Mister Rogers Neighborhood: Children Television and Fred Rogers

by Mark Collins

Book Overview

Foreword by Bob Garfield. Afterword by Marian Wright Edelman Born in 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Fred Rogers began his television career in 1951 at NBC. In 1954, he became program director for the newly founded WQED-TV in Pittsburgh, the first community-supported television station in the United States. From 1954 to 1961, Rogers and Josie Carey produced and performed in WQED's The Children's Corner, which became part of the the Saturday morning...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822956527
• ISBN13: 9780822956525
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

One of the greatest 20th century entertainers

In 2003, Fred "Mister" Rogers departed this world after a lifetime of public service to all children. In a day when many people from all points on the political spectrum had eagerly reduced `compassion', `equality' and `pro-child' to catchy, but ultimately divisive and meaningless words, he continued to bring out the best in everybody. He is one of the few people in this world deserving of all his awards/honors and then much more. As evidence of his timeless appeal, I never tired of watching his namesake PBS children's show. Even when I was much older (and out of the intended demographic service range), I loved the truly nurturing environment regularly brough into my living room. Well before I realized my parents were not getting along (eventually divorcing), Mr. Rogers "told" me via daily broadcast that good families come in all structures, and the family format is subsequently less important than how the individual members treat eachother and themselves. When my parents finally did divorce in high school, I had been so helped by Roger's work, I immediately flashed back to his reassuring songs. That the sets were decidedly showing their age in places by the late 1980's, and the cast themselves featured in some segments had died mattered much less than their overall mission of helping ALL kids navigate an often unforgiving world in uplifting and supportive tones. The mostly male ensemble cast of the neighborhood (although this changed in latter seasons) was not problematic in the long-run for this feminist, because it suggested an alternate male sexuality that was built on empathy and peace as opposed to macho swaggering. It was okay for men of all ages to cry, hug and freely embrace a side of themselves that Western culture remains fixated on suppresing. At a different developmental stage in the human life-span, kids were smart, and did not deserve the condescending behavior so many other adults (including those on `educational/children's' programming) spew at us in the pursuit of ratings and the almighty American dollar. Unlike PBS's other "flagship" children's program, Sesame Street (now famous for abandoning the original-audience at-risk urban kids to focus on the offspring of suburban yuppies), Mr. Rogers always remembered his audience, and never sold out or let us down. Even when growing partisan political battles and budget cuts provided powerful incentive to follow suit, he made sure principles were more than abstract words. All children had an inalienable right to be treated with respect and dignity. From tackling such edgy subjects as the RFK Assassination to hostages and war, Mr. Rogers always both captured and nurtured his audience's imagination. Talking things out wasn't necessarily high-tech or flashy, but it was unbelievably better when compared to letting personal feelings bottle up inside. Adding to the quality, Rogers was scrupulous about not parading his religious affiliations (licensed minister in the Presbyterian Church)

fantastic

i found this book remaindered for a very low price, but it is totally worth the full list price. a respectful, intelligent look at the great man Fred Rogers and his TV show that isn't even a TV show, really... varying points of views. the essayists only occasionally become too weirdly academic or navel-gazing. i like the production values on this hardcover, too -- it's fully cloth-covered with a full cloth, smythe-sewn binding, acid free paper, and neat endpapers. the back cover photo rules, too. 2003 May 3rd is the Mr Rogers memorial ceremony in downtown pittsburgh -- go!