Goodbye Mr. Rogers

Fred Rogers is dead at the age of 74 after a long battle with cancer. His career lasted 32 years with 1000 episodes. The sweaters are said to be knitted by his mother. But what about all those shoes? I grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and always thought of it as one of my favorite childhood shows.

Did you watch Mr. Rogers? Did your kids watch Mr. Rogers?

Goodbye Mr. Rogers. Thanks for all the good years.

Comments

I was stunned and saddened by the news that he was gone. He seemed an almost integral part of childhood, an institution to be sure.

I watched him as a kid, and can still remember Picture Picture, Henrietta Pussycat, and his many adventures and visits to factories and businesses.

Oddly enough, I grew to appreciate him more as I got older. Yes, there were the realizations that he is human and had failings, but he was also an admirable thinker, and an educator to adults as well as children.

Some quotes I remember:

"Existence is simply illusion."

"At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person."

"What really matters is whether the alphabet is used for the declaration of war or for the description of a sunrise."

Also widely cited following the news of his death is his commencement speech at Dartmouth last year.

And, if you didn't know, Mr. Rogers even reached out to the world of online journals...

Ryan! I clicked on the PBS link and immediately started tearing (and I'm in the middle of a massive project). Reminded me of all the days I sat in front of the TV with mouth gaping open and eyes transfixed on the show. The Web site reminded me of a childhood gone.

I will miss him, too.

It's really tough to find people with his humble demeanor with big enough of a mind and heart to embrace everyone.

Unlike most kids' shows, Mr. Rogers was playing himself. He wasn't a man in a purple costume or a funny mask.

A young kid will never grow up to be a loving and kind Barney, but they can grow up to be a loving and kind person like Mr. Rogers. Seems more real.

James - thanks for the post. There's so much crap going on in the world, it's just nice to hug a memory this way.

it's just nice to hug a memory this way.

Beautifully put, as usual, Ruth.

Be sure to read Vivi's tribute.

For generations, Mr. Rogers has enterained us with childrens' programs built not on hype but on hope. We can only hope to become part of a neighborhood someday where everything is as simple, pure and meaningful as the one we watched as children.

I used to watch Mr. Rogers on TV when i was a little boy he was a okay guy. its so tragic that he is dead from stomach cancer. I even heard Sherry Lewis died. who died one of the puppets, lamnchop and hushpuppy at he end of her show she would say door.
yeah, it is a tragic that we lost Mr. Rogers.

Thank You,

Kyle Pederson

Thanks for your support:)

For more 30 years Mr. wore the sneakers that he flipped before he put thin on with a cardigan sweater. I recognized his wife when he won the grammy award. He taught you right from wrong, he helped you learn as a teacher. he was a interresting person to know and to get to know. he loved children. he even invited them into his neighborhood to see him. and Mr. McFeely was his little delivery man who was even his friends. Mr. Rogers liked to make friends.
He was the gentle type person you knew.
We will always remember Mr. Roger's kindness.

WITH ROGERS GONE I'VE THINK IT WOULD BE NICE IF FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS WOULD SOMETIMES SHOW THE OLDER SHOWS MADE BETWEEN 1968-1975. I WROTE TO THEM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ASKING ABOUT THIS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING TECHNICAL ONES, WE;VE DECIDED NOT TO SHOW PROGRAMS MADE BEFORE 1979. IT'S TO BAD. WITH NOGGIN NO LONGER SHOWING THE OLD SESAME ST. AND ELECTRIC CO. RERUNS IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD SHOWS. I EVEN ASKED THEM ABOUT WHY THEY DIDN'T DEAL WITH THE PASSING OF CHEF BROACKET, JOHN COSTA, BOB TROW, AND JOHN REARDON. THEY SAID SINCETHEIR MAIN AUDIENCE IS PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IT WOULD OF BEEN CONFUSING FOR THEM TO HEAR ABOUT ONE PERSON DYING AND THAT PERSON APPEARS IN ANOTHER EPISODE SOMETIME AFTER THAT. THOUGH THAT UNDEDRSTANDABLE, I'M SURE THERE COULD OF BEEN A WAY OF EXPLAINING MANY SHOWS ARE REBROADCASTED. I ALSO ASKED THEM WHY WAS IT ROGERS CEASED PRODUCTION OF THIS SHOW IN 1975 AND CAME BACK IN 1979. THEY NEVER EXPLAINED WHY.

I was devistated to hear the news last February, as I grew up watching the show and always had a great deal of respect for Fred Rogers. Funny, as I was having an interesting dream that morning, before I heard the news. I dreamed that they were filming his show in a corn field, and were playing the theme song, but Fred wasn't there. Instead, Reading Rainbow's host LeVar Burton came out and started singing the theme song. LeVar had taken over, and I wondered why. I then woke, and found out the news.

Fred was a wonderful man, and is missed by anybody with any decency. Those who have any heart at all know that he was a wonderful man, and his teachings will forever live in our hearts! How unique that whenever we miss him, we can check him out on the show and it's like it always was--as Fred always made it seem like he was there talking to you personally. Thank you Mr. Rogers for all you did to influence people like me when we were little!

Post a Comment