Colonel Humphrey Flack (radio series)


Colonel Humphrey Flack is an American comedy radio program that was broadcast on NBC[1] beginning on July 2, 1947.[2]

Overview

Wendell Holmes portrayed retired Colonel Humphrey Flack, and Frank Maxwell played his companion, Uthas P. "Patsy" Garvey, two men who outwitted confidence men to help people in need.[1] The Flack character, "a modern Robin Hood with a high-handed way with money",[3] originated in magazine stories by Everett Rhodes Castle[2] in The Saturday Evening Post.[4] Episodes typically had Flack encountering an innocent person who had been cheated, which prompted Flack to take charge and foil the criminal,[5] "usually by engineering an even larger swindle".[6] Dick Dudley was the announcer.[1]

Production

Episodes were 30 minutes long.[1] The program was a summer replacement for The Aldrich Family on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Central Time.[7] The writers were Tom Dougall and Sheldon Stark.[2]

Critical response

John Crosby wrote in a syndicated review that the program lacked variety in its stories: "Flack always encounters swindlers; Flack always wins."[6] He also wrote that one of the schemes depicted in the show was so transparent that it "wouldn't have fooled an idiot orphan, much less a widow, no matter how lame-brained".[6]

A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication Variety said that Colonel Humphrey Flack was "quite a relief from the whodunits flooding the warm summer air".[8] The review complimented Holmes's acting and the writing and pace of the show.[8]

Adaptation

A television version of the series, also titled Colonel Humphrey Flack, was broadcast on the Dumont Television Network in 1953-1954 and later syndicated. It starred Alan Mowbray in the title role with Frank Jenks as Garvey.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Terrace, Vincent (1981). Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs, 1930-1960 (1st ed.). San Diego : London: A.S. Barnes ; Tantivy Press. p. 60. ISBN 0-498-02393-1.
  2. ^ a b c Gould, Jack (June 10, 1947). "Stations Oppose the NAB Listener Council — 'Colonel Flack' to Make Bow". The New York Times. p. 54.
  3. ^ Moyes, William (July 3, 1947). "Behind the Mike". The Oregonian. Oregon, Portland. p. 11. Retrieved September 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Nat'l Broadcasting Co". Billboard. August 16, 1947. p. 9. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "New Comedy Series to Broadcast on NBC-KTBS". The Shreveport Times. July 6, 1947. p. 8 A. Retrieved September 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c Crosby, John (July 23, 1947). "Radio in Review: Colonel Flack and Arthur". The Salisbury Times. p. 11. Retrieved September 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "New Dramatic Series Will Start Over WMC". The Commercial Appeal. Tennessee, Memphis. June 29, 1947. p. Section IV - 9. Retrieved September 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Colonel Humphrey Flack". Variety. July 9, 1947. p. 73. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Terrace, Vincent (20 October 2022). From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021. McFarland. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-4766-8836-7. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
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