Mr. Rogers might have been even nicer than you thought

Mental Floss ^ | May 23, 2007 | Mangesh Hattikudur

[x_plus_one]

He was an ordained Presbyterian minister also.

[Hot Tabasco]

Alice Cooper was a Navy Seal?

Darn right! He was so tough he even used to bite the heads off chickens! (/humor)

[Vision]

One day, however, the car was stolen from the street near the TV station. When Rogers filed a police report, the story was picked up by every newspaper, radio and media outlet around town. Amazingly, within 48 hours the car was left in the exact spot where it was taken from, with an apology on the dashboard. It read, “If we’d known it was yours, we never would have taken it.”

LOL.

[x_plus_one]

BOB KEESHAN. Born in New York City, New York, U.S.A., 27 June 1927.

Attended Fordham University, 1946-49. Served in United States Marine Corps Reserve, 1945-46. Married: Anne Jeanne Laurie, 1950; children: Michael Derek, Laurie Margaret, and Maeve Jeanne.

Began career as Clarabell for NBC-TV's Howdy Doody Show, 1947-52; appeared as Corny the Clown (ABC-TV), 1953-55, and Tinker the Toymaker (ABC-TV), 1954-55; starred as Captain Kangaroo (CBS-TV), 1955-85; president of Robert Keeshan Associates, from 1955; appeared as Mr. Mayor and the Town Clown (CBS-TV), 1964-65; president, Suffolk County Hearing and Speech Center, 1966-71;

director of Marvin Josephson Associates, Inc, New York., 1969-77; director of Bank of Babylon, New York, 1973-79; chair, board of trustees, College of New Rochelle, New York, 1974-80; director of Anchor Savings Bank, 1976-91; chair, Council of Governing Boards, 1979-80; commentator, CBS-Radio, 1980-82; television commentator, 1981-82. Member: Board of Education, West Islip, New York, 1953-58; board of directors, Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York, 1969-78. Honorary Degrees: D. of Pedagogy, Rhode Island College,

1969; D.H.L. Alfred University, 1969; D.F.A., Fordham University, 1975; Litt.D., Indiana State University, 1978; L.L.D., Elmira (New York) University, 1980; D.L., Marquette University, 1983; D.P.S., Central Michigan University, 1984; D.H.L., St. Joseph College, 1987. Honorary Fellow: American Academy of Pediatrics. Recipient: Sylvania Award, 1956; Peabody Award, 1958, 1972, 1979; American Education Award, Education Industries Association, 1978; Distinguished Achievement Award, Georgia Radio and TV Institute-Pi Gamma Kappa, 1978; Emmy Awards,1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984; TV Father of the Year, 1980;

James E. Allen Memorial Award, 1981; Distinguished Service to Children Award, 1981; National Education Award, 1982; American Heart Association National Public Affairs Recognition Award, 1987; Frances Holleman Breathitt Award for Excellence, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 1987; Clown Hall of Fame, 1990; AMA Distinguished Service Award, 1991.

[ketsu]

Tolerance is accommodating a friend’s religious practices when he is at your house for a meal. It is not intolerant to point out sin.

Mr. Rogers is an interesting character. If you look at his teachings he was trying to teach people to look outside themselves. Mr Rogers would probably that the self-mastery that comes from tolerance and understanding is the true key to overcoming sin in oneself.

[buck61]

Fred Rogers was a WW2 war hero. He killed a massive amount of Germans and, saved the day.

After returning to civilian life, he vowed to never kill again
for any reason. Some have said he wouldn’t even kill a bug.

[gitmo]

Read his autobiography. It is very inspiring.

[Manic_Episode]

I wish that I wouldn't have read this because I don't have a lot of respect for vegetarians.

No wonder he only weighed 143. He was probably about as tough as he acted on TV.

A decent and good man though.

[reagan_fanatic]

I still have very fond memories of Captain Kangaroo. It was such a staple for me when I was a kid. I could not imagine growing up without it.

[Silly]

OTHER LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT FRED ROGERS

1. He was no Jack Kennedy.
2. He made a mean martini.
3. He typed 120 w.p.m.
4. He did his own stunts.
5. He always left room for Jell-O.
6. He built strong bodies 12 ways.
7. He swam on a full stomach.
8. He let it ride on red.
9. He owed his soul to the company store.
10. He sped up at yellow lights.

[gathersnomoss]

Thank you. Lib-print.

[sweetiepiezer]

You owe me a keyboaed, that way funny.

[brwnsuga]

The Marines say he was a stone cold killer sharp shooter. Legend says he was a very accurate shot.

[brwnsuga]

Mr. Rogers was married. I saw an interview with his wife, she is a sweet grandmotherly lady, calm like him.

[Diamond]

I used to watch the show just to hear Johnny Costa, Fred Rogers' piano player. Costa was truly a great jazz pianist. Mr. Rogers was no slouch either, but Costa was brilliant, in a league by himself. If you don' believe me, just ask any jazz musician. Better yet, just ask ANY musician who's ever heard his playing.

As charming as Fred Rogers was, Costa's music gave that show a sophistication and allure it would have never had otherwise.

Cordially,

[LucyJo]

Thanks for brigtening my day with this post. :)

[LucyJo]

Tears here - but, happy tears. Thanks for the post. :)

[FormerLib]

Otherwise, we’re no better than the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

That probably plays well over at DU but making distinctions about morality does not make one into a terrorist.

[wastedyears]

I guess your son used to watch him daily. It’s sad when a figure like that passes on and there’s little to fill the void.

[restornu]

Snopes
Fred Rogers got his start in television through his musical background when, after earning a bachelor's degree in music composition in 1951, he was hired by NBC television in New York to serve as an assistant producer (and later as a floor director) for several of the music-variety type programs (The Voice of Firestone, The Lucky Strike Hit Parade, The Kate Smith Hour) prevalent on TV in the early 1950s.

A few years later, he returned to his hometown area to develop programming for WQED in Pittsburgh, the nation's first community-sponsored educational television station. One of the first programs he developed for WQED was The Children's Corner, which contained many of the elements and characters Fred Rogers would incorporate into his own show when he made his on-camera debut as host of Misterogers for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1963.