Washington county arts council 14 west washington street, hagerstown, md 21740 call 301792 or. Jan 22, 2019 tony mendez in a 1997 portrait after his retirement from the cia. Antonio tony mendez, a former cia technical operations officer who helped rescue six u. Jan 21, 2019 tony mendez, the reallife spy behind ben afflecks oscarwinning film argo, has died at the age of 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. Argo is a 2012 american historical drama thriller film directed by ben affleck. He died on january 19, 2019 in frederick, maryland, united states aged 78. Argo drew its inspiration from a 2007 article in wired magazine written by joshuah bearman titled the great escape. Screenwriter chris terrio adapted the screenplay from the book by the u. Argo is proof that espionage reality is more riveting than spy fiction. 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.
Yet, i felt like this book was just a great story told in a lecture or ted talk. Mendez was the mastermind of the operation to free american embassy personnel trapped in iran as seen in the movie argo. I think the book was actually published after the movie came out. Tony mendez began his cia career at just 25 years old, when he responded to a local army recruiting ad. Ben affleck pays tribute to tony mendez after argo spy. Mendez died early saturday morning, succumbing to a decadelong battle with parkinsons. Central intelligence agency operative tony mendez, the master of disguise, and the 2007 wired article by joshuah bearman, the great escape. Together and separately, mendez and tony have written several books, including tonys book with matt baglio argo. This book was a fascinating look behind the scenes of the cia. The author of the master of disguise and spy dust, mendez lives with his family in rural washington county, maryland. The film was based on a book written by him and his wife, also titled argo. The mendezs have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and the master of disguise, which are currently available on this site.
Officer celebrated in the film argo tony mendez in a photograph taken around the time he orchestrated the rescue of six american diplomats who. This news piece features tony mendez in 20 shortly after argo won the academy award for best picture. 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. He wrote several memoirs including the master of disguise, coauthored with malcolm mcconnell. Mendezs book agent, christy fletcher, was the first to report the news saturday on twitter.
Former cia agent talks disguise, new book at frederick. The trick is that you have to believe the lie and believe it so much that the lie becomes the truth. The movie has a lot of language and graphic violence. Mendez while the movie presents myriad dramatic complications and lastminute twists and turns, the plan actually went off. Robert wallace, former director, cia office of technical service tony mendez is a spys spy. The former cia officer portrayed by ben affleck in argo is dead at 78 tony mendez was a true american hero.
The major motion picture will be released october 12th. 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 used a fake scifi flick to rescue americans from tehran and from tony mendez. Tony mendez, the argo spy who rescued americans in iran. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history 2012, with matt baglio. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behindthescenes story of espionage in action. Before the event, mendez and goeser signed books mendez recently coauthored a book, argo, with matt baglio and took pictures with guests at a vip reception.
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 has written a book titled argo, avaliable now. The offbeat genius of a great american spy tony mendez, the cia agent made famous by the movie, argo, helped outfox the kgb with wigs, makeup, false teeth, popup dummies and an. In the first ever memoir by a toplevel operative to be authorized by the cia, antonio j. 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. Tony mendez and jonna mendez recently completed their fourth book that will be titled the moscow rules. Based on true events, argo chronicles the lifeordeath covert operation to rescue six americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the iran hostage crisisthe truth of which was unknown. Mendez retired in 1990 with a rank equivalent to that of a twostar general. I had no idea the cia used disguises of the type mendez talks about in the book. Antonio mendez finally details the extraordinarily complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. 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.
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. A riveting story of secret identities and international intrigue, argo is. Jun 10, 2019 tony mendez, who died in january, is best known for a previous book he wrote, argo, which became the oscarwinning movie of the same name. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious.
The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in. Tim weiner has won the pulitzer prize and the national book award for. Ben affleck portrayed mendez, who guided trapped american. 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. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behindthescenes story of. 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. Argo recounts a fascinating bit of historythe rescue of six americans from iran during the hostage crisis of 1980. Tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo, dead at. Jan 19, 2019 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. Mendez s book agent, christy fletcher, confirmed his death in a statement on twitter. 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. Artistspy tony mendez paints a dramatic portrait of unlikely collaboratorshollywood, the cia and canadaallied in the common cause of freedom.
Cia disguise master whose iran escape inspired ben. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical. For years, cia agent tony mendez s exploits extracting key figures from hot zones remained classified information. Strangerthanfiction mission snuck six americans out of khomeinis iran. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in. The mendez s have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and the master of disguise, which are currently available on this site. Oct 10, 2012 tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo, reveals the real story behind film smash. Tony mendez served the cia for 25 years and after retirement continued to work as an artist. The mission inspired the 2012 hollywood movie, argo where ben affleck played the role of mendez. Tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo. Jan 20, 2019 the former cia officer portrayed by ben affleck in argo is dead at 78 tony mendez was a true american hero. 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. The former cia officer portrayed by ben affleck in argo.
The story of the daring and inventive escape he orchestrated. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo. While affleck, who also directed the film, was praised for his evocation of tension and. The book, along with bearmans article in wired, served as the source material for argo, which won the oscar for best picture. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history. He also dedicated his time to write down four nonfiction books based on his experiences in the agency. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the. The two wrote a book about their agency work in moscow in the final days of. 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. Tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo, reveals the real story behind film smash. Tony talks about going to the oscars and reflects on the argo true story. 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. Tony mendez bio, wiki, age, wife, cause of death, children.
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. Based on true events, argo chronicles the lifeordeath covert operation to rescue six americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the iran hostage crisisthe truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. 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. Since his retirement from the cia, hes written several books. Tony mendez, cia master of disguise who was the real argo. Now, ben afflecks new film argo, debuting at tiff, will shine. It focuses on cia officer tony mendez and his team as they plan for, and. He died on january 19, 2019 in frederick, maryland, usa. He is known for his work on argo 2012, our man in tehran 20 and argo. This is a fascinating story about how tony mendez and the cia used a bit of. A cia agent remembers the political drama argo is based on the real story of a ciaplanned rescue in revolutionary iran.
Mendezs book agent, christy fletcher, announced the news on. 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. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history, was published in september 2012. 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. How the cia used a fake scifi flick to rescue americans from tehran.
I was fourteen at the timebut of course the events depicted in argo. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the 6. Mendez fills argo with the drama, pressure and tension of one of cias most spectacular rescue operations. Tony mendez biography facts, childhood, family life. The former cia officer portrayed by ben affleck in argo is. A riveting story of secret identities, international intrigue, and good oldfashioned american ingenuity, argo is the pulsepounding account of the historymaking collusion between.
For history buffs and affleck fans, argo the book, provides added insight into a. 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. 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. The true story behind ben afflecks globewinning film former cia deputy director michael morell also tweeted that mendez was. 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. Mendez reveals the cunning tricks and insights that helped save hundreds from deadly situations. The first time i sat down to interview tony and jonna mendez was in late 2012, not long after the movie argo opened and propelled the retired cia spies into fame after living a. Tony mendez was born on november 15, 1940 in eureka, nevada, usa as antonio joseph mendez.
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