‘1939’ at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

When I was a kid, we had an old Crosley Console radio, about ‘this’ high and ‘that’ wide that came from Cleveland and became our home theatre of the mind. The big floor model sat in the corner of the living room and it was there we focused after dinner every night, to tune in to what was happening around the world.

My Mother would listen to ‘The Happy Gang’, after lunch, then ‘Ma Perkins’ and ‘Helen Trent’.In the evening ‘The Lone Ranger’ and ‘Hoppalong Cassidy’ would ride through our living room. “Sam Spade’ would fight criminals and ‘Fibber McGee and Molly’ along with ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ would provide the comic relief. Television was still 15 years away. It was a glorious time to let your mind run wild and imagine the characters; situations and the sound effects, created ‘live’, as the show was going to air.

When Wendy Hamilton’s theatrical troop, Theatre in Motion approached me and asked if I might be interested in re-creating some of those old time radio shows for an upcoming fund raiser at the Bushplane Museum in late November, I made a half dozen quick phone calls and the ‘Sault’s Old Tyme Radio Players’ was born.

1939. The country was coming out of the Depression; Trans Canada Airlines inaugurated its first passenger flight from Vancouver all the way east to Montreal and now women could buy Nylon stockings for the first time.

Teachers in the city were enjoying their first year of a $100 annual pay raise passed by the school board the previous spring, horses were no longer used at the local fire department and the union workers at the Steel plant were being paid for their first full year of vacation time-one week of vacation with pay if they had worked at the plant for 25 years or more.

King George and Queen Elizabeth toured Canada that year and stayed overnight at the Windsor Park Hotel here in the Sault to the delight of all. Representatives of the two Saults along with the Federal Government and the Michigan State Highway Commission sat down and discussed the possibility of building a bridge across the St. Mary’s River, joining the twin cities. Francis H. Clergue died in Montreal of a heart attack and Canada, following Britain’s lead, declared war on Germany.

1939, celebrated the end of a decade that saw this country in turmoil and now with a new decade about to unfold with unlimited potential, The Bushplane Museum selected the theme of ‘1939’ for its fundraiser on November 29th.

The main floor of the museum will be turned into a ‘1939’ nightclub complete with waiters in full period costume. Your hostess for the evening, “C.C.’, will make sure your trip back to ‘1939’ will be a memorable one. Bob Jenkins and ‘The Happy Days Band’ will provide the Big Band Swing music of the era with all your favourites from the ‘30’s.

Cocktails, beer and wine will be served. H’ordeurves and appetizers, taken from a local 1939 cookbook, will be yours for the asking. A photographer will be there to take pictures at your table, just as they did at the Copa, flower girls will swish through the room and later, dessert and coffee, of course. Cost? $40.00 each.

The entertainment? Two recreated radio plays just like I listened to as a kid. “The Adventures of Flash Gordon”, and “Fibber McGee and Molly”, as performed by some of your favourite radio and television celebrities from the past. Terry McPhee, Art Osborne, Jim Cronin, Russ Hilderley, Marg Turner, Joe Petrolo, Helen Petrolo , Hans Geenen , with ‘Uncle Albert’ Jones and John Chambers recreating the sound effects for both plays, ‘live’ ,on stage during the productions. I’m involved too.

I’ve missed names here of all those involved with re-creating this fun-filled evening and I know they will forgive me, for this fundraiser will be a special night for the Bushplane Museum and you, too.

Come dressed as you please, but period costume of course, will provide extra fun that evening. Tickets are available at the Bushplane Museum or you can order, by calling 255-0675 to book your table of 4, 6 or 8 for a great evening. Do so soon, because seating is limited.

I hope to see you November 29th at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. It will be a hoot!