On this special holiday season episode of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present Chris Wedes (better known as KIRO TV clown J.P. Patches) and Bob Newman (better known as J.P.'s pal Gertrude) in "A Homefront Christmas," an original radio play first broadcast on KIXI AM 880 in Seattle in December 2001.

Wedes and Newman played a washed up vaudeville act who are coaxed out of retirement to put on a show to cheer up the homefront in Seattle. The action is set in 1941 just after Pearl Harbor, and also stars Tracey Conway, Dave Dolacky and Bob Brooks. Sound effects were performed by David Persson; music was pre-recorded especially for the show by Stan Boreson. "A Homefront Christmas" was written, produced and directed by Feliks Banel, and recorded before a live audience at the old Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle a few hours before the broadcast.

This broadcast of CASCADE OF HISTORY was presented at 8pm Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, November 10, 2024 via SPACE 101.1 FM and streaming live via space101fm.org from studios at historic Magnuson Park – formerly Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.

TECHNICAL NOTE: The podcast edition of this program includes approximately four minutes of additional material which did not fit into the one-hour broadcast format.

Ep. 84: "Homefront Christmas" Seattle Radio Play with Chris Wedes and Bob Newman

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY marking the 80th anniversary of V-J Day – the effective end of World War II on August 14, 1945 - we present a panel discussion from the archives marking the 60th anniversary 20 years ago in Seattle in 2005. 

Participants included several Seattle area residents who were in the military, the Red Cross, working in defense plants or otherwise supporting the Allied war effort as young adults in 1945. 

The panelists include:

Edgar J. Allen
https://bonneywatson.com/obituary/edgar-j-allen/

Bill Burnett
https://www.funerals.coop/obituaries/bill-burnett

Bea Jordan
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/unionleader/name/bea-jordan-obituary?id=19375229

Henry Kuharic
https://genprideseattle.org/dr-henry-kuharic/

Kirby Walker
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/kirby-walker-obituary?id=32523548

The panel was part of a series curated and moderated by CASCADE OF HISTORY producer/host Feliks Banel when he was deputy director of Seattle's Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), and was recorded before a live audience at the old MOHAI in Montlake in the McCurdy Gallery.

This episode of CASCADE OF HISTORY was originally broadcast at 8pm Pacific Time on Sunday, July 28, 2024 via SPACE 101.1 FM and streaming live via www.space101fm.org from studios at historic Magnuson Park – located in the former Master-at-Arms’ quarters in the old Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.

You may also be interested in the 2005 V-E Day 60th anniversary panel episode of CASCADE OF HISTORY:
https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/ep-107

Subscribe to the CASCADE OF HISTORY podcast via most podcast platforms and never miss regular weekly episodes of Sunday night broadcasts as well as frequent bonus episodes.

BONUS ENCORE EPISODE: V-J Day Anniversary Panel recorded at MOHAI on August 14, 2005

CASCADE OF HISTORY is the only LIVE radio show presenting news and stories about people doing cool things with and for history in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. We talk about people, artifacts, books, maps, photos, places, landmarks, public lands, state and national parks, trails, highways, and the historic events that can bring us all together.

The show is broadcast LIVE most Sunday nights at 8pm Pacific Time on SPACE 101.1 FM (and streaming via http://www.space101fm.org ) from studios located on the shores of Lake Washington in historic Magnuson Park in Seattle, former site of Sand Point Naval Air Station (though sometimes CASCADE OF HISTORY originates from remote locations around the region). The podcast feed consists of the weekly broadcast, plus frequent bonus episodes with timely and topical interviews, vintage local audio or other Pacific Northwest history-related content - and sometimes even BREAKING NEWS.

Producer and host Feliks Banel is an Emmy-winning and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning broadcaster, and former deputy director of Seattle's Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI).

Send your questions, comments, guest suggestions, news tips and other correspondence to cascadeofhistory@gmail.com.

New tracks tagged #MOHAI