Militant students stormed the american embassy and held sixty americans captive for a gruelling 444 days. The true story behind the new movie argo about how cia operatives posing as a hollywood production team. 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. Iranian militants entered the american embassy in tehran and. Argo, by antonio mendez and matt baglio the independent. When i first saw argo, i was stunned when ben afflecks character revealed himself to have the last name of mendez. The movie has a lot of language and graphic violence. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in.
This book narrates how tony mendez, a cia agent, managed to rescue six american diplomats who were hiding in tehran after the embassy was taken. After more than three decades, antonio mendez finally details the extraordinarily complex and dangerous operation he led. The book kept me rivited from the beginning to the end. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history by antonio mendez and. Various pieces of concept art for the film still exist today and have appeared on display in spy related exhibits around the us.
How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history 2012, with matt baglio. Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio the boston globe. The movie, out this past weekend, was released by warner brothers, which has the same parent company as cnn. 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. He is known for his work on argo 2012, our man in tehran 20 and argo. The film was based on a book written by him and his wife, also titled argo. Central intelligence agency operative tony mendez, the master of disguise, and the 2007 wired article by joshuah bearman, the great escape.
Cia man antonio mendez utilised a fake sf film project as a cover to get the americans out turns out to be true. Mendez was decorated, and is now widely known, for his onthescene management of the canadian caper during the iran hostage. 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. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our pro connect email alert. From the spymaster and inspiration for the movie argo. But until now the cia has never revealed the twist. Tony mendez, clandestine cia hero of ben afflecks argo. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the. Argo ebook by antonio mendez 9781101601204 rakuten kobo. Antonio mendez spoke about the iranian hostage crisis and a secret operation to save americans in iran during the turmoil in which he took a role as a hollywood producer scouting out locations for a fake science fiction movie titled argo.
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. A riveting story of secret identities and international intrigue, argo is the gripping account of the historymaking collusion between hollywood and highstakes espionage. Yes, the storyboards were created, but the real story behind argo reveals that tony mendez never gave them to the officers at the airport argo. Mendez has 12 books on goodreads with 38869 ratings.
Antonio mendez, author of argo, on gps global public square. Mendez died early saturday morning, succumbing to a decadelong battle with parkinsons. Spy dust book by antonio mendez, jonna mendez, bruce. Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio is about the operation the conducted in order to rescue those six americans. And a toplevel cia officer named antonio mendez devised an ingenious yet. This acclaimed book by antonio mendez is available at in several formats for your ereader. Written by former cia operative antonio mendez and journalist matt baglio, the book presents mendez s firstperson account of a dangerous but successful operation, aided by hollywood and the. Tied to the october release of the political thriller film argo starring ben affleck as mendez, this is a fastpaced account of a 1979 rescue operation during the iran hostage crisis of 19791981. Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio the declassified cia story behind the oscarwinning film. Jan 21, 2019 tony mendez, the reallife spy behind ben afflecks oscarwinning film argo, has died at the age of 78. Antonio mendez is the former chief of disguise for the cia. An excerpt from antonio mendez and matt baglios new book. Antonio mendez finally details the extraordinarily complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago.
And a midlevel agent named antonio mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them. 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. 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. That fascinating tale is the basis of a new book and movie, both called argo. 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. First off, i think you should know that antonio mendez was actually the man who was tasked with going to tehran and personally escorting the six american diplomats through the iranian border. Argo by antonio mendez overdrive rakuten overdrive. Screenwriter chris terrio adapted the screenplay from the book by the u.
Antonio tony mendez, former cia technical operations officer, poses for photographers at the premiere of the film argo in washington. Written by former cia operative antonio mendez and journalist matt baglio, the book presents mendezs firstperson account of a dangerous but successful operation, aided by hollywood and the. The true story behind operation argo to rescue americans from iran. The true, declassified account of cia operative tony mendezs daring rescue of american. Armed with foreign film visas, mendez and an unlikely team of cia agents and hollywood insiders, directors, producers, and actors, traveled to tehran under the guise of scouting locations for a fake film called argo. Mendez said that over the last few years she and her husband had been working on another book, the moscow rules. Antonio mendez is an author with four videos in the cspan video library. Read argo how the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history.
A riveting story of secret identities, international intrigue, and good oldfashioned american ingenuity, argo is the pulsepounding account of the historymaking collusion between hollywood and highstakes espionage. These diplomats managed to avoid being captured during the takeover of the us embassy, and ended up. Argo by antonio mendez, 9780147509734, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. How the cia used a fake scifi flick to rescue americans from tehran. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read argo. Oct 17, 2012 the escape plot was run by antonio mendez, head of the cias extraction team and a master of disguise. The true account of the 1979 rescue of six american hostages from iranon november 4, 1979, iranian militants stormed the american embassy in tehran and captured dozens of american hostages.
Argo by antonio mendez and matt baglio the declassified cia story behind the oscarwinning film winner of best picture at the academy awards, the baftas and the golden globes tehran, november 1979. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I had no idea the cia used disguises of the type mendez talks about in the book. The mendezs have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and the master of disguise, which are currently available on this site. 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. 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 secret cia tactics that helped america win the cold war, to be. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious.
Cia man antonio mendez utilised a fake sf film project as a cover. Yet, i felt like this book was just a great story told in a lecture or ted talk. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history by mendez, antonio, baglio, matt isbn. Antonio tony mendez, a former cia technical operations officer who helped rescue six u.
Matt baglio has worked for a variety of news organizations. Argo quotes showing 17 of 7 the trick is that you have to believe the lie and believe it so much that the lie becomes the truth. Sep 18, 2012 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. The moscow rules book antonio and jonna mendez matt baglio. Tony mendez and jonna mendez recently completed their fourth book that will be titled the moscow rules. Argo isbn 9782809811247 pdf epub antonio mendez ebook. Argo is a 2012 american historical drama thriller film directed by ben affleck. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history by antonio j. He invented a fake scifi film called argo from the actual name of the cia mission, a reference to jason and the. Mendez came up with an idea so daring and potentially foolish that it seemed destined for hollywood. Jul 14, 2017 the true story behind operation argo to rescue americans from iran. He died on january 19, 2019 in frederick, maryland, usa. Tied to the october release of the political thriller film argo starring ben affleck as mendez, this is a fastpaced account of a 1979 rescue operation during the iran hostage crisis of 1979 1981.
I then tried to look for as much information as i could about your hispanic heritage and i couldnt. On november 4, 1979, iranian militants stormed the american embassy in tehran and captured dozens of american hostages, sparking a 444day ordeal and a quake. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history ebook written by antonio mendez, matt baglio. A recipient of the cias intelligence star of valor and the trailblazer award, he is the author of argo and the master of disguise. Argo the true account of a daring rescue that inspired the film argo, winner of the 2012 academy award for best picture on november 4, 1979, iranian militants stormed the american embassy in tehran and captured dozens of american hostages, sparking a 444day ordeal and a quake in global politics still reverberating today. Antonio mendez, author of argo, on gps global public. Oct 16, 2012 that fascinating tale is the basis of a new book and movie, both called argo. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history mendez, antonio, baglio, matt on. Dec 22, 2012 argo, by antonio mendez and matt baglio. For history buffs and affleck fans, argo the book, provides added insight into a. Antonio mendez finally details the mindbogglingly complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical.
The author of the master of disguise and spy dust, mendez lives with his family in rural washington county, maryland. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history. A cia agent remembers the political drama argo is based on the real story of a ciaplanned rescue in revolutionary iran. Library edition book online at best prices in india on. Written by former cia operative antonio mendez and journalist matt baglio, the book presents mendez s firstperson account of a dangerous but successful operation, aided by. Jan 21, 2019 antonio joseph mendez was born on nov. For history buffs and affleck fans, argo the book, provides added insight into a wild, if not widely known, incident in the history of american foreign policy and the.