Fourteen consecutive years of televising an hour show "live" from the Freedom Stage at the State Fair in Huron. Even after my show was moved to Saturdays...the State Fair Board said they didn't care. They wanted me to appear live from 4 to 5pm on the Freedom Stage on Wednesday during the State Fair. So Be It! KELO-TV preempted the regularly scheduled shows and we televised Captain 11 LIVE from the State Fair.
2. When did you first realize Captain 11 was a hit?
My first personal appearance at Farrington's Super Value in Worthington. An avalanche of little people completely blocked all traffic in the store for the three hours I was there. I was resting in the manager's office when it was over and the manager of Red Owl called him and thanked him for baby-sitting all the children, so mom could shop for groceries for the week at Red Owl. He'd had his biggest day ever! That story always reminds me of the expression, "The operation was a success, but the patient died."
3. How did you deal with unruly kids on the set?
They were too rare to even remember. On several occasions I found it was necessary to talk to a nervous mother who really wanted her child to "behave". I confided in her that if every kid sat still with his hands folded on his lap, my program would have less appeal than a "test pattern". Jeff Burri, my director, had a knack for spotting the kids who were 'marching to a different drummer' than the majority of the well behaved kids. They were doing exactly what we hoped they would be doing...getting into mischief...and he had them on camera. Now that was entertaining.
4. What was Captain 11's most embarassing moment?
At Salem's Diamond 75th Jubilee I was bending down to talk to a young crew member when the seam split on the seat of my trousers. I hastened to take a chair until a committee member went and got his wife to escort me to their home were she and her sewing machine saved the day.
5. Were your children ever jealous they had to share you with so many other kids?
I was their dad and I had a job just like the dads of the other kids. When the other kids in the neighborhood met me, they seemed to understand. It was just my job, no more...no less. When I was home I was just dad. I was the Cubmaster when the time came, and I built tree swings and a tree house. We were blessed to live in a neighborhood full of kids. I could oil their bicycles and tighten the handlebars when they came loose.
6. What was the favorite cartoon on Captain 11?
POPEYE was the overwhelming favorite among my crew.