FROM CAPTAIN KANGAROO TO MR ROGERS

Bob Keeshen's first five years as a child entertainer was as Clarabelle on the origional Howdy Doody show. Then at the age of 28 with some ideas of his own, jumping networks from NBC to CBS and began the longest running childrens show, Captain Kangaroo. Each morning, the Captain opened the door to his Treasure House and invited kids to share the laughter and fun. His giant pocket jacket was his trade mark, thus his name Kangaroo He had the longest running children’s program in network television history, only being beaten out by public broadcastings Sesame Street
Captain Kangaroo was live for the first five years then going pre recordings, in 1966 went color. Remember the Capt'N reading from his giant storybook, as we watched pictures miraculously appear on his magic drawing board. We made believe with Bunny Rabbit, who always stole carrots from the Capt'n pocket. There was Mr. Moose, who stole every joke with a hundred ping pong balls falling on the Capt'N, and we remember Grandfather Clock with the face in the clock, who was a wise old man with knowledge he shared with the Capt'N and TV audience and last but not least Dancin Bear, who just simply liked to dance...all of the Characters were performed by puppeteer Cosmo Allegretti. I remember this show so well as though time simply stood still, what memories of the Capt'N do you still have... Oh an aside the Capt'n lived just a few doors away from my family home in Babylon, till he moved to upstate NY

MR. ROGERS “You always make each day a special day, by just your being you.”" Its Just Feeling"Happy Tomorrow To You" "Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood." " I like you just the way you are" Hosted by Mr. Fred McFeely Rogers. He opened each show while hanging up his jacket and placing on a zipped sweater, then removing his dress shoes and puttin on his sneakers, remember? We visited Chef Brocket's Bakery, or went to Negri's Fix-it shop, We received the mail by Mr. McFeely 'Speedy Delivery' who may have delivered a film to watch on picture picture. Each day we took a trip to the Neighborhood of Make Believe where we met with King Friday the Thirteenth who ruled the kingdom, and Queen Sara Saturday, other puppets in the kingdom were X the Owl, Henrietta Pussycat and Lady Elaine Fairchild, who ran the Museum-go-Round. And then those gentle talks Mr. Rogers had with his children tv audience that ended with a song. He touched on sensitive subjects like death, anger, growing up, fears and all having a moral....The segment that puts this program into our catagory is the Neighborhood of Make Believe.. Thanks you Mr. Rogers, FOR ALL THE VOICE OVERS.