Who was the CIA agent in Argo?
Tony Mendez
“Tony Mendez, clandestine CIA hero of Ben Affleck’s ‘Argo,’ reveals the real story behind film smash”.
Is the Argo story true?
Ex-CIA agent Tony Mendez, who inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo, has died at the age of 78. He is best known for smuggling six American diplomats out of Iran during the 1979-81 hostage crisis by posing as a film producer. Ben Affleck, who directed Argo and starred as Mendez, called him “a true American hero”.
What happened to Tony Mendez Argo?
Mendez died of Parkinson’s disease while under hospice care in Frederick, Md., his wife said.
Why was Argo kept secret?
The Argo story was blown, but the CIA’s role was kept secret by both the US and Canadian governments at the time. They wanted to ensure the safety of the remaining hostages. The CIA’s full involvement was not revealed until 1997, when records were declassified.
When was the Argo operation declassified?
1997
When Mendez returned to the U.S., President Carter gave Mendez the Intelligence Star, one of the CIA’s highest honors. But it was all done secretly, and the CIA role in the operation was not revealed until 1997. The 52 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy were held for 444 days and not released until January 1981.
Was Argo banned in Iran?
Affleck’s ‘Argo’ is Banned in Iran, Which Has Approved Its Own Film Version of 1979 Hostage Crisis.
What is the movie Argo about?
The action thriller Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, chronicles the daring escape. In the movie, which premiered recently to great acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, Affleck plays Antonio Mendez, the CIA chief of technical services, master of disguise and fake IDs, whose job it was to get the Americans out of Tehran undiscovered.
What was the outcome of the Iran hostage crisis Argo?
The operation was a success and the “Canadian Six” were welcomed home in the United States with great fanfare. This extraction operation was made famous by the 2012 movie “Argo.” The Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1981 ranks as one of the most traumatic diplomatic events in U.S. history.
Is Tony Mendez in Argo a true story?
Ben Affleck played CIA agent Tony Mendez in Argo. The real Mendez says the movie is mostly spot on, even if the rescue at the end wasn’t quite what the film depicts. The movie Argo, up for seven Oscars at this year’s Academy Awards, is based on the true story of the CIA rescue of Americans in Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis.
Did the CIA smuggle documents from Hollywood to Iran?
They did, however, smuggle the CIA’s documents and disguises to Tehran in a diplomatic pouch “the size of a pillowcase.” According to the CIA’s account, “The Mafia and many shady foreign investors were notorious for backing productions in Hollywood,” so it was the perfect spot for the CIA to operate.