Captain Midnight Decoder Radio Premium (1940)

  

This premium was sent to kids who listened to the Captain Midnight radio show in 1940. Made of bronze, it is the size of a large coin, bigger than a quarter.

Staring soberly through his goggles, Captain Midnight is flanked by his sidekicks, Patsy Donovan and Chuck Ramsay, and he prompts us to remember the password COBRALHOFA for decoding those all-important secret messages contained in each show.

On the back is a clockface pointing to midnight, plus the logo of his show's sponsor, Skelly Oil, and the legend Medal of Membership, Captain Midnight Flight Patrol, 1940.

In addition to decoding messages, the Captain Midnight medal could be used as a decision-maker. The center of the propellor is raised, so if you spin the medal face-down, the clock hands on the back whirl around, eventually slowing to point in a particular direction—according to the radio ads, an invaluable aid for those tough choices, like picking kids for your team.

If you have one of these, note that authorized reproductions were manufactured in the 1970s. The reproductions have a little letter R inside the bottom of the Skelly logo.

You'll find a lot more about Captain Midnight, including complete episodes for download and listening, at Jim Widner's Captain Midnight Page.

I own one other radio premium, from the Radio Orphan Annie show.

©1995-2023 Philip I. Nelson, all rights reserved