for as long as he wanted one. However, Dedrick decided that it was
time to move on. He agreed to stay at KELO-TV through the end of
the year. Captain 11�s final show was scheduled for taping on
December 27, 1996. The longest running children�s show in history
would come to an end.
The Captain 11 Blast-Off was extended to one hour. Captain 11�s
Time Converter was moved to the nearby El Riad Shrine building in
order to accommodate a larger crowd. Over 1,100 people attended the
final taping. Many waited in line for several hours to see the show.
Some had driven for hundreds of miles. So many fans attended that
some had to watch from the KELO-TV studios directly across the
street. Five cameras covered the crowd.
Three generations of fans were present. One woman came for her 92nd
birthday. Another woman brought her 6-day-old baby. There were
video testimonials to the Captain from South Dakota�s congressional
delegation and local celebrities. Old show footage was shown.
Captain 11 introduced his family. He fought back tears playing
�freezeberg� with his crew for the last time. Parents watched wistfully
as their youngsters happily waved their hands and feet as the Captain
instructed...just as they had done years before.
The hour moved quickly. Captain 11 faced the camera again to bid the crew farewell. �Have a great life. Remember to mind Mom and
Dad, eat what they tell you to eat, brush your teeth and say your
prayers when you go to bed.� Captain 11 held a final salute�and
then it was over.
