Captain Chesapeake

Country

United States

How it feels

A local TV host played a shipwrecked sailor named Captain Chesapeake for children in Baltimore. Kids could join his show as crew members and watch him entertain with poems and songs. The series ran for two decades in the afternoons and mornings.

kid-friendlyplayfulnostalgiclightheartedwhimsicaleducationalgentleold-timeyinteractive

What happens

Captain Chesapeake was a morning and afternoon children's show on WBFF (channel 45) in Baltimore, Maryland, hosted by George A. Lewis (November 24, 1926 – December 18, 2000, at Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland) who portrayed "Captain Chesapeake". The show aired from April 1971 until 1990. Lewis hosted a similar show, Captain Pitt on WPTT (channel 22) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (which is now WPNT and is owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., the same group that owns and operates Baltimore's WBFF). Lewis began his career as the children's host of the Steamboat Bill and Mr. Cartoon shows on WSAZ-TV in Huntington, West Virginia, from 1957 until 1970. Lewis also acted as "Ghost Host" on WBFF's late night horror movie show, and did news on WBFF prior to 1988. Children in Baltimore could become "crew members" on the show. The Captain Chesapeake show began with the poem: "A shipwrecked sailor found himself in a plight. Lost at sea he was really a sight. He swam and swam 'til he thought he'd die, when a wondrous sight appeared to his eye. A derelict boat that saved his life and put an end to his watery strife." The theme song was the Zez Confrey tune "Stumbling", as recorded by The Three Suns. This theme was played from a 33 rpm at 45 rpm speed. Captain Chesapeake signed off each show with important advice for his young viewers, “Be somebody important, Be yourself!” (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

• Sailor Bob
• Popeye Playhouse
• The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack (2008)
• Twentysixmiles
• The Kingdom of Could Be You
• Joya's Fun School
• Mr. Cartoon (1960)
• D. B.'s Delight