He was a wonderful man. My mom worked with his wife and I was honored to have met him. What a memory and he came to my classroom to talk with my kids and taught me a trick with corks. I still can do it. Thank you so much, Captain Chesapeake!
I loved Captain Chesapeake ! He was the one I watched over Captain Kangaroo. Many a mornings I would tune in to this man when I was a child. Lots of happy memories there. My boyfriend grew up in Maryland same as me, but he never got the luxury of watching Captain Chesapeake. This was the best show on MD tv for a kid, IMHO
Captain Chesapeake was something of a childhood icon for me growing up.... His TV show on WBFF TV 45 defined the daily ritual of my entire childhood growing up in Snydersburgh, Md. I'll miss you cap'n.
I've been talking about Ghost Host Theater for ages and whenever I do no one I know ever remembers it. If you've ever seen Captain Chesapeake or Ghost Host it stays with you. I was six when my parents sent my name in to be said over the air on my birthday. I was so excited!! Thank you so much for sharing this clip!!
I miss those days in front of the TV. Those were the days when parents didn't have to monitor what kids watched as much. I don't recall the lineup when I watched, but Ultra Man and Speed Racer were my favorites. Does anyone remember the sponsors? I craved Geotz caramels everyday thanks to Capt. Chesapeake. I've been wracking my brain trying to remember the name of the icecream soda/syrup that was also featured. Thanks so much for the memories.
I still remember when I got my crewmember card in the mail. I was five years old when I sent away for it.Capt Chesapeake represented a different era in our society. Back then a kid could just be a kid and enjoy it. It was such a simpler time back then. Oh I so miss it. Thanks Captain
Rest in peace, George...you made a lot of kids in 3 markets so happy as Capt. Chesapeake, Captain Pitt in Pittsburgh and you will always be Steamboat Bill and Mr. Cartoon as I grew up watching you in WSAZ-TV in Huntington, WV as I grew up in South Charleston, WV.. Thanks George for making us all happier...and kinder.
Wow, what memories!!! I tried to stump him with my favorite riddle at Golden Ring Mall back in the mid 80s and he knew it... it was kind of a dirty joke, too. Good stuff...
God Bless Capt. Chesapeake. He helped make my childhood special. I loved watching him...amd bruce the bird..and mony the sea monster..wonderful memories
Horror hosts and kiddie show hosts made local TV fun back in the day. The local TV we grew up with no longers exists today and that's a shame. Watching cartoons and movies of all kinds made those times very special. I miss them. Great clip!!!!
This is a great find for those of us who grew up along the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s. I was especially fond of Ghost Host, which--cheesy as the static opening and cardboard sets were--helped indoctrinate me into a love of vintage horror cinema. I can still hear George's intro: "Good evening. This IS your Ghost Host, inviting you to watch IF YOU DARE...." Nice memories and a super share. Many thanks.
OMG!! I watched him for years after school growing up in Baltimore!! I think he was also the guy who played the mad scientist host on WBFF's "Ghost Host Theater", which aired on Saturday nights at 11:00 pm back in the 70's and 80's...Wow, brings back a memory or three!
Oh my god!!! I am reliving my childhood. I loved Captain Chesapeake!! I used to "break my neck" to get home from school to watch it everyday. Thanks so much for posting this. You've made my day!! :-)
Captain C is indirectly responsible for my marriage. I was working with a trek convention called Shore Leave (still going). We used to promote the convention by giving away passes. He posed the ttivia question, "What was the theme song for Gigantor the Space Age Robot?" My future wife, at home recovering fron a knee operation, called in and sang the theme song. When she came, she saw our filk group, and eventually joined us. A couple of years later we were married. And still are after 27 years, 3 children, 2 grandchildren, and approximately 250 convention.
Except for a few "snippets" that were preserved on home viewers' VHS recorders, all of the Ghost Host inserts were lost. Each week's inserts were erased by the TV station in order to use the same tape again. (Tapes were expensive, so this was the normal procedure for TV stations.) Independent WBFF-TV became Fox45 in 1987. The original WBFF-TV sign-off voice was the late Bill LeFevre. Contact me if you learn of ANY surviving tapes of WBFF45 shows or Baltimore or DC originated kid shows.
@madamex129 I finally found the name of the soft drinks that came in the returnable bottles that I remember as a regular sponsor: Drink-Me-Pop! Oh, and let's not forget Holsom bread. ;)
Ahoy! I was a card carrying crew member - very nice guy when I got his autograph. It was the Capt,, Speed Racer, and Legos afterschool with my best friend. Carefree days indeed. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the kind words... You can view three clips of George Lewis as "Ghost Host" on RU-vid. Simply look for them among the "Related Videos" along the right-hand column, or put the name "robatsea2008" in the RU-vid search box.
He grew up in my neighborhood and went to my swimclub. Moandee(sp?) was named after his daughter Ramona who was a year older than me. It's funny, the background was Loch Raven until they changed it to the Inner Harbor. Ah, to be a kid the 70's.....no cares in the world and plenty of cartoons to watch with Captain "C"
I used to come in every day after school to watch Mr. Lewis as "Mr. Cartoon" on WSAZ Huntinton, WV. I never knew his real name or what happened to him when he left; until now. I was researching local TV stations, saw a link and followed it to here. Man! Those were the days! (choke ...)
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I grew up with the Captain, I caught the chicken pox from Mondy (I had them at the same time that Mondy did on the show) and it brings back a flood of memories. Like getting sick on my sit and spin! Thanks again!
sixstringsup52 commented on September 05, 2007: Whoa! I met him way back in 1958, whe he was 'Steamboat Bill' in Huntington, WV! My folks had taken my brother, sister and I to the TV studio and were actually on TV. My 15 minutes of fame!
I remember watching the Capitan and trying to get my parents antena to face the right way. This is before the days of cable and all we have today. I grew up in Glen Burnie Md and me and my buddy would make a bee line for a tv thanks for the memmories.
Oh wow!!! I didn't know that's how they did it back then. Well, thanks for answering my question and showing this clip. Even though it wasn't an entire show, a "snippet" looks great. If I discover any "lost" Captain Chesapeake tapes before you do, I will definitely let you know.
After Capt Chesapeake went off the air in Baltimore he went to Pittsburgh and became Capt Pitt on Wptt channel 22 for about 5 years ! Another BPconnection!
Pijazardite commented on September 25, 2007: An afternoon with Captain Chesapeake wouldn't be complete without the commercials... search Jhoon Rhee and you get the best commercial of all time. Thanks for the memories
It's 4 bells...time for the Stoo Threeges! I was too old for this show, but that was the only way to see the Three Stooges where we lived. Watching this interview was great the way Cap't C said he didn't talk down to the kids, etc. Anyone else remember a similar character and format from WTTG channel 5 in DC, Captain Tugg?
@rodneyhackenflash lived in Pittsburgh until 1984 and remember Capt Pitt and then moved to Baltimore and they still showed episodes of Capt Chesapeake! I was sooo confused!!!! IT WAS THE SAME GUY!! LOL!!
I grew up just outside of D.C. in Riverdale (near College Park) so channel 45 came in pretty poorly most of the time so a lot of what I watched as a kid in the 70's was channel 20 or channel 5. But there were times when channel 45 could come in well enough with a little playing with the knob and antenna. I hadn't though about Capt Chesapeake in a lot of years. Good memories from the 70's for sure. Back when we only had Channels 2, 4 (NBC), 5 Fox, 7, 13 (ABC) , 9, 11 (CBS), 20 and 45.
AHOOOOOY CREW MEMBERS! God, the memories! If it hasn't happened already, I'm surprised some ironic hipster hasn't co-opted the Capt. Chesapeake opening yet.
Where was I at when this show was on tv? Never watched it but that's too bad because George Lewis seems like an okay guy I don't care what anybody says about him.
I wish I had better news for you. Except for a few "snippets" that were preserved on home viewers' VHS recorders (like this one), all of the Captain Chesapeake programs were lost. Each day's show was erased by the TV station in order to use the same tape again the next day. (Tapes were expensive, so this was the normal procedure for TV stations.) Please contact me if you learn of ANY surviving tapes of Captain Chesapeake (or any other Baltimore or DC originated kid shows.)
Someday RFKJ is going to remember Capt. Chesapeake and our beloved Maryland, and we are going to have a Republic of laws again. Long live Ft. McHenry and dear old Baltimore.
Learn more about George Lewis, Captain Chesapeake, and other Baltimore kids' TV favs at the CrabCityKidsTV dot com web site. If you grew up in the DC area, visit the KaptainKidshow dot com web site.
Captain Chesapeake is dead? Darn. I was hoping that if I ever got married, I could have the wedding on Captain Chesapeake's boat with him officiating. Anybody know if Cap'n Crunch is still available?
Learn more about George Lewis, Captain Chesapeake, and other B-more kids' TV favs at CrabCityKidsTV dot com Grew up in the DC area? Visit KaptainKidshow dot com
