Buddy Brigade Memories
In the summer of 2010, my wife Diana and I drove up to Lake Geneva from St. Louis. On the drive home, we passed a sign for Zenda, I told my wife that was were Buddy Melges lived and his boat facility. Diana said we should stop in and visit, even though we have never met Buddy. I said, no, he was a rock star and either busy or on the road somewhere, but she insisted that we try. We pulled up to the office and went in, I asked if Buddy was around and the person in the office said, “yes, he is out back cutting the grass”.
SAIL Magazine: ‘Wizard’ Movie Review
Truly it’s vexing that sailing luminaries don’t get more attention in the U.S.—a nation founded on the very skill of being able to sail successfully and well—and it really hits you front and center watching “The Wizard of Zenda,” Mark Honer’s terrific documentary film about the legendary Buddy Melges.
A Legend Passes
Harry Clemons “Buddy” Melges Jr., considered to be one of the greatest competitive sailors in the sport of sailing, passed away on May 18, 2023. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy as one of the most accomplished and revered sailors in American history.
One Down, Many More to Come
We’re off the a great start with our first private screening and new requests continue to pour in. Five more events have been organized by groups from Collingwood Ontario to Kansas City. Your next opportunity to see MELGES: The Wizard of Zenda is at the CT Spring boat show.
‘Wizard of Zenda’ Screenings Off to Fast Start
Your reaction to the completion and premiere of MELGES: The Wizard of Zenda has been tremendous. We’ve already received over 40 requests for private screenings from yacht clubs and sailing groups across the U.S. and four foreign countries.
‘Buddy Brigade’ Transmissions
One of greatest bonus benefits of producing a film about Buddy Melges is hearing all the stories from the folks he crossed paths with. The ‘Wizard of Zenda’ shared generously and made friends easily so there’s a lot of you. So many in fact, we’ve given you a nickname: The Buddy Brigade. Many of you have sent us stories since we launched the website two years ago, and we’ve decided to share them here and on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
First up is a beautiful piece of writing penned by Nick Coates detailing his first encounter with Buddy way back in 1948. The stories don’t need to be this long or well crafted – in fact most aren’t and that’s okay. But when you get a pearl, you don’t hide it right? So thanks Nick.
Premiere Packs ’em in at Annapolis FF
Melges: The Wizard of Zenda played to a packed house at Maryland Hall in Annapolis Saturday afternoon.
Director Shares Story Behind Film in Podcast
Most of the production for Wizard of Zenda happened over the past four years. But filming for the doc actually began in 2014 when Buddy was first interviewed. Eye on Annapolis podcast host John Frenaye interviews the director of the film about the process.
