Lee Schatz, played by actor Rory Cochrane in the movie “Argo,” is introduced in the film by flipping off the camera and being described as odd.
In contrast, the introduction of the actual Schatz consisted of welcoming a “special alumnus” from College of Agriculture back to the University of Idaho.
Schatz attended a screening of “Argo” Thursday held in the Agricultural Science Building as part of Ag Days. More than 50 people attended the movie screening and the following panel with Schatz.
“Argo,” winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, follows the efforts of the CIA to free six Americans trapped in Iran following the Iranian activist attack on the U.S. Embassy in 1979. The six Americans, including Schatz, took refuge at the Canadian ambassador”s consulate as they awaited the means to escape safely. The assistance Canada provided in shelter as well as with the eventual rescue led the real-life event to be referred to as the “Canadian Caper.”
Based on the “Canadian Caper,” the movie depicts the CIA”s attempt to free the six people who avoided capture at the embassy by disguising them as a film production crew.
An actual UI alumnus, Andrew Varenhorst, portrayed the Blue Creature used for the fake film in “Argo.”
At the end of the film, the six Americans narrowly escape an airport after avoiding capture by Iranian soldiers. The auditorium broke out into loud applause at the narrow escape at the end of the film.
“I don”t know about you, but for me that was nerve wracking and I even know what the outcome was, “ said Bob Haggerty, director of University of Idaho”s International Programs for the College of Agriculture.
The panel following the film focused on Schatz”s work in international agriculture. Schatz graduated from UI with a business degree with an emphasis in economics in 1971 and graduated again from UI with a master”s degree in agricultural economics in 1974.
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Lee Schatz answered questions from a crowd, following a screening of ‘Argo’ on Thursday.
During the events of the film and the real-life hostage crisis, he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to promote American products.
Schatz said the reality of working abroad is boring compared to the excitement of “Argo.”
After being rescued from Iran, he said he turned down overseas postings because he didn”t want to be immediately posted overseas.
Currently, Schatz works for the USDA”s Foreign Agricultural Service Country and Regional Affairs Office.
Part of his work took him to California, where he worked with University of California, Davis to develop a program called e-Afghan Ag.
E-Afghan Ag provides agricultural information for soldiers and others who are going to Afghanistan to help farmers.
He said during his career he worked with college professors to train 750 people – mostly special operations officers – who were going to rural Afghan areas.
“It was probably the most fun I”ve ever had to work with them, because I got to tell the professors what they were going to do,” Schatz said.
The goal of the training, he said, was to prepare the soldiers for local agricultural practices so that they wouldn”t cause any additional problems.
“A guy at 2 o”clock in the morning with a shovel on his shoulder walking down a road might not be burying an IED,” Schatz said. “He has water for his plots for 24 hours and he has to change the plots a 2 o”clock in the morning.”
During his time visiting UI this past week, Schatz toured the UI Soil Stewards” farm and was a panelist for a Friday discussion on international agriculture in the Agricultural Science Building. Schatz said that he plans to retire at the end of next month, with a total of 37 years of government service.
Aleya Ericson can be reached at [email protected]