Captain 11's Showboat

Overview

Captain 11's Showboat was a locally produced children's program, based in St. Louis, Missouri, airing on KPLR-TV, Channel 11 during the late-afternoon hours, starting in May 1959, and ending in August 1968. Captain 11, named after the channel, was portrayed by longtime St. Louis radio personality Harry Fender. The program was best known for airing Three Stooges shorts to viewers in the St. Louis area. After the series ended in 1968, the Three Stooges shorts continued to air on the station, although the shorts currently air occasionally. Harry Fender played Captain 11. Mr. Fender was a former performer for Florenz Ziegfeld. He then returned to St. Louis and became a policeman. Mr. Fender was a semi-regular on Jack Carney's radio program on KMOX radio. Mr. Fender claimed many times that when Florenz Ziegfeld was creating the musical version of Show Boat that Ziegfeld had Fender in mind to play Gaylord Ravenal.