Shirley Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 PITTSBURGH (Feb. 27) - Fred Rogers, who gently invited millions of children to be his neighbor as host of the public television show ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'' for more than 30 years, died of cancer early Thursday. He was 74. Rogers died at his Pittsburgh home, said family spokesman David Newell, who played Mr. McFeely on the show. Rogers had been diagnosed with stomach cancer sometime after the holidays, Newell said. ''He was so genuinely, genuinely kind, a wonderful person,'' Newell said. ''His mission was to work with families and children for television. ... That was his passion, his mission, and he did it from day one.'' From 1968 to 2000, Rogers, an ordained Presbyterian minister, produced the show at Pittsburgh public television station WQED. The final new episode, which was taped in December 2000, aired in August 2001, though PBS affiliates continued to air back episodes. Rogers composed his own songs for the show and began each episode in a set made to look like a comfortable living room, singing ''It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood,'' as he donned sneakers and a zip-up cardigan. ''I have really never considered myself a TV star,'' Rogers said in a 1995 interview. ''I always thought I was a neighbor who just came in for a visit.'' His message remained simple: telling his viewers to love themselves and others. On each show, he would take his audience on a magical trolley ride into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, where his puppet creations would interact with each other and adults. Rogers did much of the puppet work and voices himself. Rogers taught children how to share, deal with anger and even why they shouldn't fear the bathtub by assuring them they'll never go down the drain. During the Persian Gulf War, Rogers told youngsters that ''all children shall be well taken care of in this neighborhood and beyond - in times of war and in times of peace,'' and he asked parents to promise their children they would always be safe. ''We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility,'' he said in 1994. ''It's easy to say 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' ''Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.'' Rogers came out of broadcasting retirement last year to record four public service announcements for the Public Broadcasting Service telling parents how to help their children deal with the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. ''They don't understand what an anniversary is, and if they see the tragedy replayed on television, they might think it's happening at that moment,'' he said. Rogers' show won four Emmy Awards, plus one for lifetime achievement. He was given a George Foster Peabody Award in 1993, ''in recognition of 25 years of beautiful days in the neighborhood.'' At a ceremony marking the show's 25th anniversary in 1993, Rogers said, ''It's not the honors and not the titles and not the power that is of ultimate importance. It's what resides inside.'' The show's ratings peaked in 1985-86 when about 8 percent of all U.S. households with televisions tuned in. By the 1999-2000 season, viewership had dropped to about 2.7 percent, or 3.6 million people. One of Rogers' red sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian Institution. As other children's programming opted for slick action cartoons, Rogers stayed the same and stuck to his soothing message. Rogers was born in Latrobe, 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. He was ordained in 1962 with a charge to continue his work with children and families through television. He studied early childhood development at the University of Pittsburgh's graduate school and consulted for decades with the late Dr. Margaret McFarland, an eminent child development expert at the university. The show examined the tribulations of childhood, including anger, fear, even a visit to the dentist. Off the set, Rogers was much like his television persona. He swam daily, read voraciously and listened to Beethoven. He once volunteered at a state prison in Pittsburgh and helped set up a playroom there for children visiting their parents. Rogers was an unseen puppeteer in ''The Children's Corner,'' a local show he and Josie Carey launched at WQED in 1954. In seven years of unscripted, live television on the show, he developed many of the puppets used in ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,'' including King Friday XIII, Daniel Striped Tiger and Curious X the Owl. Rogers accepted an offer to develop his own 15-minute show in Canada. He brought the show, called ''Misterogers,'' back to Pittsburgh and in February 1968 began its public broadcasting debut. Rogers' gentle manner was the butt of some comedian's jokes. Eddie Murphy parodied him on ''Saturday Night Live'' in the 80's with his ''Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,'' a routine Rogers found funny and affectionate. Rogers is survived by his wife, Joanne, a concert pianist; two sons and two grandsons. AP-NY-02-27-03 0702EST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 27, 2003 Administrators Share Posted February 27, 2003 Reading this really bums out my day. I LOVE Mr. Rogers! And if it were not for him, Canada would not have Mr. Dressup... Ernie and Fred were good friends and it was on Roger's suggestion that Mr. Dressup was invented... When my kids were small, Mr. Rogers was the only children's show I would let them watch. It was positive, it was true-to-life and when make-believe was involved it was kept separated from that which was true. I thought that important when dealing with kids who take everything as literal in their young ages. Another thing I liked about Mr. Rogers was that he looked at the world from a kids' view. He didn't impose an adult's version of what they thought a kid would like upon the children. He just explored life through a kid's eyes. He was a vegetarian and you just knew he could never hurt a flea. He was like everybody's Grandpa and you could trust him. I know who I want to meet in heaven- Mr. Rogers!!! <img src="http://www.clubadventist.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.clubadventist.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.clubadventist.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Now I feel like singing the neighbourhood song... Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street were the only 2 shows that I remember watching as a kid (when everyone else was watching "Batman" and "Superman"). I enjoyed the neat films that Mr. Rogers would show on Picture-Picture brought by Mr McFeely speedy delivery. They were fascinating, taking you inside of factories where you could watch neat things being made (like crayons or socks). I also enjoyed the land of make-beleive. My favorite characters were King Friday and the queen. I also liked henrietta the kitty. I don't remember the adults that interacted with the puppets, though. As my husband commented "he'll be in heaven". I'd really like to meet him up there, since I didn't get to do so down here. He was a great person and I want to tell him thank you when we get there. He touched so many kid's lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted March 1, 2003 Administrators Share Posted March 1, 2003 Yes, and Lady Elaine Fairchild... Did you see the tributes to Mr. Rogers that Amelia copied into the Humor forum? They are all comics... Very well done! I miss Mr. Rogers... <img src="http://www.clubadventist.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2003 Share Posted March 22, 2003 no, I didn't see the tributes. I'd like to, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted March 26, 2003 Administrators Share Posted March 26, 2003 Words of Wisdom By Fred Rogers, TV's Mr. Rogers From a Speech at Marquette University - May 20, 2001 Early in the morning of every work day, before I even get to my office, I see someone who influences me greatly. This person has a job which many people might consider unglamourous and tediously mundane. He's the locker room attendant in Pittsburgh where I swim each day. His name is Jeff. We recently celebrated Jeff's 25th anniversary working at the pool - 25 years cleaning sinks and sorting towels and caring about everybody. For his anniversary, some of us regulars got him a cake and a book about New York because Jeff loves New York. "Honk, honk, honk," he says when he talks about it, and he loves to watch the "Today Show" with people lined up on the streets around Rockefeller Plaza. Well, a few weeks ago, I told Jeff about writing this commencement speech, and I asked him what he thought I should say. "Tell them to be glad of who they are. They might get to be president or a teacher or a doctor or just themselves whoever they are. Everybody can do something." And he went right back to scrubbing the showers. "Blessed are the pure in heart . . .," to appreciate our life - and do what we can so others might appreciate theirs. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted March 27, 2003 Administrators Share Posted March 27, 2003 Words of Wisdom Part 2 of 2 [Mar 26, 27] By Fred Rogers, TV's Mr. Rogers From a Speech at Marquette University - May 20, 2001 One day, I was privileged to sit in on one of Yo-yo Ma's master cello classes. Now, Yo-yo is one of the great appreciators of our world. It seems that people always walk taller after they've had an encounter with him. The only thing that's larger than his talent is his heart. At any rate, during that master class, one young man was struggling with the tone of a certain cello passage. He played it over and over, and Yo-yo listened with obvious interest. Finally, Yo-yo said, "Nobody else can make the sound you make." That young man looked at Yo-yo Ma and beamed. What a gift those words were, not only to that cellist, but to everyone who was there. Nobody else can make the sound you make. Well, nobody else can live the life you live. And even though no human being is perfect, we always have the chance to bring what's unique about us to live in a redeeming way. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 []http://pbskids.org/rogers/images/index_03_04.gif[/] http://pbskids.org/rogers/ [:"blue"]BIO [/] http://www.salon.com/people/bc/1999/08/10/rogers/ [:"red"]Family Communications- producers of MRN [/] http://www.misterrogers.org/mister_rogers_neighborhood/biography.asp [:"green"]An Interesting Raving [/] http://www.theocentric.com/theoarchives/000100.html Quote <p><span style="color:#0000FF;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">"Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you."</span></span> Eph 4:29</span><br><br><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/gizmotimetemp_both/US/OR/Fairview.gif" alt="Fairview.gif"> Fairview Or</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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