11 Weird But True Facts About 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood'

Since people first started buying television sets, there have been several iconic characters and personalities that have ultimately reached a legendary status. Considering all of the different types of programs that have been on the air over the years, it's a pretty impressive accomplishment to be considered as one of the most memorable. That is exactly the case with iconic children's show host Fred Rogers. While entertaining and educating kids on his show Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Fred became a cultural phenomenon unlike any children's entertainer before him. But as great as the show was, there are many things people didn't realize were happening behind the scenes. 1. The Best Neighbor For Decades Fred Rogers created Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and with it the most powerful piece of television for kids everywhere. A lot of what he did to make it, or what happened during the decades on-air, are worth looking into. 2. He Was Working At The Big Times At First After graduating from college, he was working at NBC in NYC as an assistant producer. When he learned that his hometown of Pittsburgh was launching WQED, a public access station, he moved back home at their request. It was a big risk because it wasn't even on the air yet. 3. A Particular Pace Of Speech For A Good Reason Rogers learned how to speak at a rate of 124 words per minute and used it in every episode. This was the right level for kids at age 3-5. 4. Zombie Filmmaker George Romero Got His First Job From The Show The "Godfather of the Dead" said in an interview how Fred Rogers gave him his first paying gig shooting segments. His first big production was his "Mr. Rogers Gets a Tonsillectomy" segment, and it was his scariest too. What Romero meant was that it scared him "sh*tless to pull it off." 5. Micheal Keaton Also Got His First Job There Academy Award Winner Michael Keaton worked side jobs while he was in Pittsburgh. And if you were in Pittsburgh, according to Keaton, you eventually work for Fred Rogers. He started at two dollars an hour, but he got bumped up to $2.25. He ended up on some segments. 6. He Had A Show Before He Joined The Neighborhood Mister Rogers' Neighborhood wasn't his first hit on WQED. Years earlier he was the producer and puppeteer for The Children's Corner, which was hosted by Josie Carey. Many of the puppets Rogers made for that show moved over to Neighborhood. 7. Best Kicks For The Right Reasons The classics sneakers he'd switch out at the beginning of every episode weren't just a fashion choice. They were a holdover from The Children's Corner days. He found them quieter as a puppeteer as he moved around the set. 8. He Regretted The McFeely Name He named the mailman on the show Mr. McFeely after his own middle name. Years after the show ended, he shared that he wished he had chosen a different name for the delivery man, had he known the amount of dirty jokes that would have come from it. 9. He Was A Quiet Radical The show was filled with a kind and gentle feeling, but it had a low-key way of taking on progressive topics that were happening at the time. One episode had the puppet King Friday XIII and his guard making a barbed-wire fence as a way to block social change. The neighborhood was saved, but only through civil disobedience. This was aired during the Vietnam War. Makes sense, doesn't it? 10. He Used His Puppets To Get An Episode Done One time Rogers wanted to do an episode on divorce but the host was nervous on doing the job. He called her as Daniel Striped Tiger to give her some confidence, and it worked. 11. The Neighborhood Saved The VCR He had no problems with people recording his shows, but at the time companies did not. He testified in the Universal Studios v. Sony Corp. of America where the fate of the VCR was at stake. Rogers sided with the VCR, and that helped pushed in its favor. If he hadn't, it would have been illegal to tape his show and all others. Share this facts on Facebook with your friends. Credits: guff Related: This Mr. Rogers Story Will Probably Make You Cry In Memoriam : 27 TV People We Have Lost So Far In 2017

11 Weird But True Facts About ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’

by John Jay
Published December 22, 2017

8. He Regretted The McFeely Name

9. He Was A Quiet Radical