Captain George's Whizzbang Part 4
Somehow I missed the first issue of Memory Lane's other long-running zine, Captain George's Whizzbang, but I was a faithful reader from issue #2 on. Comic World and The Movies brought vintage content to a new readership through reprints. Whizzbang's content was split between reprints and new material about the good old days. Henderson and editor Peter Harris assembled a small staff of excellent writers including Don Daynard, John Clute, Dan McRae, Don Miller, Peter Gill, Don Hutchison, among others.
The first six issues of this nostalgic fanzine were tabloid newspapers. With issue #7 the format changed to a more readable magazine style. Henderson experimented with the cover and interior page stock throughout the years. Covers went from light-weight, semi-gloss to eventually settle down with heavier, colored paper. The interiors went from cheap newsprint, to text, and back to a better grade of newsprint. The modest production values kept costs down, which in turn kept all of Henderson's zines very affordable. Even near the end of its run in 1974, a ten-issue subscription was still only $5.
In addition to its feature articles, Whizzbang established a regular lineup of departments early on. The recurring features included:
Checklist, a news round-up highlighting current popular culture: Movies, Books, Magazines, and Collectables.
Comment, an open-ended editorial of sorts written by editor Harris. The content ranged from the current issue, to long-range plans, to commentary on current and vintage popular culture.
Pecos Bill, Mighty Man of the West! by Tex O'Reilly and Jack Warren from Whizzbang #13
The tabloid editions included two columns by Capt. George himself: Whizzbangs which highlighted topics like stunt work, 3D glasses, and Earl Hayes the man who supplied printed props like newspapers, wanted posters, and invitations for movie productions. In The Collector Henderson offered plugs for other productions devoted to popular culture. A few of the items mentioned were Gosh Wow, Superman cartoons, Newfangles, All in Color for a Dime, The Fantasy Collector, and advice on how to find collectable movie magazines. When the format changed to magazine-style The Collector evolved into "a page devoted to the mementos of a seemingly simpler time beyond recall" featuring vintage movie magazine covers. The last entry was issue #11 with a vintage ad for Meccano's aeroplane modeling kits.
V.T. Hamlin's profile from Whizzbang #11
Several of the regular columns were reprints. These included the Comics and Their Creators series from the 1930's Literary Digest; The Role I Liked Best . . . from The Saturday Evening Post; Comics of the (fill in the decade), which reprinted a page of comic strips from the 20s to the 50s; Whizzbang Gallery featuring a full-page poster of a movie star; And On Our Screens and Yesterday's Ads with vintage movie and automobile advertisements; BLB File with a page of six panels from a classic Big Little Book; and Canadian Whites reprinting a splash page from one of Canada's Golden Age comic book stories. It was only a glimpse of the treasures you might find at a shop like Memory Lane, but somehow it made you feel like you were a small part of the Vast Whizzbang Organization.
Chester Morris' favorite role from Whizzbang #7
The regular columns featuring new material included Books (reviews), SF Readout by Peter Gill, The Radio, The Comics, and a cartoon/illustration centerspread by Derek Carter. Carter started a fanciful illustrated story in issue #4 called The Great Lake Ontario Balloon Race that ran for five issues.
A Felix the Cat comic strip from Whizzbang #2
In addition to the regular columns, Whizzbang #2 (1969) featured Don Daynard's salute to Hollywood's dean of daredevils, Yakima Canutt. The comics page highlighted samples from the 1930's including Mescal Ike, Babe Bunting, Broncho Bill, Salesman Sam, The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen, and Felix the Cat.
Derek Carter's illustration from Whizzbang #3
Issue #3 was a tribute to Boris Karloff and featured articles by Daynard and Henderson. Editor Harris examined Dashiell Hammett's Continental Op, while Daynard gave us a spread devoted to Those Great Old B Westerns.
Issue #4 presented a portfolio of artwork by Virgil Finlay, Daynard's article on Remakes, and a few select pages from the original Capt. Billy's Whiz Bang which was considered pretty racy in its day. This issue also marked the debut of the short-lived Jim Harmon's Column. The author of The Great Radio Heroes devoted his first (and only) column to recalling a meeting that he, Don Glut, and Richard Andersen had with cowboy actor Ken Maynard in Maynard's memorabilia-packed house trailer.
#5 featured Ben Johnson, a western star who began his career as a stuntman. He also costarred in the original Mighty Joe Young. Harris provides a full-page movie poster to help illustrate the article. The centerspread features J. Allen St. Johns' artwork for Edgar Rice Burroughs stories.
An illustration from Thrilling Detective reprinted in Whizzbang #6
#6 offered Whizzbang's first article about pulp magazines. Entitled simply The Pulps, editor Harris focuses on Raymond Chandler, Black Mask, and a whole host of other crime fictioneers who are mentioned only in passing. Oddly the article is illustrated with covers from Adventure, Action Stories, Doc Savage, and other genres in addition to Black Mask and Dime Detective.
Rex Allen riding Koko from Whizzbang #6
Daynard devotes his contribution to famous movie horses like Koko (Rex Allen), Trigger (Roy Rogers), Tony (Tom Mix), Fritz (William S. Hart), Champion (Gene Autry)—so many, he proposed a second article to write about the rest. The issue's centerspread features a few of Frank Goodwin's airplane illustrations from Collier's and a sample of his comic strip Connie from 1936.
For me, Whizzbang became my favorite Henderson book when it switched from the tabloid to the magazine format with issue #7. The articles about cartoonists, pulp characters, movie serials, stuntmen, B movie stars, and special effects artists were enthralling. #7 featured an article on Roy Barcroft by Don Daynard, which he followed up with A Salute to John Wayne in #8. In #9 Don Miller wrote a wonderful piece on Hopalong Cassidy including a filmography of his 66 pictures. In that same issue, Tony Andras explored The Films of John Barrymore.
In issue #10 Daynard turned his attention to George J. Lewis: Character Actor, Don Hutchison wrote about Doc Savage, and Don Miller told readers about Republic's other movies (non-westerns).
Top Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Trouble for Captain George Part 5
Whizzbang #11, cover and an interior page
By #11, Don Hutchison was writing about pulp magazines in every issue and I was eager to learn more about those ragged-edged beauties. This time out he shown the spotlight on Street and Smth's Detective and it's ilk. Meanwhile, Wallace Seeley paid tribute to Movie Stuntmen like Yakima Canutt, Cliff Lyons, Duke Green, Harvey Parry, Bobby Rose, and Alan Pomeroy. For a change of pace Don Daynard turned his attention to Susan Hayward with an article and filmography of her 54 movies.
Issue #11 also had a legal-size sheet inserted into the front cover which changed the Vast Whizzbang Organization forever. On one side was an ad for Riverside Quarterly, but on the back was a notice that spelled out trouble for Captain George. King Features had obtained an injunction for copyright infractions. Henderson was fined nearly $4000 and ordered to destroy any remaining copies of Captain George Presents #31/32, 33/34, 37, 43/44, 45, and 46. Issue #46 would be the last. It was a serious blow to Henderson and his readers.
Fortunately, Whizzbang continued for several more years. Issue #12 featured Don Hutchison's article on The Avenger; Don Miller's Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, and all the Other Little Foxes; and Peter Harris' commentary on Wings.
#13 provided Daynard's Henry Wilcoxon and Lost Movie Scenes, Miller's Tribute to Audie Murphy, and instead of Hutchison's usual pulp entry, a two page spread of classic pulp magazine covers.
Whizzbang #14 front and back covers
Luckily Hutchison was back in issue #14 shining the spotlight on Operator 5; along with a short story by Daynard, and Miller's praise for Roy Rogers and, to a Lesser Extent Autry.
Around 1969 I was fortunate enough to discover a low-budget television program on PBS called They Went That Away. It only ran for ten episodes, but each week it celebrated one of the great B western movie stars of days gone by. The program introduced me to William S. Hart, Ken Maynard, Hopalong Cassidy, Buck Jones, Tim Holt, Tom Mix, and featured a few others like Roy Rogers and John Wayne. I loved watching the classic movie clips that host Jon Tuska provided—and hearing his commentary—which oozed with nostalgic reverence for these old films and artists. Tuska was also Executive Editor of a film journal called Views & Reviews Magazine, that I believe was published in Milwaukee, WI. Well, one person's delight is another's disappointment; and Don Miller wasn't shy about sharing his in the review he wrote about the series in Whizzbang #13. Tuska wrote back by issue #14 and Whizzbang devoted a half-page to his response. At best, let's just say the two esperts agreed to disagree, but their bristling exchange highlights the differing perspectives that devoted fans often feel about their passions.
In issue #15 editor Harris sang the praises of Bob Edwards, newsman and publisher of the renown Calgary Eye Opener, Miller selected his favorite films of 1939, and Hutchison interviewed MGM actress Selena Royle in Guadalajara. Daynard transcribed two scenes from Tim McCoy's End of the Trail from 1933, in which McCoy "said everything that needed to be said" about "the Red man's treatment during the so-called winning of the West."
Whizzbang #16 and #18
The world of movie miniatures was uncovered by Daynard in the first of his two-part article on The Lydeckers (Howard and Theodore) in issue #16. Hutchison returned to the pulps with a terrific article on G-8 and His Battle Aces, and Miller selected his favorite films of 1944.
Edward Connor wrote an interesting piece about Film Firsts in issue #17. Miller picked his favorites from 1935, Daynard turned in a one-pager on Stanley Wilson who wrote scores for Republic Studios, and Daynard concluded his piece on The Lydeckers.
Issue #18 featured articles on The Scarecrow and Linda Stirling. When it arrived in 1974, it was my last issue. I lost track of the Vast Whizzbang Organization after that, so I don't know if there were issues beyond it, but I doubt it.
In its short heyday, Memory Lane Publications churned out hundreds of pages of nostalgia in low-cost, newsprint titles almost anyone could afford. Captain George and his crew introduced me to dozens of artists, actors, and other creatives from the first half of the 20th century. It was an inspiring joy ride. Although I never met him, I'll never forget how Captain George Henderson's passion for the good old days helped make collecting in the 70's so much fun!
-R.Krauss
References:
The Comics in Canada: An Illustrated History (includes an interview)
Nostalgiaman from The Sunday (Toronto) Sun May 11, 1969 reprinted in Comic World #11
Comix Rebellion, 1967-1974
Don Hutchison's Eulogy for Captain George
Top Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
The Michael Roden Benefit Portfolio
Cartoonist Interviews
Zinographies