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For more than 30 years, John Kiesewetter has been the source for information about all things in local media — comings and goings, local people appearing on the big or small screen, special programs, and much more. Contact John at johnkiese@yahoo.com.

Cable's 'Night Flight' Returns With Cincinnati Videos

Provided by Ricky Henry
Ricky Henry of Newport hosting his late-night "Electric Tapes" video show

The 1980s late-night cult favorite "Night Flight" will soar again on cable TV with videos shot by WKRC-TV art director Ricky Henry at the Video Archive bar in Walnut Hills.

"I am so incredibly geeked," says Henry, who is attending the "Night Flight" launch party tonight in Brooklyn.

Henry and coworkers at WKRC/WSTR created the 1980s-style nostalgic "Space Foxes" video shorts which will appear in the "Night Flight" revival on the Independent Film Channel.

"Night Flight" will air as a 15-minute filler between movies on IFC, starting at 1 a.m. Friday, April 20 (late tonight/early tomorrow). See times and channels below.

Credit Provided by Ricky Henry
Shelby Shinkle (foreground) and Victoria McDevitt star as the "Space Foxes."

For two years, Henry has been working on this "love letter to the old late-night TV shows of old."  Called "Electric Tapes," he shot the shows with WKRC-TV floor director, Shelby Shinkle, local actress Victoria McDevitt,  former pro wrestler Leva "Blue Pants" Bates and former Channel 25 "Friday Night Fu" movie host "Cap'N" Dave Cornelius. His wife, Jennifer Henry, made the costumes.

They first pitched the show in January 2017 to Channels 12 or 64 here, but Jon Lawhead, Sinclair Broadcast Group Manager for Cincinnati and Dayton stations, "was not at all receptive," Henry says.

So they submitted "Electric Tapes" to Amazon Prime, where a "small but loyal following" included producer Stuart Shapiro, who created "Night Flight" for USA Network (1981-88) and syndication (1990-96). "Night Flight," a collection of rock videos, B-movies and offbeat shorts, was Henry's "all-time favorite television programs in the '80s."

Credit Provided by Ricky Henry
Shelby Shinkle (left), Almond Sisters bakery owner Jenni Hubbard and Ricky Henry in a scene from "Electric Tapes" filmed at the bakery.

Shapiro told Henry that he was starting the show over from scratch and wanted the Cincinnati videos. Clips from "Space Foxes" will appear on "Night Flight" on IFC beginning early Friday, April 20. IFC calls "Night Flight" a collection of "classic clips including iconic rock stars, animation and heavy metal music. A trip back to the boundary-pushing music and videos of the 1980s."

"Electric Tapes" will be available exclusively this summer on the Night Flight PLUS streaming service, Henry says.

"It's been an amazingly weird and wild journey. 'Night Flight' returns to IFC – and I had the opportunity to contribute. Surreal!" he says.

Credit Provided by Ricky Henry
Ricky Henry

"I wish that I could say that I was making hundreds of thousands of dollars and that this was a major life-changing thing," he continues. "To be honest, it’s pretty much a break-even deal, and I won’t be moving to New York or L.A. anytime soon," says the Newport resident. "This was a one-off and a great opportunity that finally gives me some closure on a funny little experiment that I had with my co-workers.

Henry says that " 'Night Flight was a major contributor to what would become one of my lifelong credos. For me, nostalgia is the secondary point. It’s not that I think things are good because they’re old, it’s that I don’t like to let good things die simply because they’re old. Fight for your dreams and never give up."

IFC can be found on Spectrum cable in Cincinnati (Channels 280 and 1280), Northern Kentucky (Channel 612) and on the on-demand channel; on Direct TV (Channel 333) and DISH network (133)

"Night Flight" will air Friday April 20 (1 a.m. and 3:45 a.m.); Saturday April 21 (1 a.m. and 5:45 a.m.); Tuesday April 24 (6:45 a.m.); and Saturday, April 28 (2 a.m.).

John Kiesewetter, who has covered television and media for more than 35 years, has been working for Cincinnati Public Radio and WVXU-FM since 2015.