Eugene Meltsner

Eugene Meltsner is a major character in the radio drama "Adventures in Odyssey", voiced by Will Ryan. A long-time employee at "Whit's End", Eugene is the local "brainiac", having a reputation for erudition and a fondness for trivia. Major plot arcs involving Eugene include his conversion to Christianity and his courtship, engagement, and marriage to Katrina Shanks.

Character History

First Appearance

Eugene first entered Odyssey in episode "#051 Connie, I", when [Connie] 's long awaited trip to California finally came. While she was away Whitt was forced to look for part-time help with Whit's End. Enter Eugene Meltsner, a student and "recognized genius" at Campbell County Community College. Whit hired him and Eugene immediately went about trying to automate everything in Whit's End, from how the electric trains run to the way ice cream sundaes are made.

John Avery Whittaker was very impressed with Eugene's work but he felt that it took away the friendly feeling the shop had. He asks Eugene to change everything back to the way it was before. When Connie returned Eugene stayed on at Whit's End.

After a long time Eugene finally became a Christian when he felt an incredible sense of loss when Regis Blackgaard was taking over Odyssey during "#330 The Time Has Come."

Relationship with Katrina

Although their relationship was rough, Eugene finally married his sweetheart Katrina, first at her father's deathbed, and again for all their friends in Odyssey.

The Novacom Saga

Eugene disappeared from Odyssey in "#484 Plan B: Missing in Action".

Return

Eugene returned to Odyssey in "#564 A Most Intriguing Question", in which he made a rather unusual entrance back into the world of AIO.

Life back in Odyssey

In the more recent episodes, Eugene's adventures in Africa result in Eugene coming into contact with his father, Lennard Meltsner, who he thought was dead. He also discovers that he has a brother still living who was kidnapped and raised by his father's nemesis, Dalton Kearn. Dalton is ultimately brought down by Eugene and his friends in the episodes entitled "The Top Floor." Though Eugene's father and his brother stayed with him and Katrina for a short while, they left to help teach the Gospel to the Ashanti people in Africa after Leonard had a kidney transplant and became a Christian.

Trivia

1. Eugene was offered a recording contract as an artist that playsthe ukelele by Mr. Tuttle in the AIO episode #572 "Odyssey Sings"

2. Eugene's favourite vest is the one with the "Turtle shell print, because it makes him look like an amphibian."

3. Katrina carried Eugene over the threshold, due to "an old chess club injury... It was a very big club."

4. Eugene's younger brother is named Everett.

5. Eugene, Leonard, Everett, Thelma, and Hiram Meltsner all have their names on gravestones. Only two of them are actually dead (Thelma and Hiram).

6. In Eugene's first love letter to Katrina, he likened her to a pentium processor.

7. Eugene once said to Robyn Jacobs, (a young girl that resided in Odyssey and was struggling with her homework), that studying was "the cornerstone of civilization and she calls it boring!"

8. Will Ryan, (the voice of Eugene), actually also plays the role of Harlow Doyle, a local Private Investigator in Odyssey who never has solved a case in his life.

9. Eugene once decided to grow a moustache (Episode: A little Credit, Please. #323)

Family

Eugene married his long time girlfriend/finance, Katrina Shanks in Volume #37: Counter Moves. Due to the (then) current circumstances they where forced to travel the world to stay hidden. One of their trips took them to a small village in Africa. There Eugene discovered that his father was still alive (he believed both his parents had died in Africa). When they returned to United States Eugene began a frantic search for his father. In Volume #47: Into the Light father and son where reunited. Unfortunately this reunion wasn't anything like Eugene had imagined. His father was on the run from rival archaeologist Dalton Kearn. All three lived in a safe house in Odyssey and Eugene and Katrina run an organization called Hand Up. Eugene and Lenard returned to Africa to confront Dalton in Volume #48: Moment of Truth, and Lenard finally defeated his nemesis. He and Eugene also found Eugene's long lost younger brother Everett. Everett had been kidnapped and raised by Dalton. Though Eugene's father and his brother stayed with him and Katrina for a short while, they left to help teach the Gospel to the Ashanti people in Africa after Leonard had had a kidney transplant and become a Christian.

External links

* [http://aiohq.com/char/chare.htm#eugemelt "AIO" episodes containing Eugene]