Cap'n Tugg Dies

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2014, 10:20 AM - Edit history (3)

Recent arrivals won't know who this is, but people who grew up in the area will.

According to DCRTV.com, the host of the afternoon kiddie's TV show Cap'n Tugg has died.

Lee "Captain Tugg" Reynolds Dies - 1/27 - Updated. DCRTV hears that Lee Reynolds, who played the "Captain Tugg" (right) kiddie show character on Channel 5/WTTG in the 1960s, died early Monday morning. He'd been staying in an Arlington hospice and had been suffering from lung cancer. In addition to his TV work, we're told that he was the voice of classical WETA-FM from 1968 to 1991. More soon. Memories of "Captain Tugg" can be found at dcmemories.com.....

This post in the DCRTV Mailbag for January 26 had said that Reynolds had been in a hospice over by the Arlington Hospital:

I just received this sad news from a reliable source. I'll let you know if I hear of his passing. Lee Reynolds first had a bout with cancer about 10 to 15 years ago, but he continued to smoke his little stogies. Best, Bob --- Lee Reynolds (Captain Tugg) Terminally Ill For those that knew Captain Tugg and his Very Red Cessna 150 (Six Fox based at Warrenton and Culpeper some years ago). Lee Reynolds did a children's' TV show called Cap'n Tugg in the DC area years ago. He is near the end at The Hospice of Northern Virginia, 4715 15th Street North, Arlington, VA 22205. Christine, his wife reports he has lung cancer and is failing rapidly. Admitted to hospice on last Wednesday after being in their care for about 3 months (at home). He doesn't recognize people though TV personalities visit from time to time. (1/26/14)

I never missed the show. It was on DC's channel 5, which started out as a member of the DuMont network, but was owned by Metromedia by that time. It is now a Fox affiliate.

DC Memories, Cap'n Tugg

Lee Reynolds-TV's Cap'n Tugg

‘Man With A Million Voices’ captained children’s television

By Zach C. Cohen, Published: January 29

Lee Reynolds, an actor who played the seafaring title role on “Cap’n Tugg,” a Washington-area children’s TV show in the 1950s and 1960s, and who later became an announcer, writer and director for the public broadcasting station WETA, died Jan. 27 at Capital Caring hospice in Arlington. He was 87. ... The cause was lung cancer, said his wife, Christine Lewis Reynolds.

Mr. Reynolds worked in theater, radio and television before creating “Cap’n Tugg” for WTTG (Channel 5) in 1958 as a live-action variation on the popular “Popeye” cartoon.
....

Harry Lee Reynolds was born Aug. 23, 1926, in Norton, a community in southwest Virginia. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces and became a deejay and reporter for the American Forces Network radio service in postwar Germany.
....

Mr. Reynolds, an Oakton resident, spoke Greek, Arabic, French and German, and at times worked as a sculptor and filmmaker. He was also a sailor, perhaps unsurprising given his most visible TV role.