Test Rocket

Jack Douglas (1908-1989) was an American author and humorist. He was born in New York City and attended the City College of New York before pursuing a career in writing. Douglas wrote a variety of books and articles, ranging from humor to non-fiction.  Douglas was also involved in television and film. He wrote for several television shows in the 1950s and 1960s, including The Jack Benny Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1964 film “Good Neighbor Sam,” starring Jack Lemmon and Romy Schneider. Douglas was a frequent guest on television talk shows, where he often performed his humorous monologues. Throughout his career, Douglas received several awards for his writing, including the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 1975. He passed away in 1989 at the age of 80.

Captain Baird stood at the window of the laboratory where the thousand parts of the strange rocket lay strewn in careful order. Small groups worked slowly over the dismantled parts. The captain wanted to ask but something stopped him. Behind him Doctor Johannsen sat at his desk, his gnarled old hand tight about a whiskey bottle, the bottle the doctor always had in his desk but never brought out except when he was alone, and waited for Captain Baird to ask his question. Captain Baird turned at last.