Mr. Rodgers Dies
 

Entertainment - AP TV

Fred 'Mister' Rogers Dies of Cancer at 74
10 minutes ago

By TODD SPANGLER

PITTSBURGH - 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.


AP Photo



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.


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.


His message remained a simple one throughout the years, 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.


The show gained a wide audience among children and parents who appreciated its simple lessons and Rogers' soothing manner.


Rogers taught children how to share, how to deal with anger and even how not to fear the bathtub by assuring them they'll never go down the drain.


During the Persian Gulf War (news - web sites), 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.


Rogers came out of broadcasting retirement last year to record four public service announcements for the Public Broadcasting Service telling parents that children might be confused by 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.


The series remained popular through the years, including with children of baby boomers who watched the show growing up. Its ratings peaked in 1985-86 when approximately 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 (news - web sites).


As other children's programming opted for slick action cartoons, Rogers stayed the same and stuck to his message.


"It looks like nothing much happens," Hedda Sharapan, an associate producer with the show, said in 2001. "Listening has been one of the main focus points."


Rogers was born in Latrobe. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister 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.





At a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the show 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."

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 (news) parodied him on "Saturday Night Live (news - Y! TV)" 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.

___

On the Net:

http://pbskids.org/rogers:( :(

Re: Mr. Rodgers Dies
 

That's a trip, I guess I didn't realize he was that old...but i guess I never thought about it. I used to LOVE that show!


P.S. What are you doing up so early?

I LOVE Mr. Rogers
 

How sad :( I feel really old now. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

:(

I'll miss Mister Rogers:(
He will be in the thoughts of many millions of people.

Oh wow, I didn't even know he had cancer!
This is going to be a big deal in Pittsburgh- I pass by the WQED (our PBS affiliate) studio every day- where the show was filmed. One of our buildings on campus was where the show was originally filmed.

I wonder where services will be held..... I'm not familiar with the Presbyterian churches in the city.... but if the service is in the city, I just may go.

:(

Very sad. He was one of the few people on TV that you knew were 'real'.

This is so, so sad. I love Mr. Rogers! :( :( :(

FCI Press Release
 

Remembering Fred Rogers

All of us at Family Communications would like to thank you for your expressions of care at this sad time.

Fred Rogers was an amazingly talented and loving person, and we will all miss him more than we can say. We at Family Communications will continue his work of helping children, their families, and those who support them.

Naturally, many people - especially children – will join us in mourning the loss of Fred Rogers. When children learn that someone they know from television has died, they are sometimes surprised and confused when they see that person on the screen. If you know children who are puzzled to see Mister Rogers on his television program, you can tell them that he made his programs on videotape so that his "television visits" with them can be shown again and again. For more help with talking with children about Fred Rogers' death, you may want to visit the "Tips for Parents" section of this website.

Anyone who wishes to share messages, pictures or drawings with the cast and staff of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood or with the Rogers family may send them to our office at:

Family Communications, Inc.
4802 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Messages may also be sent through the "Contact Us" feature of our web site, www.fci.org.

As always, we will be glad to hear from our neighbors.
-------
www.fci.org

Ok, Pittsburghers....this should be a day off for us.

This is so sad. :( I grew up watching him...hopefully, it will be still be on the air so my children have the same chance.

:( :( :( :(

I just hope they keep on running the shows.

WAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
 

I honestly can not remember a time in my life when Mr. Rogers wasn't on the air.

Only a few months ago, he did a phoner w/ the classic rock morning drive-time show (Arrow 93.7) and gave a detailed, insightful synopsis of his approach to child psychology and how it differed from childrens' shows today.

Years from now, people studying psychology are going to have to read chapters or books on his methods. Aside from *maybe* Sesame Street and Bill Cosby, I can't think of anyone on television who has made such a positive contribution to educational programming. He's left a huge gap behind him in childrens' entertainment.

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)
:(

Isnt he awesome. I never really thought he could get older than he was on the show. I though he'd always be that age...it is very sad:(
My fav part of the show is when he would change into his house shoes and sweater when he got home, and then he get back in his suit jacket when he left. lol wasnt it great?:D