1965 | Leatherman | WTIC-TV (now WFSB) Hartford, Connecticut | Channel 3 | Dick Bertel
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2024
- On his program "Perception" on WTIC-TV (now WFSB), Channel 3 in Hartford, Connecticut, Dick Bertel (1931-2023) interviews Mark Haber (1899-1994), a publisher of books on antique toys, about the legendary "Old Leather Man," a cave-dwelling vagabond who methodically hiked the same 366 miles through western Connecticut and southeastern New York in a handmade suit of leather clothes from approximately 1857 to 1889.
First broadcast on February 14, 1965, this show is directed by Jack Guckin (1930-1988). One of the program's most interesting moments occurs when Mr. Haber presents the actual leather bag that the Leatherman carried with him, opening it with the same hand that is clenching his smoldering cigar. He refers to the research of his friend Louis H. Hertz (1922-1997) from Scarsdale, N.Y. who also designed the map that is used to document the Leatherman's circular route between the Hudson and Connecticut Rivers.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, Mr. Hertz authored several highly respected books about collecting mechanical toy banks, building model railroads, airplanes, rockets, and cars, and other such hobbies --many published by Mark Haber & Co. in Wethersfield, Conn.-- but he doesn't appear to have ever dedicated a book to the Leatherman as mentioned during the interview. However, he does refer to the Leatherman in his 1950 book "Messrs. Ives of Bridgeport: The Saga of America's Greatest Toymakers," writing that one of the homes in Plymouth, Conn. that the Leatherman frequented for gifts of food belonged to Edward Riley Ives, one of the founders of the Ives Manufacturing Company.
Mr. Hertz wrote in that book, "after [the Leather Man's] death the vague rumors which had circulated during his lifetime (ca. 1839-1889) crystallized into various supposed accounts of his name and story, but actually to this day no one knows his true name or history, or the reasons for his wandering in a leather suit." Accordingly, when his grave was relocated within Sparta Cemetery in Ossining, N.Y. in 2011, an elaborate plaque identifying him as Jules Bourglay from Lyon, France that was erected there in 1953 was replaced with a simple marker with just two words: "The Leatherman."
Places mentioned here include Harwinton, Burlington, Berlin, Old Saybrook, Clinton, New Haven, Bridgeport, New Canaan, New Fairfield, Plymouth, Purgatory Brook, Thomaston, Forestville, and Bristol in Connecticut and Mount Pleasant, Peekskill, Yorktown, and Brewster in New York. Haber and Bertel also discuss the Great Blizzard of 1888 and how the Connecticut Humane Society attempted to care for the Leatherman when it was discovered he was suffering from cancer of the lip. In addition, referring to an 1889 booklet titled "Life of the Mysterious Leather Man, the Wandering Hermit of Connecticut and New York," written by A.B. Stewart, they converse about how after his death his leather clothes and other artifacts were displayed on a wax likeness of him at Meehan & Wilson's Globe Museum, a curator of odd curiosities at 298 Bowery in Manhattan, circa 1889-1891. (In 1888, having learned about his hospitalization, the Globe Museum had sent a letter to the Chief of Police in Hartford asking for the Leatherman's contact information, promising to offer the reclusive French-speaking survivalist "to place himself on exhibition for a good salary.")
Mark Haber was the father of Gerald R. "Jerry" Haber (1934-2011), a film editor and projectionist at Channel 3 when it was WTIC-TV. Presumably he was involved in the production and preservation of this episode.
Channel 3 changed its original WTIC-TV call letters to WFSB in 1974 when its licensee, Broadcast Plaza, Inc., the media subsidiary of the Travelers Insurance Company (TIC), sold it to Post-Newsweek Stations.
what a concise presentation this was. so well spoken all involved.
The old leatherman was not Jules bourglay, no one knows his real name or origin. Dan deluca has researched that. That story of his background was made up by a newspaper years before he died in 1889. He was more likely French Canadian. Great video & thanks for posting it.
I love that he just lights up a smoke in the middle of his interviews lol
it was crazy that this guy visited my home town over a hundred years ago. I even know of a cave on the outskirts of town people claim he lived in
Yes, this is very cool! thank you so much for posting this. I have been looking for this and other footage that was on WTIC-TY and radio for years. I have a number of articles that reference Mr. Hertz and a book he is about to publish about the Old Leather Man. Wish he had published it. Again thank you.
Has anyone else heard of the story of Leatherman being spotted in the woods trail somewhere in Watertown or naugutuck, where he was seen with an 8 foot tall being walking with Leatherman? I read this one time, I believe it was the Bristol "Stepsaver newspaper". They mentioned one time where a person was following Leathermam in the woods, and to his surprise an 8 foot tall figure was waiting for him down the trail. I would like to find that article again.
Well, it’s entertaining, anyway. Doubtful, but I want it to be true. :)
Very cool! Any idea who owns this footage? Who I might talk to in regard to using this in a documentary?
+Doug Bertel Excellent! Thank you for your timely response and knowledge on the matter. I appreciate your time!
The guest on the show makes multiple errors. He says that the Leatherman walked a total of 366 miles (246 in Connecticut and 140 in New York) but 246 and 140 = 386 miles, so he is off by 20 miles. He also states that the Leatherman walked his route for 27 years when most accounts seem to state that he walked for 30-32 years.
His biggest mistake is claiming to know the identity of the Leatherman when that remains a mystery.
Still, I enjoy looking back through time and seeing the show.
Error today, known tomorrow!
the ironic timing of the guy raising the issue of cancer just after the other guy fired up his cigar is interesting. Shocking now after all these years to see someone smoking without any concerns at all on tv. Sure, it happened a lot when I was a kid (Rod Serling used to do it) but not since the 70s about.
Tom Snyder may have been the last of the big on-air smokestacks 😮💨
Lo que me sorprende aparte del caso que no lo conocia, e como lo narra el señor se nota que siente tristeza al explicar la vida tan dificil que tuvo ese hombre no cabe duda que en esos años cuando fue realizado este programa comprendian mas la miseria de como se comprende hoy
Para ser honesto, la gente podría tener un corazón frío en cualquier época. pero esto es menos común cuando las personas se ven como iguales. Creo que probablemente aumenta y disminuye en grandes ciclos.
10:18 He is making it up as he goes along...😂😂
Excellent synopsis by Bertelevision.
Thank you for the compliment, Your Royal Highness!
Where is his bag now?
bag is at conn historical society
A real life American folk hero. I wonder why any American authors, like Mark Twain, Stephen Vincent Bennet, Poe, or Melville never mentioned him. I wonder if they knew of him.
Everyone interested should get a copy of the book “the old leather man”
Pearl Jam wrote a song about him
Leatherman
Vedder is a great American storyteller.
"Derby's Commodore Hull Writing Club" is creating a fictional story behind THE STORY, titled "The Leathered Man'"!~ Check out our Facebook Page! The Author is an avid, Appalachian Trail & CT Blue Blaze Trail, backpacker!
"...made of old shoe tops..."