| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| HTA ID | HTA-0443 |
| Title | Tall Ship Fantasy — The Christian Radick |
| Date | c. 1980–1981 |
| Date Confidence | MODERATE — PM Magazine "Fantasy Week" series; the Christian Radick visited the US East Coast during OpSail events in the early 1980s |
| Program | PM Magazine (Fantasy Week) |
| Station | WDVM-TV (formerly WTOP-TV), Channel 9, Washington DC |
| Duration | ~9:00 |
| Format | Feature / Fantasy fulfillment |
Part of PM Magazine's "Fantasy Week" series, in which viewers submitted their dream experiences. Henry hosts from aboard the Christian Radick, a Norwegian Merchant Marine training vessel and one of the world's great tall ships. A young Washington-area viewer named Troy Harris and his brother Jack Thompson are given the opportunity to become cadets aboard the ship as it sails from Norfolk to Washington.
Troy is signed on as an extra cadet and spends three days performing real duties: swabbing decks, climbing rigging, and navigating. The captain reports Troy was only one or two degrees off course — "better than about 60% of the guys." The ship receives a 21-gun salute at Fort Henry as it approaches Washington, gathering an escort of impressed boatmen.
The piece captures Troy's genuine enthusiasm and bittersweet farewell: "I'm sort of glad to be back home because I missed the good home cooking... but not too happy about having to leave the ship." Henry's narration elevates the story with literary touches about tall ships firing the imagination and "our age-old partnership with air and sea."
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| People | Henry Tenenbaum (host), Troy Harris (viewer/cadet), Jack Thompson (Troy's brother), ship's captain (unnamed) |
| Organizations | WDVM-TV, PM Magazine, Norwegian Merchant Marine |
| Locations | Norfolk, Virginia; Potomac River; Washington DC; Fort Henry |
| Subjects | Tall ships, sailing, fantasy fulfillment, youth, maritime training |
| Themes | Dreams fulfilled, coming of age, adventure, maritime heritage |
| Tone | Warm, inspirational, literary |
"Tall ships. For centuries, they have fired the imagination. Vessels that surge before the wind, symbolizing our age-old partnership with air and sea."
"Well, if there was ever a chance we'd be getting on, I definitely would try. This is great. I mean, there's nothing better than sailing out of the ship, I would think."
"I have a pretty good memory anyway, so I doubt if I ought to ever forget this. I mean, it's been quite an experience."
Multi-day shoot following Troy's three-day journey from Norfolk to Washington. Henry hosts from aboard the ship. The piece includes the Fantasy Week format introduction, Troy's sign-on, daily activities, navigation training, the approach to Washington with the 21-gun salute, and the farewell. Part of a full PM Magazine episode that also included a SIDS story and regular departments (Dr. Whittaker diet, Chef Tell, Joyce Colheywick gifts).
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Series | PM Magazine Fantasy Week (multiple episodes) |
| Era | PM Magazine/WDVM period (1979–1981) |
| Theme | Participatory/adventure stories |
| Tape | HN_32 — compound tape, also contains Wing Walk PM version |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source File | HN_32 PM Tall ship_Wing Walk.txt |
| Alternate Files | None identified |
| Source Location | /transcript_working/!transcript macwhisper/ |
| Transcription Quality | Good — clear audio, some minor garbling during shipboard scenes |
| Repository Status | Preserved |
The Christian Radick (properly "Christian Radich") is a Norwegian full-rigged ship launched in 1937, used as a training vessel for the Norwegian Merchant Marine. It participated in several Tall Ships races and OpSail events on the US East Coast. The Fantasy Week format was a popular PM Magazine series concept where viewers submitted dreams and the show fulfilled them. This piece demonstrates Henry's ability to shift from his usual comic tone to a more literary, inspirational register when the material calls for it. The compound tape (HN_32) also contains the Wing Walk story, which is processed separately.