married. I just love the image of her undoing 814 00:45:50,202 --> 00:45:52,242 Speaker 4: the lock. I was like, yeah, she's like out there 815 00:45:52,322 --> 00:45:54,642 Speaker 4: pad locking in the courthouse and she's like, okay, I'll 816 00:45:54,722 --> 00:45:57,042 Speaker 4: let you and last ones to get married in the 817 00:45:57,162 --> 00:45:58,322 Speaker 4: night of a thousand weddings. 818 00:45:58,322 --> 00:46:01,002 Speaker 3: A lot of civil disobedience on display here. 819 00:46:01,162 --> 00:46:03,082 Speaker 4: And I love to took place in Vegas. It felt 820 00:46:03,122 --> 00:46:05,162 Speaker 4: so right that it was Vegas. I mean, this couldn't 821 00:46:05,162 --> 00:46:07,682 Speaker 4: happen in like Cincinnati. I guess you could, but I 822 00:46:07,762 --> 00:46:08,722 Speaker 4: mean this is not the same. 823 00:46:08,922 --> 00:46:11,682 Speaker 2: It's the prequel to Anora that we all want. 824 00:46:12,882 --> 00:46:19,202 Speaker 3: Totally very special episodes is made by some very special people. 825 00:46:19,842 --> 00:46:22,962 Speaker 3: Today's episode was written by Dave Russ. If you like 826 00:46:23,082 --> 00:46:26,402 Speaker 3: this one and you're enjoying the NCAA tournament, go check 827 00:46:26,402 --> 00:46:29,122 Speaker 3: out an episode Dave wrote for us last May. It's 828 00:46:29,162 --> 00:46:32,482 Speaker 3: called The Shot. It's about the only three point shot 829 00:46:32,602 --> 00:46:37,122 Speaker 3: in basketball history that saved thousands of lives. Day Scott 830 00:46:37,162 --> 00:46:40,082 Speaker 3: Severn more in the pipeline for this stretch special thanks 831 00:46:40,122 --> 00:46:45,202 Speaker 3: to filmmaker Ashton Avila, who shared her invaluable research and 832 00:46:45,282 --> 00:46:48,442 Speaker 3: contacts from making her short film I Got You Babe. 833 00:46:48,802 --> 00:46:52,202 Speaker 3: Go check that out. This show is hosted by Danish Schwartz, 834 00:46:52,522 --> 00:46:57,402 Speaker 3: Zaron Burnett, and Jason English. Our super producer is Josh Fisher. 835 00:46:58,282 --> 00:47:02,202 Speaker 3: Editing and sound design by Chris Childs, Mixing and mastering 836 00:47:02,242 --> 00:47:07,882 Speaker 3: by Chris Childs. Additional editing by Mary Doo, original music 837 00:47:08,002 --> 00:47:13,282 Speaker 3: by Elise McCoy, bactchecking by Dave Rus and Austin Thompson. 838 00:47:14,282 --> 00:47:19,122 Speaker 3: Show logo by Lucy Quintonia. Our executive producer is Jason English. 839 00:47:19,802 --> 00:47:22,162 Speaker 3: You'd like to email the show, hit us up at 840 00:47:22,242 --> 00:47:26,282 Speaker 3: Very Special Episodes at gmail dot com. Our plan is 841 00:47:26,322 --> 00:47:29,602 Speaker 3: to have new episodes every Wednesday from now into July, 842 00:47:30,122 --> 00:47:33,282 Speaker 3: so we will see you back here next week. Very 843 00:47:33,322 --> 00:47:36,402 Speaker 3: Special Episodes is a production of iHeart Podcasts