Can any Americans explain Mr Rogers to me please?

[Glitterbiscuits]

I've heard references to it over the years and a film about him is on Sky today.
Was it a family sit com of a wholesome life?
What is the enduring appeal?

Ooh i want to know this too.

It was a children’s programme. He was a very gentle, welcoming man and presented a much loved long running show.
He had puppets in “the land of make believe” and recurring “neighbours” drop in to chat or solve a problem. It was aimed mostly at pre-school and young primary school children.

I think he was from Pittsburgh PA

We watched the film recently having had no idea who he was. It's worth a watch.

Kind and gentle children's tv star where he came home, said hello, changed his shoes and put on a cardigan before talking to puppets.

Notable for having a food bath with a black man on his show, in a time when swimming was segregated.

His show has been remade as the cartoon Daniel Tiger on CBeebies, but without a Mr Rodgers character.

Foot bath! Not food!

Second the film recommendation - was very moving, despite having no cultural reference to Mr Rogers.

There’s a lovely documentary about him on Netflix...I think it’s on YouTube also

I remember the first quote being used a lot recently in times of disasters or crises- but here are a few of his quotes-

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.

Lovely man

@twoglassesofprosecco

Foot bath! Not food!

That really got me wondering! I was imagining Mr Rogers and his guest bobbing around in a jacuzzi of baked beans...

He was a wonderful man. He was a Minister and the family say a wonderful family man.
My kids grew up watching Mr Rogers neighbourhood on PBS. He was so calming and there was always a lesson in the stories.
The one that stuck with them was, Look for the helpers.

So can someone tell me what the hell ‘Wing tips’ are?

He's a one of a kind. I'm not American but managed to watch some episodes when it was streaming 24/7 a couple of years ago. Just really wholesome stuff with great messages. I would love it if there was somewhere to watch it all now.

Wing tips are a type of shoes, usually dress shoes that men wore to the office.

I love the ‘look for the helpers’ quote. It teaches such a good life lesson on numerous levels.

Although the credit should go to his mum really...

Oh, there was a wonderful article about Mr Rogers in the guardian a couple of years ago by Hadley Freeman, definitely worth googling for it. I think it was just before the film.was released.

Whats the film/programme and can we watch it on anything in the England?

@PineappleUpsideDownCake It's called A Beautiful Day in The Neighbourhood.
It's starring Tom Hanks. Its on Sky Movies as the film of the day

I grew up in the US and used to watch Mr Rogers, and any mention of him now fills my heart. He was gentle, lovely, kind, I can't think of anyone else like him to compare to. Maybe the perfect grandfather (I didn't have a grandfather)? Pre-school programming, a bit like Playschool here I guess. The film is lovely, worth a watch, even my cynical 15YO DD enjoyed it.

Loved the film.

You can watch the original episodes online I think.

I remember him featuring on an episode of "Arthur" when I was younger too.

He featured on a kids TV show that taught kids about emotions. He was a lovely lovely man. As the US struggled with the civil rights movement he had a paddle in a kiddie pool with a black policeman to show kids. He's absolutely fab.

I grew up watching Mr Rogers. I loved the imagination of it. I used to pretend I was in his puppet world. It was a very wholesome show.