Luke LaManna

To make matters worse, a Canadian journalist had put the pieces together that a few embassy employees had escaped and wanted to run a story about it. The Canadian government asked him to hold off, but he said he wouldn't wait long. Tony went into the office early the next day to discuss the options for rescuing the houseguests. Some government higher-ups had already discussed one idea.

It involved providing the houseguests with bicycles and having them ride over 400 miles to the Turkish border. Once they were out of Iran, they could get on a plane and fly back to the United States. Tony wanted to laugh because the idea was so ridiculous, but on the other hand, nothing had ever seemed less funny. Six people's lives were at stake, and the government wanted to send them bikes?

It involved providing the houseguests with bicycles and having them ride over 400 miles to the Turkish border. Once they were out of Iran, they could get on a plane and fly back to the United States. Tony wanted to laugh because the idea was so ridiculous, but on the other hand, nothing had ever seemed less funny. Six people's lives were at stake, and the government wanted to send them bikes?

Tony didn't think he'd have trouble convincing his bosses this was a bad plan, but that still left him the challenge of coming up with a better one. It was clear to him that he needed to create cover identities for the six Americans. Then he could get them on a flight out of Mehrabat Airport. But finding believable identities for the houseguests wasn't going to be easy.

Tony didn't think he'd have trouble convincing his bosses this was a bad plan, but that still left him the challenge of coming up with a better one. It was clear to him that he needed to create cover identities for the six Americans. Then he could get them on a flight out of Mehrabat Airport. But finding believable identities for the houseguests wasn't going to be easy.

Because what jobs, other than government employees, would a bunch of Americans in Tehran possibly have? At first he thought, what if they pretended to be schoolteachers? But then he remembered the English language schools had been closed for the last eight months. He considered having them pose as crop inspectors for foreign agriculture. But that wouldn't work either.

Because what jobs, other than government employees, would a bunch of Americans in Tehran possibly have? At first he thought, what if they pretended to be schoolteachers? But then he remembered the English language schools had been closed for the last eight months. He considered having them pose as crop inspectors for foreign agriculture. But that wouldn't work either.

It was winter and there was snow on the ground. Tony needed to come up with something airtight, and he needed to come up with it fast. The houseguest's lives depended on a cover believable enough to get them through airport security. And then, just when he was about to panic, an idea came to him. It was bold. It was unorthodox. Part of him wondered if it was any less crazy than the bicycle plan.

It was winter and there was snow on the ground. Tony needed to come up with something airtight, and he needed to come up with it fast. The houseguest's lives depended on a cover believable enough to get them through airport security. And then, just when he was about to panic, an idea came to him. It was bold. It was unorthodox. Part of him wondered if it was any less crazy than the bicycle plan.

But then he thought, it might just be crazy enough to work. Normally, CIA cover stories were designed to not attract attention, but Tony wondered if this might be a moment to lean into spectacle instead. In his time developing disguises, he'd done a lot of work with Hollywood special effects artists. Science fiction movies had been all the rage since Star Wars had come out two years earlier.

But then he thought, it might just be crazy enough to work. Normally, CIA cover stories were designed to not attract attention, but Tony wondered if this might be a moment to lean into spectacle instead. In his time developing disguises, he'd done a lot of work with Hollywood special effects artists. Science fiction movies had been all the rage since Star Wars had come out two years earlier.

These movies often filmed in exotic locations that could double as alien planets. What if the house guest's cover story was as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a movie? Tony presented his idea to his CIA higher-ups. They were skeptical. Who would believe that a Hollywood film crew would want to film in such a dangerous location as Tehran in the middle of a rebellion?

These movies often filmed in exotic locations that could double as alien planets. What if the house guest's cover story was as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a movie? Tony presented his idea to his CIA higher-ups. They were skeptical. Who would believe that a Hollywood film crew would want to film in such a dangerous location as Tehran in the middle of a rebellion?

But Tony said it was the best option they had. He asked his bosses who else would be self-absorbed enough to show up in Iran at a time like this. Tony's bosses didn't give the plan full approval, but they trusted Tony enough to let him lay the groundwork. Once he set things up, they could present the Hollywood plan to the White House.

But Tony said it was the best option they had. He asked his bosses who else would be self-absorbed enough to show up in Iran at a time like this. Tony's bosses didn't give the plan full approval, but they trusted Tony enough to let him lay the groundwork. Once he set things up, they could present the Hollywood plan to the White House.

From there, it would be up to President Jimmy Carter to give the go-ahead. Or shoot it down. Tony knew he could only pull off the plan if he believed in it himself. So like so many dreamers before him, he took off for Hollywood in the hopes of making a movie. Only the movie Tony was making wouldn't actually exist.

From there, it would be up to President Jimmy Carter to give the go-ahead. Or shoot it down. Tony knew he could only pull off the plan if he believed in it himself. So like so many dreamers before him, he took off for Hollywood in the hopes of making a movie. Only the movie Tony was making wouldn't actually exist.

In early January of 1980, Tony arrived in Los Angeles with a briefcase filled with $10,000. Step one was calling up his longtime friend, John Chambers. John was a legendary makeup artist who'd won an Oscar for his work on Planet of the Apes. He was sharp, funny, and most importantly, well-connected. In short, he was the kind of man who could make the fake movie seem real.

In early January of 1980, Tony arrived in Los Angeles with a briefcase filled with $10,000. Step one was calling up his longtime friend, John Chambers. John was a legendary makeup artist who'd won an Oscar for his work on Planet of the Apes. He was sharp, funny, and most importantly, well-connected. In short, he was the kind of man who could make the fake movie seem real.

John brought on a fellow makeup artist to help. His name was Bob Seidel, and he was deeply moved by the plight of the hostages in Iran. He said he was willing to do anything to make the plan work. Step 2 was setting up a believable production company. They decided to call it Studio 6, which was a secret reference to the six Americans they planned on rescuing.