The irony that the real-life neighborhood of Mister Rogers was the site of a hate-inspired mass shooting was lost on few people. Fred Rogers lived in and filmed “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” in the historically Jewish Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, where an anti-Semite opened fire at a Saturday morning service in the Tree of Life synagogue, killing 11 worshipers. Two other...
Read MoreIn the 15 years since her husband’s death, Joanne Rogers has figured out a way to make do on her own. For a good while, she continued to play music -- she was a professional concert duo-pianist -- but had to give it up when the arthritis in her hands “got mad.” But she still loves classical music, and relishes...
Read More"Won't you be my neighbor?" For 912 episodes, Fred Rogers asked this question of his young viewers — and for the entire run of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," our answer was a resounding, "Yes!" For generations of kids, Rogers was a model of friendliness, kindness and the importance of being earnest. His soothing voice, zip-up cardigan and sneakers made him approachable and welcome...
Read MoreIt's been 50 years since "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" first went on the air – a television program for young children that treated them with respect, and helped them understand a complicated, often challenging world. Faith Salie looks back on the exceptional Fred Rogers, talking with his family and collaborators, and with filmmaker Morgan Neville, director of a new documentary, "Won't...
Read MoreFred Rogers became a household name for his popular children’s television program which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018. And while Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood left the PBS airwaves in 2001, generations of viewers still have fond memories of the soft spoken, kind, and thoughtful television “neighbor”. A documentary and a feature film, both based on his life, are set to...
Read MoreOn episode 5 of the Little Beaver Historical Society Podcast, we visit the Fred M. Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Our special guest is Karen Struble Myers, Director of Development and Communications, who shares with us many wonderful stories about Fred and the great work the Center does throughout the...
Read MoreThe iconic children’s show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” turned 50 Monday. The show, which was broadcast from 1968 to 2001, was filmed in Pittsburgh and hosted by the late Fred Rogers. In honor of the show’s 50th anniversary, assistant news editor Janine Faust sat down with Elizabeth Mahoney, former head of Pitt’s now-dissolved Information Sciences Library, about the show itself and her...
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Fred Rogers has been gone since 2003, but his impact on children, families and even the medium that made him famous endures. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the national debut of his television program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” the facility that he helped plan, bears his name and continues on his legacy — Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning...
Read MorePBS aired the first episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood on February 19, 1968. A young Fred Rogers entered the living rooms of children to teach them about caring, kindness and the value of being true to yourself - a message he would continue to deliver over nearly 900 episodes and 33 years. There are celebrations of the 50th anniversary across western...
Read MoreWhen Fred Rogers first began performing everyday feats of gentle magic, he was mostly behind the scenes. “The Children’s Corner” was a live, weekday afternoon program on WQED written by Mr. Rogers and host Josie Carey. Not yet the face of his groundbreaking program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” this Mr. Rogers was a workhorse, voicing puppets, penning scripts, composing and playing...
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