CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT'S POST-WAR RADIO YEARS (paperback)
Captain Midnight’s Post-War Radio Years contains hitherto lost stories distilled from 1940s radio scripts. The profusely illustrated volume is for Old-Time Radio (OTR) buffs, adventure and science-fiction enthusiasts, cultural historians, and classic aviation aficionados. Sixteen adventures, originally averaging thirteen weeks each to broadcast, show an exciting perspective on military aviation concepts and tales following WWII.
The original radio shows were recorded on more than 1,800 transcription disks, but almost all of the recordings have been lost. The book has recovered previously unavailable serial adventures from 1945 to 1949 that were originally heard by some twenty million listeners, about equally divided between adults and youths.
Author Leonard Zane has created material in Star Trek feature films and TV, hosts three television shows, is a novelist, and has also adapted and produced Edmond Hamilton’s classic science-fiction tale, “The Inn Outside the World,” for television. According to Zane: “Of the Ovaltine-sponsored 1940s Captain Midnight shows, only about three dozen audio episodes exist, and the stories in this book have never been available to the general public before.”
Captain Midnight was a skilled aviator who led a paramilitary group, the “Secret Squadron,” which combated espionage and sabotage both at home and abroad. The post WWII radio saga extended from America to the Arctic wilderness, Africa, Asia, India, South America, and Antarctica. The adventures incorporated latest advances and speculations in aeronautics and crimefighting, plus science fiction.
ISBN 9781593932176
"Same Time Same Station" interview of Steve Kallis and Leonard Zane, 10 March 2013
"Same Time Same Station" interview, 28 July 2013
“Recommended for anyone interested in the history of popular culture.” Library Journal Verdict - October 1, 2013
Publishers Weekly Audiobook Review of November 25, 2013:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59393-150-6
Captain Midnight’s Post-War Radio Years
Leonard Zane, read by the author. BearManor Media, unabridged, digital download, 10.5 hrs
A radio and television favorite of young boys circa the 1940s, Captain Midnight returns in this incredible collection that summarizes the events of the original series. While billed as an action adventure like the original radio production, this is a straightforward recording that relates the many adventures and episodes of the series, which followed its title character, an Army pilot, as he battled the forces of evil. There are no frills in this audio edition, which will appeal mainly to fans of the radio show. Zane’s delivery is steady—if at times slightly subdued—and clearly reflects his love of the subject matter. Overall, this audiobook will be a pleasant trip down memory lane for die-hard fans of Captain Midnight. A BearManor paperback. (Aug.)
Reviewed on: 11/25/2013
“Anyone interested or involved in Old-Time Radio will find this an invaluable addition to his or her library.” -- Stephen A. Kallis, Jr., author of Radio’s Captain Midnight - The Wartime Biography
“Been looking for this book for 40 years…a terrific book for any fan of the Captain Midnight show!!!” -- Charles R. Sexton, Director of Civil Service (Ret), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“Zane’s writing skill adds tremendous strength and excitement to the espionage, counter-espionage, and cutting-edge technology in every story.” -- D.M. Roth, KUHF radio host, Houston.
RADIO'S HIGH-TECH ADVENTURE THRILLS!
This eleven-hour, unabridged audiobook contains hitherto lost stories distilled from 1940s radio scripts. The work is for Old-Time Radio (OTR) buffs, adventure and science-fiction enthusiasts, cultural historians, and classic aviation aficionados. The volume has recovered and summarized previously unavailable serial adventures from 1945 to 1949 that were originally heard by some twenty million listeners, or thirteen percent of the U.S. population. Thanks to accessing and summarizing the only comprehensive documentation that has since been lost, this book a one-of-a-kind, sole source of this radio history for all time to come.
Sixteen adventures, originally averaging thirteen weeks each to broadcast, show an exciting perspective on military aviation concepts and tales following WWII. According to author Leonard Zane: "Of the Ovaltine-sponsored 1940s Captain Midnight shows, only about three dozen audio episodes exist, and this book recovers the missing stories from over 800 post-war episodes."
Writer-producer Leonard Zane created material produced in Star Trek III, IV, and The Next Generation. He is screenwriter of CONCERTO (an epic on the life of composer Sergei Rachmaninoff), THE GREATEST GAMBLE (the last Raymond Chandler/Philip Marlowe story), INTRAVERSE (adapted from Zane's novel), and ONLY THE SUPER-RICH CAN SAVE US! (adapted from Ralph Nader's 2009 novel). In 2000, Zane adapted and produced Edmond Hamilton's classic, THE INN OUTSIDE THE WORLD. He also produces and hosts television programs on social issues, and is represented by Character Talent and Associates.