Silly Thinking
*with Jim Farris*
2011530 Curiosities served
R.I.P. Good Captain
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Captain Kangaroo died yesterday at the age of 76.
Bob Keeshan was the Captain's real name but he will forever be Captain Kangaroo.
Anybody whose childhood occured between 1955 and the late 80's probably spent some time in the Treasure House with Mister Moose, Bunny Rabbit,Grandfather Clock, Dancing Bear, Mister GreenJeans and the Captain.
He was amazing.
Bob Keeshan was a veteran of "Howdy Doody" in '55 when CBS decided a civil and gentle kids program would work on commercial television at 8 AM weekdays.
Captain Kangaroo (so named for his extra large pouch-like pockets) was funny and informative. The humor was cerebral and odd and the lessons would last a lifetime.
When I was a child TV was in it's infancy ("The Today Show" and I were born the same month) and I lived in a home without a lot of adult supervision early in the morning.The TV would mind me til Mom got up around 10. So The Captain and Hugh Downs (on "Today"), Ding Dong School, and "I Married Joan" reruns would keep me company.
I was hooked on the news and the Captain mostly.
The Treasure House was a magical place and it had a magic screen where it seemed the Captain could talk to you directly.
On Thanksgiving Day while NBC showed the Macy's Parade Captain Kangaroo had 6 parades on his magic screen. You could see Philadelphia and New York and Chicago at the same time. It was magic after all.
The Treasure House was a place where thousands of carrots fell out of thin air and clocks talked and a moose could play comic foil to a farmer in green pants. And there was also, of course, Simon and his magic chalk.
In 1984 CBS decided the Captain should retire, that they could not compete with "Today" without that hour from 8 to 9 AM.
That day I watched as celebrities from the President of United States to Cher bid the Captain goodbye.It's intresting to note that since then CBS has never had anything on in the morning that out rated the Treasure House. Ever. In 20 years.
Bob Keeshan did come back on PBS for a while but frankly it wasn't the same. They already had Mister Rogers (who seemed to steal everything he did from the Treasure House) and Sesame Street.
Bob Keeshan was beloved in this country and he wrote and made public appearances in his retirement.
No one ever had a bad thing to say about Captain Kangaroo.
Rest In Peace gentle Captain.
Bob Keeshan was the Captain's real name but he will forever be Captain Kangaroo.
Anybody whose childhood occured between 1955 and the late 80's probably spent some time in the Treasure House with Mister Moose, Bunny Rabbit,Grandfather Clock, Dancing Bear, Mister GreenJeans and the Captain.
He was amazing.
Bob Keeshan was a veteran of "Howdy Doody" in '55 when CBS decided a civil and gentle kids program would work on commercial television at 8 AM weekdays.
Captain Kangaroo (so named for his extra large pouch-like pockets) was funny and informative. The humor was cerebral and odd and the lessons would last a lifetime.
When I was a child TV was in it's infancy ("The Today Show" and I were born the same month) and I lived in a home without a lot of adult supervision early in the morning.The TV would mind me til Mom got up around 10. So The Captain and Hugh Downs (on "Today"), Ding Dong School, and "I Married Joan" reruns would keep me company.
I was hooked on the news and the Captain mostly.
The Treasure House was a magical place and it had a magic screen where it seemed the Captain could talk to you directly.
On Thanksgiving Day while NBC showed the Macy's Parade Captain Kangaroo had 6 parades on his magic screen. You could see Philadelphia and New York and Chicago at the same time. It was magic after all.
The Treasure House was a place where thousands of carrots fell out of thin air and clocks talked and a moose could play comic foil to a farmer in green pants. And there was also, of course, Simon and his magic chalk.
In 1984 CBS decided the Captain should retire, that they could not compete with "Today" without that hour from 8 to 9 AM.
That day I watched as celebrities from the President of United States to Cher bid the Captain goodbye.It's intresting to note that since then CBS has never had anything on in the morning that out rated the Treasure House. Ever. In 20 years.
Bob Keeshan did come back on PBS for a while but frankly it wasn't the same. They already had Mister Rogers (who seemed to steal everything he did from the Treasure House) and Sesame Street.
Bob Keeshan was beloved in this country and he wrote and made public appearances in his retirement.
No one ever had a bad thing to say about Captain Kangaroo.
Rest In Peace gentle Captain.
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