[PRCo] Re: LAST DAY FOR MR. ROGERS NEIBORHOOD 8--31--01

[Carl Zager]

Roger, thank you.

I, too, grew up with Mister Rogers, although by the time he hit big time
with NET (now PBS), I was probably much older than his audience. I hope
that whatever kindness and gentleness I and my children may possess is a
direct result of Fred and his wonderful entourage of Pittsburgh artistans.

My recollection of the history is that he started with Josie Carey on what
is now KDKA-TV 2. My confusion is that at one time it was owned by Dumont
and was WDTV-3. When Josie moved to Florida, he shifted from being only
the pupeteer to being the host (basically the format that we all know) and
took the show to WQED-13 where he was one of the driving forces.

My memory gets a little cloudy here, but I believe that the first national
syndicate for The Neighborhood had Fred moving from Pittsburgh to
Buffalo(?) where NET-PBS distributed the series. I believe that lasted
only a year or two before he returned to Pittburgh and WQED. At some time,
Fred earned a divinity degree and, I believe, was ordained in one of the
Presbyterian denominations as a children's minister.

Many of the character actors who supported Fred were quite well-known
musicians in the tri-state, and had been involved in some radio production
at KDKA 1020 with Rege Cordic around the time that Fred and Josie were
doing their program on the TV side.

I have the Pittsburgh magazine which named him Pittsburgher of the Year
framed on my wall. He will be missed but not forgotten.

On Fri, 31 Aug 2001, ROGER Jenkins wrote:

>
> Today , Fred Rogers hung up his sweater in the closet for the last time
> and officially retired.  And the trolley ran its last run across the
> town that appeared to be in HO scale. Originating from Station KWEQ in
> Pittsburg since it started [correct me if I got the call letters wrong ]
> for about 40 years I think , the original trolley was a much larger size
> than at the end. The show will be in repeats and syndication hereafter.
> Sad to see the show end as my kids watched it years ago as I did when I
> could.  He had some of the kids in the audience draw their version of
> the trolley and he showed them at the end of te show and some were quite
> realistic looking. Years ago he even went out and had  some of PAT'S
> cars parade by in the 70s when they carried those crazy paintschemes .
> And he took us on rides on some of them.  We will miss you Mr. Rogers
> !!!
>
>

 Carl Zager						KB9RVB
 czager at bloomington.in.us         http://www.mccsc.edu/~czager