RCAF Blackouts

RCAF Blackouts. Entertainment troupe, organized early in 1943 during World War II by air force personnel to perform at airbases overseas.

The "The Blackouts"cast of about 35 singers, instrumentalists, dancers, and comedians gathered at Rockliffe Air Force Station, Ottawa, under the direction of Flight Lieut Robert Coote, an English singer-actor who had been previously successful in Hollywood and later played Col Pickering in the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady.The entire cast included: Sgt. [Fran Dowie,] Cpl. [Henry Singer] , Cpl. Calangis, Cpl. Terry Dowding, Cpl. John DDomaracki, L.A.C.Ronnie Gray, L.A.C. Jerome Howard,L.A.C. Sammy Levine,L.A.C. Mickey Horner, L.A.C.Gordon Moquin, Cpl. Honor Benson, L.A.W. Mona Morrow, L.A.W. Maxwell Taylor, L.A.W Edna Bond, L.A.W. Gloria Haight, L.A.W. Florence Shaw, L.A.W. Florence Shaw, L.A.W. Cecelia Renny, L.A.W. Georgette Gelinas,L.A.W. Lavinia Sawdon, L.A.C. Geoff Davis, L.A. C Jerry Shea, L.A.C. Joe Carfanini, L.A.C. Irvine McDougall,L.A.C Danny McDougall, L.A.C. Oscar Burnside,L.A.C.Jack Saul, L.A.C Alex Gordon, L.A.C. Stanlet Solomon, L.A.C Johnny Gallant, L.A.C.Mitchell Wegrzynowicz, F.O. Wishart Campbell and S.O.M.L.A. Thompson.

The dancers included Edna Bond aka Candi Kane who later starred in Michel Tremblant's acclaimed play Les Belles -Souers at The St Lawrence Centre, Mona Morrow, Gloria Haight(married name Brown), Maxwell Taylor,Florence Shaw,Cecelia Renny, Georgette Gelinas, and Lavinia Sawdon. Members of the 12-piece pit orchestra also appeared as actors and soloists, and performers were responsible for erecting and striking sets, maintaining costumes, and loading and unloading equipment. Original music and lyrics were written by cast members: Henry Singer, Sam Levine (b Toronto 1915; d Toronto 22 Jan 2005), George Calangis. Conductor, mandolinist, banjoist, b Vancouver 14 Jun 1916, d there 1 Jul 1966.

Returning to Vancouver the group became the staff orchestra 1933-43 on CKCD radio, and in 1934, augmented by other musicians, began performing on CBC radio for such shows as 'Music from the Pacific,' 'Continental Varieties,' and 'Music from the Riviera'. After service in World War II as music director of the RCAF Blackouts, George led the orchestra at the Commodore Ballroom until the early 1950s, and continued to conduct CBC orchestras for radio ('Calangis and Co,' 'Continental Varieties,' and others) and TV ('Bamboula,' 'Meet Lorraine,' and 'Lolly Too Dum') until the mid-1950s.