"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" (1968) "MisteRogers' Neighborhood" (original title), TV series 1968-2001

Directors:

David F. Chen
J. Philip Miller
(more)

Writers:

Betty Seamans (1973-1975)
Barry Head (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1981 | 1984 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1994 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | unknown

Release Date:

19 February 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Music

Plot:

Fred Rogers explores various topics for young viewers through presentations and music both in his world and in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

Plot Keywords:

Make Believe | Puppet | King | Trolley | Tiger

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 5 wins & 54 nominations

Cast

Fred Rogers	...	Mr. Rogers / ... (489 episodes, 1968-2001)
Robert Trow	...	Harriett Elizabeth Cow / ... (397 episodes, 1968-2000)

Series Directed by
Paul Lally		(4 episodes, 1983-1984)
David F. Chen		(unknown episodes)
J. Philip Miller		(unknown episodes)
Bill Moates		(unknown episodes)
Bob Muens		(unknown episodes)
Sam Silberman		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Fred Rogers		(419 episodes, 1968-2001)
Betty Seamans		(unknown episodes, 1973-1975)
Eliot Daley		(unknown episodes)
Barry Head		(unknown episodes)
Guy Urban		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Adrienne Wehr	....	associate producer (69 episodes, 1987-1998)
Gary Hines	....	producer (29 episodes, 1995-1999)
Jordan Klein Jr.	....	consulting producer (5 episodes, 1990)
Fred Rogers	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1981-1995)
Margaret Whitmer	....	associate producer / producer (3 episodes, 1983-1995)
Sam Newbury	....	producer (2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Casey Brown	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Bill Moates	....	producer (unknown episodes)
David Newell	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Hedda Sharapan	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Sam Silberman	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Susie Simons	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Paul K. Taff	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Bob Walsh	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Johnny Costa		(1 episode, 1968-1996)
Carl McVicker		(unknown episodes, 1979-2001)
Michael Moricz		(unknown episodes, 1996-2001)
Josie Carey		(unknown episodes)
Bobby Rawsthorne		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Nicholas Spies		(1 episode, 1968)

Series Film Editing by
Michael Colonna		(1 episode, 1984)

Series Art Direction by
Jack Guest		(2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Kathryn A. Borland		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Patty Bell	....	key makeup artist (10 episodes, 1997-1999)

Series Production Management
Sam Newbury	....	production manager (1 episode, 1981)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wayne Morris	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1981)
Rich Dwyer	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1984)
Tim McGrane	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Chelle Robinson	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Hedda Sharapan	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Elliott Boswell	....	art department (17 episodes, 1992-1994)
Lauri Mancuso	....	painter (4 episodes, 1993-1995)
Patsy Gianella	....	carpenter (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Rich Karapandi	....	carpenter (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Julie Blair	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)
Megan Graham	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)
Frederika Gray	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)
Michael Keaton	....	stagehand (unknown episodes)
Gary Kosko	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)
Gregory Puchalski	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Bill Forsythe	....	audio mixer (1 episode, 1981)
Dick LaSota	....	studio audio (1 episode, 1981)
Al Lawyer	....	studio audio (1 episode, 1981)
John Sutton	....	location sound (1 episode, 1981)
Jim Durham	....	audio (1 episode, 1984)
Bob Millslagle	....	videotape sound (1 episode, 1984)
Louis Block	....	location sound (1 episode, 2000)
Jerry Cobbs	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Dennis Williams	....	videotape sound (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Don McCall	....	camera operator: studio camera (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Bob Vaughn	....	camera operator: studio camera (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Art Vogel	....	camera operator: studio camera (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Frank Warninsky	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Steve Zorbas	....	camera operator: studio camera / video operator (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Jarrett Buba	....	electrician (unknown episodes, 1999-2001)
Mike Laver	....	video tape operator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
David Belko	....	editor: video tape (1 episode, 1981)
Kevin Conrad	....	editor: video tape (1 episode, 1984)

Series Music Department
Johnny Costa	....	musical director / musician: piano / ... (4 episodes, 1968-1996)
Carl McVicker	....	musician (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Bobby Rawsthorne	....	musician (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Michael Moricz	....	musical director (unknown episodes, 1996-2001)

Series Other crew
Andy Lichtstein	....	runner (4 episodes, 1982-1983)
Ken Anderson	....	technical supervisor (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Doug Coates	....	production crew / studio supervisor (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
John Cosgrove	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Lenny Meledandri	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Jimmy Seech	....	assistant floor manager / production crew (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
John Sutton	....	location production (2 episodes, 1981-1984)
Jack Arthurs	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Holly Bruwelheide	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Joe Fiacco	....	production associate (unknown episodes)
Julia Palazzi	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Family Communications
• WQED

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• National Educational Television (NET) (1967-1970)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1970-2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Bureau of Education for the Handicapped  funding
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)  funding
• Ford Foundation, The  funding
• Johnson & Johnson  funding
• Public Television Stations  funding
• Sears-Roebuck Foundation  funding
• Viewers Like You  funding

Also Known As:

"MisteRogers' Neighborhood" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

30 min (895 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1968) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-Y | USA:TV-G (1968-1996)

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Family Communications

Trivia:

Ana Platypus's full name is Ornithorhynchus anatinus, which is the scientific name for the duckbill platypus. Rogers composed a song called "Ornithorhynchus anatinus" for Ana. It spanned from episode #1105 on 27 March 1970 (the day after Ana's birth) to episode #1264 on 22 Feb. 1973.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In "Discipline, #1494" the cameraman's shadow is visible on Mr. Rogers as he's talking with Peggy Flemming.

Quotes:

Queen Sara Saturday:I just love everything about this neighborhood.
X the Owl:What do you love the best?
Queen Sara Saturday:Well, King Friday of course, but I think all of our neighbors are so special.
X the Owl:We sure like you too, Queen Sara, you don't mind talking about important things.
Queen Sara Saturday:Well talking about important things is the best way for people to grow.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Sword and the Dragon (#7.17)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

It's Very, Very, Very Hard to Wait

Mister Rogers was the REAL DEAL!!!

The Mr. Rogers you saw pay a television visit to your house was the same Mr. Rogers in real life should you ever have run into him. On the night of writing this we lost Fred Rogers who passed away at the age of 74 years of age. His show took the basics of 1950's TV production and stayed with it even since. It was all about having a conversation with his TV friend. In broadcasting you may speak to many people, but speak as only one person was talking to you.

His first show was the Children's Corner (1953-61) which featured a woman by the name of Josie Carry. Although he got hosting credit, he never appeared in front of the camera, but rather was the puppeteer. The Children's Corner developed most of his puppet characters including Daniel Stripped Tiger, Henrietta Pussycat, X the Owl, and King Friday XIII. The Children's Corner was done live at Non-Commercial TV station WQED in Pittsburgh. It was a fun show if anything, and Josie and the puppets talk about Mr. Rogers a lot.

After Children's Corner he moved to Canada and did a show simply called Mister Rogers (1962-64), and it was first time he was on camera. The show was 15 minutes but it developed something which we know now as the Neighborhood of Make-believe. This Neighborhood was the majority of this short show, but Fred Rogers would appear at the beginning and ending of the program, and he would show off a few things before he had "make-believe" with the viewers. Usually it was some kind of vehicle that takes us to the Make-believe world.

In 1966 Fred returned to WQED and all that he developed would come together and Mister Rogers Neighborhood signs on the air for the first time. Fred wrote and sang shows for the show, and he showed fun things to the audience. His trips to the Neighborhood of Make Believe incorporated storylines about how people (and puppets) no matter how hard they try they should just try to be themselves and deal with live life issues in the fantasy world. Mr. Rogers also took us around the TV neighborhood on soundstages at first but the post 1979 shows took us to actual places in the real world.

Fred Rogers never liked TV for himself, but he knew how to use it to make an impact on people, and impact he did. He did most of the writhing on the show, nobody would dare tell him what to do, not saying they would. I would have loved to meet him myself, but I will never get that chance. He didn't care about being a celebrity. Just someone who cared about people and try to a "neighbor" to them.

Rest In Peace.