Pulp -- The Shadow -- March 5, 2024

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When I was a kid, Gene Nelson on KSFO played old radio shows at night. He often played episodes of The Shadow. At some point, I found a copy of Jim Harmon's The Great Radio Heroes in the library and read that the Shadow was a very different character in the pulp magazines. That character sounded more interesting. The whole "clouds men's minds" didn't make a lot of sense, but wearing dark clothes and hiding in the shadows sounded cool. Later still, I got to read reprints and found that they were pretty cool.

This cover seemed appropriate for the year of the dragon. 

Comic Book -- Captain Midnight -- June 11, 2019

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Captain Jim Albright was a brave aviator who served in the American Expeditionary Force during World War One. He earned the name Captain Midnight when he returned from a critical mission at the stroke of midnight.

I remember reading about Captain Midnight in Jim Harmon's The Great Radio Heroes. The show began as a fifteen-minute daily radio serial in 1938. Soon after, the Captain and his Secret Squadron were fighting Axis villains. In 1942, the Captain appeared in a syndicated comic strip, a Fawcett comic book, and a Columbia movie serial. The radio show ended in 1949. In 1954-1957, he appeared in a television series.

I heard some radio episodes played on Gene Nelson's show on KSFO and elsewhere.

When I read Harmon's description of the many premiums available to radio listeners, badges, medals, games and especially decoders, I wanted to get them, but I couldn't figure out how. I think that chapter prompted my interest in cryptography.

Flag Day is coming.

Fred Allen 125 -- May 31, 2019

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Comedian Fred Allen was born 125 years ago today, on 31-May-1894. I used to listen to Gene Nelson's old time radio show on KSFO every night. He would play Fred Allen now and then. I read about Fred Allen in Jim Harmon's The Great Radio Comedians and sought a copy of Allen's memoir, Treadmill to Oblivion. I found it at the Richmond Branch library, and took it out several times. I later found Much Ado About Me and Fred Allen's Letters and read each of them several times. I think he influenced my sense of humor and delivery.

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The few people who remember him today probably remember him for Allen's Alley and his long-time feud with Jack Benny.  The feud was staged, but it was often very funny.

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His best performance in a movie was as one of the criminals in "The Ransom of Red Chief," part of the anthology movie O Henry's Full House. Oscar Levant, another favorite of mine, was his partner.

Comic Book -- Captain Midnight -- January 11, 2019

mutoscope.listal.com

Seventy-five years ago this month, in January, 1944, Captain Midnight was breaching Hitler's fortress.

Captain Jim Albright was a brave aviator who served in the American Expeditionary Force during World War One. He earned the name Captain Midnight when he returned from a critical mission at the stroke of midnight.

I remember reading about Captain Midnight in Jim Harmon's The Great Radio Heroes. The show began as a fifteen-minute daily radio serial in 1938. Soon after, the Captain and his Secret Squadron were fighting Axis villains. In 1942, the Captain appeared in a syndicated comic strip, a Fawcett comic book, and a Columbia movie serial. The radio show ended in 1949. In 1954-1957, he appeared in a television series.

I heard some episodes played on Gene Nelson's show on KSFO and elsewhere.

When I read Harmon's description of the many premiums available to radio listeners, badges, medals, games and especially decoders, I wanted to get them, but I couldn't figure out how. I think that chapter prompted my interest in cryptography.