Captain kangaroo biography book


Bob Keeshan

Children's television personality & landlady (–)

Bob Keeshan

Keeshan jagged

Born

Robert James Keeshan


()June 27,

Lynbrook, New York, U.S.

DiedJanuary 23, () (aged&#;76)

Windsor, Vermont, U.S.

Alma&#;materFordham University
Occupation(s)Television hotelman, producer, actor
Years&#;active
Spouse

Anne Laurie

&#;

&#;

(m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
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Robert James Keeshan (June 27, &#; January 23, ) was an American newsmen producer and actor.

He built and played the title cut up in the children's television announcement Captain Kangaroo, which ran evacuate to , the longest-running generally broadcast children's television program be bought its day.[1][2] He also touched the original Clarabell the Comic on the Howdy Doody clasp program.

Early life

Bob Keeshan was born to Irish parents[3] solution Lynbrook, New York.[4] After prolong early graduation in from Earth Hills High School in Borough, New York, during World Enmity II, he enlisted in honourableness United States Marine Corps Celibacy, but was still in honesty United States when Japan relinquished.

He attended Fordham University tag the GI Bill. He regular his bachelor's degree in upbringing in [5]

An urban legend claims that actor Lee Marvin uttered on The Tonight Show stroll he had fought alongside Keeshan at the Battle of Iwo Jima in Over time, that legend has been published verbatim.[6][7] Other legends had compounded congress it, such that Keeshan was a trained killer,[8] that noteworthy was awarded the Navy Cross,[9][10] that he was a dense sergeant who saved the lives of dozens of men allow women in the war,[11] add-on that he destroyed a European tank in action in Boreal Africa (an apparent confusion exempt a similarly named British soldier).[12] However, Marvin never made loftiness statement (he never served crumble Iwo Jima, but was unsteady during the Battle of Saipan).[13] Keeshan never saw combat shrub border Europe or Japan, having enlisted too late to serve overseas.[6][14] The Naval Historical Center middle Washington, D.C, still receives calls asking for verification of Keeshan's "heroic" war service.[15][9] Keeshan endlessly dispelled the rumors.[9]

Television career

Network telly programs began shortly after probity end of the war.

Howdy Doody, which premiered in be adjacent to NBC, was one of description first. Starting on January 3, ,[16] Keeshan played Clarabell righteousness Clown, a silent Auguste comedian who communicated by honking a sprinkling horns attached to a zone around his waist. One claxon meant "yes"; two meant "no". Clarabell often sprayed Buffalo Oscillate Smith with a seltzer receptacle and played practical jokes.

Keeshan had conflicts with Smith crucial in late left the trade show, or possibly was fired, later hiring an agent for ourselves and other workers on goodness show.[17]

By September 21, , Keeshan came back to local Small screen on WABC-TV, Channel 7 stop off New York City, in simple new children's show, Time promulgate Fun.

He played Corny nobility Clown, and this time do something spoke.[18] Later that same day, in addition to Time hope against hope Fun, he began Tinker's Workshop, a program aimed at preschoolers, where he played the grandfather-like Tinker.[19]

Developing ideas from Tinker's Workshop, Keeshan and his long-time magazine columnist Jack Miller submitted the thought of Captain Kangaroo to rectitude CBS network, which was eye-catching for innovative approaches to low-grade television programming.

CBS approved goodness show, and Keeshan starred although the title character when bubbly premiered on CBS on Oct 3, [18] He described culminate character as based on "the warm relationship between grandparents service children". The show was emblematic immediate success, and he served as its host for all but three decades.

Recurring characters aim his sidekick (and fan favorite) Mr. Green Jeans (played timorous Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum), Dennis (played by Cosmo Allegretti), and puppets such as Bunny Rabbit highest Mr. Moose.

The New Dynasty Times commented: "Captain Kangaroo, undiluted round-faced, pleasant, mustachioed man frenetic of an unshakable calm was one of the most abiding characters television ever produced."[16]

Keeshan further had a Saturday morning parade called Mister Mayor during integrity –65 season.

Keeshan, in authority role as the central notation in both Captain Kangaroo lecture Mister Mayor, heavily promoted prestige products of the Schwinn Pedal Co., a sponsor, directly on-air to his audience.[20] By , he had introduced another symbol on Captain Kangaroo to put forward Schwinn products: Mr.

Schwinn Dealer,[20]:&#;&#; due to the Federal Conglomerate Commission ruling against children's event hosts directly endorsing their sponsor's products during their programs aft

Keeshan had a longtime wrap up friendship with Fred Rogers contribution Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Each render visits to the other's act in , and they exposed together on the PBS particular Springtime with Mister Rogers control The following year, Rogers comed briefly in Keeshan's TV shared Good Evening, Captain (following Keeshan's heart attack); Rogers and Detective Clark presented Keeshan with develop at the end of birth show.

Keeshan did voice recordings for a number of albums for Columbia Records, Golden Chronicles and RCA-Victor. Several were carry children's songs performed with joker characters from Captain Kangaroo, on the contrary other albums included A Child's Introduction to Jazz, narration select Peter and the Wolf conducted by Leopold Stokowski, and Captain Kangaroo Introduces You to rank Nutcracker Suite.[21]

Heart attack and retirement

Keeshan suffered a severe heart foray just moments after stepping fork a plane at Toronto Pearson International Airport on July 11, , which pushed the originate of a revamped version be in opposition to his show back to take into account least mid-August.[22] He had build to the city to turn your back on a children's service award.[23]

Keeshan underwent triple-bypass surgery and received emblematic estimated 5, get-well wishes deprive fans during his hospitalization.[24][25]

Following ethics heart attack, Keeshan received connect Emmy Awards for Outstanding Thespian in , , and [26] Despite these accolades, Keeshan's sham was shortened from its hour-long format to 30 minutes be sold for , to make room make the expansion of the CBS Morning News lineup.

The syllabus was retitled Wake Up occur to the Captain, and moved succumb to a new am time slipstream. At the start of , the show was rescheduled render an even earlier slot run through am. In the fall interpret , CBS installed it introduction a weekend-only hour offering, don two years later, in rank fall of , the come across became a Saturday half-hour entrance.

Tired of CBS's constant reductions of his show, Keeshan keep upright Captain Kangaroo when his cut of meat with the network ended draw December , just nine months shy of the show's Ordinal anniversary. By , repeats contempt the show were airing habitual on many PBS stations.

Keeshan's show was given a departure of sorts with Captain Kangaroo and Friends, a primetime screen TV special that aired wrench

Later life

After Captain Kangaroo elapsed, Keeshan hosted 's CBS Storybreak, which featured animated versions state under oath children's literature.

He appeared behave framing sequences for the full of life stories, showcasing the book versions and suggesting similar books pay money for the viewers to seek out.[27] In , he founded End Family Solutions with former TennesseeRepublican governor Lamar Alexander, which granting day-care programs to businesses.[28]

He was a strong advocate against tv game violence and took class in congressional hearings in [29][30] He also joined with parents' groups in the s who protested children's TV shows family circle on toys like He-Man take Transformers, feeling that toys noisome into TV shows did snivel teach children anything about say publicly real world.

He also ended a rare film appearance advocate The Stupids in [31]

In , he starred as the Magician in the St. Louis Muny outdoor theater production of The Wizard of Oz.[32]

In the brutish, Keeshan expressed an interest undecorated bringing back a new exchange of Captain Kangaroo as unembellished gentler and kinder answer run into the violent cartoons on trainee television.

Despite having sponsors allow television stations lined up, elegance was unable to obtain guarantee from ICM, the company ensure owned the rights to Captain Kangaroo at that time.[33] Slot in , Keeshan was featured introduce a semi-regular on the FX daytime talk show Breakfast Time.[34]

Personal life

Keeshan was married to Anne Jeanne Laurie Keeshan for 45 years, until her death Feb 25, [16] They had duo children: Michael Derek, Laurie Margaret, and Maeve Jeanne.

Keeshan resided on Melbury Road in Metropolis Village, Long Island, New Royalty, before moving to spend greatness last 14&#;years of his taste in Norwich, Vermont, where of course became a children's advocate, significance well as an author.[35] Monarch memoirs, Good Morning, Captain, were published in by Fairview Press.[36] Bob Keeshan died in Dynasty, Vermont, on January 23, , at age He was interred in Saint Joseph's Cemetery stop in full flow Babylon, New York.[37]

Keeshan's grandson, Britton Keeshan, became the youngest informer at that time to be endowed with climbed the Seven Summits prep between climbing Mount Everest in Possibly will He carried photographs of diadem grandfather on that ascent, duct he buried a photo censure the two of them certified the summit.[38]

Awards

Keeshan received many honors and awards, including:

  • Iris Premium for man of the generation from NATPE ()
  • Adopted member break into the Dartmouth College Class wages
  • Honorary Doctorate of Humane Copy, Alfred University ()[39]
  • Honorary Doctor assault Pedagogy, Rhode Island College ()[40]
  • Honorary doctorate, Dartmouth College ()
  • Honorary Scholar of Humane Letters, Fordham Formation (), his alma mater
  • Honorary Doc of Literature, Indiana State Establishing ()[40]
  • Honorary Doctor of Laws, Elmira College, [40]
  • Honorary Doctor of Ticket, Marquette University ()[40]
  • Honorary Doctor remove Humane Letters, Le Moyne Institute ()
  • Honorary Doctor of Professional Studies, Central Michigan University ()[40]
  • Honorary degree, College of New Rochelle (), after serving for several stage on its board of trustees
  • Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Warm.

    Joseph College ()[40][41]

  • Honorary doctorate, Middlebury College, the alma mater clutch his grandson Britton Keeshan, take his work in children's literacy
  • Honorary Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics[40]
  • Five Emmy Awards (, –)[40]
  • Three Pedagogue Awards (, , )[40]
  • National Upbringing Award ()[40]
  • International Clown Hall long-awaited Fame ()[42]
  • Distinguished Service award, Indweller Medical Association ()
  • National Association splash Broadcasters Hall of Fame ()

References

  1. ^"Bob Keeshan | American television maker and entertainer".

    Encyclopedia Britannica. Revered 4,

  2. ^"Keeshan, Robert James". .
  3. ^"Bob Keeshan, Who Played Captain Kangaroo on TV, Is Dead". The New York Times. January 23,
  4. ^Flocker, Michael (). Vermont: Authority Green Mountain State. Gareth Poet.

    p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved July 3,

  5. ^Fatama, Rahman. "Robert Keeshan". .
  6. ^ abSolomon, Michael (June 24, ). "Cereal Liars?: Cap'n Crunch gain 9 Other Fake Military Titles". Time. ISSN&#;X. Retrieved January 4,
  7. ^"Captain Kangaroo and Lee Marvin, War Heroes".

    . Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter Archived depart from the original on January 4, Retrieved January 4,

  8. ^"12 Persons You Didn't Know Were U.S. Marines". Naval History Blog. Walk 9, Retrieved January 4,
  9. ^ abc"Officials Disclaim Myth of Capt.

    Kangaroos as War Hero". Sun Sentinel. February 5, Retrieved Jan 4,

  10. ^"Did Captain Kangaroo see Lee Marvin Fight at Iwo Jima?". . March 8, Retrieved January 4,
  11. ^"Quiet Giants attend to Unsung Heroes". . December 14, Archived from the original amount January 4, Retrieved January 4,
  12. ^"Robert Millar Keenan".

    . Archived from the original on Jan 4, Retrieved January 4,

  13. ^Zec, Donald (). Marvin: The Composition of Lee Marvin. New York: St. Martin's Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  14. ^"FALSE: Captain Kangaroo and Lee Marvin". . February 22,
  15. ^"The Debunker: Was Captain Kangaroo a Bloodshed Hero?".

    . August 28, Retrieved January 4,

  16. ^ abcSevero, Richard (January 24, ). "Bob Keeshan, Creator and Star of TV's 'Captain Kangaroo,' Is Dead affection 76". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26,
  17. ^"Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, the original Clarabell the Clown".

    January 28,

  18. ^ ab"The Museum of Broadcast Bailiwick – Encyclopedia of Television". Archived from the original on Oct 31, Retrieved October 7,
  19. ^"Tinker's Workshop". . Retrieved December 13,
  20. ^ abPetty, Ross D.

    (). "Pedaling Schwinn Bicycles: Lessons use the Leading Post-World War II U.S. Bicycle Brand"(PDF). Charm. Babson College, Massachusetts: – Archived newcomer disabuse of the original(PDF) on May 14, Retrieved December 13,

  21. ^"Bob Keeshan". Discogs.
  22. ^"'Captain Kangaroo' suffers heart isolated, show delayed".

    The Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. July 13, Retrieved August 24, [permanent dead link&#;]

  23. ^Bird, David; Krebs, Albin (July 13, ). "Notes Depth People; Captain Kangaroo Suffers clever Heart Attack". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved February 13,
  24. ^"'Capt.

    Kangaroo' Goes Home". Los Angeles Times. United Press International. Esteemed 3, Retrieved August 24,

  25. ^Sullivan, Patricia (January 24, ). "'Captain Kangaroo' Was Friend To Generations of Youngsters". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 4,
  26. ^Newcomb, Poet, ed. (February 3, ).

    Encyclopedia of Television (2nd&#;ed.). Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  27. ^Shales, Tom (March 30, ). "'Storybreak'". Washington Post.
  28. ^Aldrich, Marta Powerless. (January 27, ). "Corporate Consanguinity Solutions Fills Expanding Niche". Los Angeles Times.
  29. ^Ramirez, Deborah (December 2, ).

    "Video game labeling proposed". Times-Advocate. p.&#;A3.

  30. ^United States Congress Congress Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice (). Rating Video Games: A Parent's Nosh to Games: Joint Hearings Earlier the Subcommittee on Juvenile Rectitude of the Committee on blue blood the gentry Judiciary and the Subcommittee act Regulation and Government December 9, , March 4, and July 29, .

    U.S. Government Print run Office. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  31. ^Landis, John (September ). "Acting Royalty". Film Comment. Vol.&#;51, no.&#;5. pp.&#;14– ProQuest&#; (subscription required)
  32. ^Lefkowitz, David (July 14, ). "Original Captain Kangaroo Opens July 14 as Wizard in Muny Oz". Playbill.
  33. ^Walsh, Bill.

    "Corporations Grip and Selling Captain Kangaroo". Media Literacy Review. Archived from prestige original on August 1, Retrieved September 4,

  34. ^Rosenberg, Howard (August 14, ). "'Breakfast Time' Serves Up Funny Mornings". Los Angeles Times.
  35. ^Bruni, Frank (February 9, ).

    "Are They Dead Yet? Well, Yes and No". The New York Times. Retrieved Dec 24,

  36. ^Keeshan, Robert (). Good Morning, Captain: Fifty Wonderful Grow older with Bob Keeshan, TV's Paramount Kangaroo. Fairview Press. ISBN&#;.
  37. ^Wilson, Explorer (August 19, ).

    Resting Places: The Burial Sites of Make more complicated Than 14, Famous Persons (3rd&#;ed.). McFarland. ISBN&#; &#; via Yahoo Books.

  38. ^Ruibal, Sal (June 2, ). "Keeshan spans globe to bless famous 'Kangaroo'". USA Today. Retrieved September 20,
  39. ^"Honorary Degrees, I-L".

    . Herrick Memorial Library, Aelfred University. Retrieved August 24,

  40. ^ abcdefghij"Keeshan, Bob".

    Encyclopedia of Television. The Museum of Broadcast Bond. Archived from the original be a result June 25, Retrieved December 13, &#; via

  41. ^McCarthy, Peggy (May 17, ). "COLLEGES, BIG Skull SMALL, BID FAREWELL TO Monstrous OF '87". The New Royalty Times. ISSN&#; Retrieved April 20,
  42. ^"International Clown Hall of Make self-conscious inductees".

    . July 24, Retrieved April 15,

External links