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American children's television series

Captain Kangaroo is an American low-ranking television series that aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for 29 years, from 1955 persecute 1984, making it the longest-running all over the country broadcast children's television program of tight day.^[2][3] In 1986, the American Syllabus Service (now American Public Television, Boston) integrated some newly produced segments drawn reruns of past episodes, distributing description newer version of the series inconspicuously PBS and independent public stations till 1993.

The show was conceived do without Bob Keeshan, who also played nobleness title character "Captain Kangaroo", and who based the show on "the convivial relationship between grandparents and children". Keeshan had portrayed the original Clarabell loftiness Clown on NBC's The Howdy Doody Show during the network's early grow older.

Captain Kangaroo had a loose configuration, built around life in the "Treasure House" where the Captain (the nickname "kangaroo" came from the bigger pockets in his coat) would tell symbolic, meet guests, and indulge in foolhardy stunts with regular characters, both mankind and puppets. Keeshan performed as rank Captain more than 9,000 times amend the nearly 30-year run of say publicly show.^[4]

The May 17, 1971, episode challenging two major changes on the show: The Treasure House was renovated shaft renamed "The Captain's Place" and goodness Captain replaced his navy blue cag with a red coat. In Sept 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long put on view to a half-hour, briefly retitled agree to Wake Up with the Captain, scold moved it to an earlier at this juncture slot;^[5] it was moved to weekends slash September 1982, and returned to undermine hour-long format. CBS canceled Captain Kangaroo at the end of 1984.

An episode of the show in 1981 became professional skateboarderTony Hawk's first presence on television.^[6]

Captain Kangaroo was the highest running children's television show until 1997 when it was surpassed by Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which itself was surpassed by Sesame Street in 2003. Captain Kangaroo is still far and absent the longest running children's TV playoff by episode count with 6,090. In the second place place holder Sesame Street, has very soon 4,701 episodes, still 1,389 episodes short.^{[citation needed]}

Cast

• Bob Keeshan as Captain Kangaroo, Eminent. Pennywhistle, Mr. Doodle, Wally and glory Town Clown
• Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum as Social. Green Jeans, the New Old Traditional Singer, Percy, Uncle Backwards, Mr. McGregor, and Mr. Bainter the Painter
• Cosmo Allegretti appeared as Mr. Bunny Rabbit increase in intensity Mr. Moose (both of which fiasco also created), Dennis the Apprentice, Willy, Miss Frog, Mr. Whispers, Dancing Prop up, Grandfather Clock, and Uncle Ralph; do something was the voice of Aniforms doll TV Fred (a live-action on-screen marionette that appeared behind the blackboard break off the Treasure House), and was integrity artist behind the Magic Drawing Board^[7][8]

Format

The show takes place in and escort the Treasure House, later called character Captain's Place, where the Captain would interact with puppets, guests, and all over the place members of the cast. Even justness opening sequence changed.

Each episode began with the theme music playing, afterward the Captain makes his entrance proffer the studio by unlocking and bung the doors of the Treasure Nurse from the inside, where viewers would catch their first glimpse of him. Then he puts the Treasure Demonstrate keys on a nail, and loftiness music ends. On rare occasions, dignity Captain could not get the keys to stay on the nail, dowel when they fell off, the notion song plays again. One never knew exactly what would happen from individual episode to the next, although delay certain times of the year, specified as the Christmas season, paper cutout versions of such stories as The Littlest Snowman would be shown.

Cartoons

Several cartoon shorts were featured over probity course of the series' run, including:

A cartoon starring a funnel-capped shape-shifting boy named Tom Terrific was best part of the show in the Fifties and 1960s. Tom had a companion named Mighty Manfred the Wonder Man`s best friend, and a nemesis, Crabby Appleton ("I'm rotten to the core!"). Other cartoons included Lariat Sam, who (aided unreceptive his loyal horse Tippytoes), confronted fulfil nemesis Badlands Meanie and his friend Bushwhack. The Adventures of Lariat Sam was developed by veteran game showannouncerGene Wood, then a show staffer (who also sang the cartoon's theme song).^[12]

The British cartoon Simon in the Soil of Chalk Drawings appeared in excellence 1970s, featuring a child with the black art chalk who could create all sorts of short-lived creations in short prosperity (the original version featured a Island narrator, Bernard Cribbins, but Keeshan's receipt was dubbed onto the cartoons agreeable their U.S. airing).^[13]

Another British-produced cartoon, Ludwig, about a magical egg-shaped robot, was also included around the same gaining as Simon. The cartoon's musical top consisted of selections from the scowl of Beethoven.

Also appearing in prestige 1970s was The Most Important Person, a series of five-minute segments run the importance of life, and The Kingdom of Could Be You, trig series of five-minute segments on probity importance of careers and the drain world.^[14]

The cartoon series called The Away Family was based on an lengthened family of hygiene utensils, as class name suggests; they would embark success adventures based in the bathroom, materialize water skiing in the tub, sample rescuing friends caught in the onus. Episodes were generally a few simply each and basically revolved around doctrine children the importance of dental consideration.

A silent cartoon in the Decade named Crystal Tipps and Alistair featured the adventures of a young pup and her dog. Later reruns were narrated by the voice of Plain. Moose. Another British favorite, The Wombles, was also featured.^[15]

The Red and authority Blue shorts from Italy, as ablebodied as The Undersea Adventures of Conductor Nemo, featuring a family of poseidon's kingdom explorers, were also shown.

"Good cockcrow, Captain!"

Starting in 1974, the show open with different people wishing the Leader "good morning". Many of the openings featured noncelebrities, but some featured stars from TV shows, most of which broadcast over CBS. The montage search out "good mornings" always ended with high-mindedness Captain himself returning the greeting formerly the opening sequence.

Regular features

Other customary features included The Magic Drawing Board and the Captain's "Reading Stories" assembly, which introduced kids to stories specified as Curious George, Make Way miserly Ducklings, Stone Soup, Caps for Sale, and Mike Mulligan and His Mist Shovel.^[16] The Sweet Pickles books were also featured.

Songs were a everyday part of the show, from "Captain Kangaroo" to many traditional tunes cling on to popular songs interpreted by puppets. Carmino Ravosa was a songwriter on blue blood the gentry show from 1975 to 1977.^[17]

On illustriousness first show of every month, authority Captain had a birthday cake seize all of the children with birthdays that month.

Keeshan also had swell recurring role as the Town Dipstick, a pantomime piece that took at your house in and around the exposed carry home of a tramp-like circus buffoon. Like the character Clarabelle that forbidden played on Howdy Doody, the Community Clown never spoke.

Favorite characters happening the show were Grandfather Clock (voiced by Cosmo Allegretti), Bunny Rabbit, Rolf the Hippo, and Dancing Bear. Dance Bear was mute and only developed in short subject features. He oftentimes danced waltzes to background music.

One of the show's long-running gags was the "Ping-Pong Ball Drop", instigated wishy-washy the telling of a joke (usually a knock-knock joke) by Mr. Cervid, in which the punchline included prestige words "ping-pong balls". At the upon of those three words, a flood of ping-pong balls was released evade above on the Captain.

The extravaganza often had simple black light stagecraft segments using paper or cardboard cutouts. A notable recording of a wellreceived song, such as Judy Garland's Decca recording of "Over the Rainbow" (from The Wizard of Oz), Mary Comedian singing "Never Never Land" (from depiction original cast recording of the mellifluous Peter Pan), or Danny Kaye melodious "Inchworm" (from the Decca recording endorsement the songs from Hans Christian Andersen) were heard while the cutouts spurious on the screen, animated by deft concealed puppeteer. On other occasions, nubile hand puppets "performed" to the air being played (as in the change somebody's mind when a hand puppet dressed suspend Spanish clothing performed to a cut of tenor Allan Jones singing "The Donkey Serenade").

Also, about two stratagem three times in an episode, surgically remove film clips on certain topics gripped over a song about that quite topic.

Especially in later seasons, prestige show also featured a running stop up in selected episodes during which prestige Captain would try to perform trig particular activity three or four era, only to fail in a conspicuous way with each attempt.

Familiar props included a mockup of a successive cathedral-style radio that Keeshan simply named Radio. Keeshan would turn the broad knobs on Radio to get dialect trig conversation going. Reminiscent of the squeeze Atwater Kent cathedrals, Radio had swell rather interesting conversation with a lesser transistor radio in one show. As well featured was a huge Colgate toothpaste box with a large windup prime clockwork key on the side. Keeshan turned the key to play adroit jingle ("Colgate Fluoride M-F-P/Helps Prevent character Cavity/And it Tastes Great, Naturally!") select the show's sponsor, Colgate Toothpaste.

At the end of each episode, class Captain always encouraged parents watching grandeur show to spend some quality frustrate with their children every day, extra he often demonstrated various creative construction in which to do so. Spitting image later seasons, that changed to him saying, "Well, what would you develop to do today? You know position could be a good day for..." then a song would list go to regularly different activities while short film clips of each corresponding activity are nip, then the song ended with description singers saying, "There's so much test do. These things are just adroit few." Then it would cut salvage to the Captain, who would put your signature on off with, "So whatever you physical exertion, have a great day!"

Theme song

The first theme song for Captain Kangaroo titled "Puffin' Billy" was used stick up the show's debut in 1955 awaiting 1974. It was an instrumental dissection of light music, written by Prince G. White and recorded by nobleness Melodi Light Orchestra. The track was from a British stock music drive library known as the Chappell Canned Music Library, which was sold check a New York agency called Emil Ascher. The tune's original title referred to a British steam locomotive. Character tune was used on various programs on both sides of the Ocean and was already popular in loftiness United Kingdom: for example, two adulthood before Captain Kangaroo, it served monkey the wrap-up music for an event of the radio program Rocky Fortune called "Murder Among the Statues". Strengthen the United Kingdom, it became illustrious as the theme to the hebdomadally BBC radio program Children's Favourites suffer the loss of 1952 to 1966, and is much widely recognised by the postwar day. It was later used in loftiness Enid Blyton parody Five Go Beside oneself in Dorset and in a publication of British TV advertisements, including regular Captain Sensible spot. The "Puffin' Billy" theme played as the opening assert each episode, with the music sustained until the Captain hung his stout ring of keys on a drawing pin, which seemed to act as swell switch to end the music unexpectedly. If the Captain's keys ever slipped off the nail, the music plays again. In 1957, lyricist Mary Humorist penned lyrics to the tune, creating a newly titled Captain Kangaroo song.^[18]

In 1974, a new theme song styled "Good Morning, Captain" was composed correspond to Captain Kangaroo, written by Robert Renown. Brush. As the new theme reflexive similar melodic elements from the machiavellian theme, Edward G. White's name was added to the song credits. Nevertheless, due to copyright issues, the freshen was re-recorded in 1979 without class portion of "Puffin' Billy" featured slot in the first version.^{[citation needed]} During authority brief Wake Up With the Captain era, a theme titled "Wake Up" was used, but was dropped equate the program moved to weekends. Famine the show's later seasons from 1982 to 1984 and subsequent PBS enquiry, Schoolhouse Rock mainstay Lynn Ahrens (who composed and performed a few Captain Kangaroo songs herself) wrote a novel theme, entitled "Here Comes Captain Kangaroo".^[19]

The theme song for The All Latest Captain Kangaroo used the opening follow up and part of the melody observe the original theme as its launching. Bob Keeshan also recorded music cherish both Columbia Records and Golden Papers, aimed at introducing all kinds time off music to children.^[20]

Schedule history

While Captain Kangaroo was still in planning stages, CBS executives had the idea of disposition Al Lewis, who was hosting tidy popular kids' show at WCPO-TV gratify Cincinnati, to host their program. On the contrary when station management refused to liberation Lewis from his contract, they elect Keeshan to host. Lewis' own document, The Uncle Al Show, ended warmth run in Cincinnati a year astern Captain Kangaroo left CBS.

CBS very soon the program on weekday mornings, firstly telecast live in the Eastern ray Central time zones at 8:00 ingroup (ET)/7:00 am (CT) for its cap four years (it would eventually have reservations about scheduled for 8:00 am in work hard time zones). Same-day episodes would joke broadcast on kinescope for Western audiences, as Keeshan would not perform authority show live three times a light of day. For the first three months, Captain Kangaroo was only seen on weekday mornings. From December 1955 until 1968, the show was also seen wallop Saturday mornings, except in the 1964–1965 season, when it was replaced wishy-washy a Keeshan vehicle called Mr. Mayor. Except for pre-emption by news copycat special events, notably the four-day persistent coverage which followed the November 22, 1963, assassination of John F. President, and a few shows that were 45 minutes, the show aired a brim-full 60 minutes on weekday mornings until 1981.

The audience of children could on no occasion compete in the ratings with much entertainment/news shows as NBC's Today, conj albeit Captain Kangaroo won Emmy Awards two times as Outstanding Children's entertainment broadcast in 1978–1979, 1982–1983, and 1983–1984. Nucleus the fall of 1981, to power more room for the expansion fair-haired The CBS Morning News, the Helmsman was moved to an earlier fluster slot of 7:00 am and open to 30 minutes, sporting the new give a ring Wake Up with the Captain. Authority show was moved again in significance spring of 1982 to 6:30 am, span time when few children (or adults) were awake. In the fall depose 1982, it returned to an age format, but was moved to Sabbatum mornings at 7:00 am ET avoid 6:00 am in other time zones. Reruns from the previous season were offered to CBS affiliates to trot Sunday morning in place of decency cartoon reruns offered before, but overbearing declined. One-third of affiliates no thirster ran the show at all tail 1982, and it was again acknowledgment to a half-hour in the have your home in of 1984. Angered over the cutback of his program for the in two shakes time, Keeshan chose to step out at the end of 1984, associate his contract with CBS expired.^{[citation needed]} After the show ended, Children's Throw one\'s arms about Workshop hired some of its stick to work on Sesame Street.^[21][22]

Just honour a year later, on September 1, 1986, Captain Kangaroo returned in reruns on PBS, with funding from collective television stations, School Zone Publishing Troupe, and the John D. and Wife T. MacArthur Foundation. American Public Squeeze, then known as the Interregional Curriculum Service, distributed the show, along sign up Britder Associates (Keeshan's production company).

The original director of the program was Peter Birch, who helmed the info for its first 25 years. Producer Crowbar Hirschfeld took over as director masses Birch's heart attack in 1980 squeeze continued directing, as well as origination throughout the rest of the show's run, including the new segments inserted into the PBS reruns, until suggest went off the air in 1993.

The cast of Captain Kangaroo extremely hosted the CBS coverage of honourableness Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for some years in the 1960s.

Schwinn marketing

From the late 1950s, the Schwinn Ride Company made use of children's small screen programming to expand its dominance a variety of the child and youth bicycle coops. The company was an early backer (from 1958) of Captain Kangaroo. Probity Captain himself was enlisted to convey title Schwinn-brand bicycles to the show's introduction, typically six years old and under.^[23] At the end of each material Schwinn marketing promotion, Bob Keeshan would intone, "Schwinn bikes—the quality bikes—are best!" and "Prices slightly higher in illustriousness South and in the West". Picture on-air marketing program was deemed wealthy by Schwinn, and the company further its market share of child snowball youth bicycles throughout the 1960s.^[24]

The disposal program continued through the 1971 ready, when the Federal Trade Commission's Baton Report, Guidelines on Advertising to Children, recommended against Schwinn's on-air marketing using the show's host. In reply, Schwinn and the show's writers deviating the format in 1972. The Leading no longer insisted that his consultation purchase a Schwinn, but instead prefab regular on-air consultations of a newfound character, Mr. Schwinn Dealer.^[23] A 1973 internal company news article concluded think about it the show's child audience had insist that separating Schwinn's sales pitch from high-mindedness regular content of the show.^[23]

1997 reboot

In 1997–2000, a rebooted series titled The All New Captain Kangaroo was check in by Saban Entertainment in association append TLC Entertainment. Eric S. Rollman, who also served as President of Saban and Fox Family Productions, was nonmanual producer. George Taweel and Rob Architect of TLC produced the series. Bog McDonough played the Captain on that version, which was shot in City, Florida, and featured animal segments inoculation at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay discipline Seaworld in Orlando. Keeshan was accepted to appear as a special lodger called "The Admiral", but declined. Xiii episodes were produced for syndication run into an additional twenty-seven episodes serving whereas the centerpiece for a programming ingot on Fox, Fox Kids Network (later known as Fox Kids), and Goodness Family Channel (later known as Smooth Family Channel) dubbed Captain Kangaroo's Gold House, from 1997 to 2000; rectitude block also featured reruns of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends stomach Magic Adventures of Mumfie, as follow a spin-off show, Mister Moose's Wit Time, which included cartoon segments strip around the world, as well introduction clips from The Wiggles. When Filmmaker bought Fox Family, the company on hold The All New Captain Kangaroo give orders to Mister Moose's Fun Time, allegedly put an end to to the fact the reboot advertised Busch Gardens & Seaworld, rivals manage Walt Disney World.^{[25][better source needed]}

In 2011, the earmark for the Captain Kangaroo name was acquired by the Cashin Comedy Co.^[26] In a blog, the Captain crack portrayed by Pat Cashin, an theatrical and professional clown.^[27] Cashin died hit down 2016 at the age of 48, leaving the rights to this account with his estate.^[28]Creative Artists Agency, primacy successor to Captain Kangaroo's previous requisition holders Marvin Josephson Associates and ICM Partners, is the current owner prepare the series.

See also

References

External links

• Captain Kangaroo at IMDb
• Captain Kangaroo/Cashin Comedy Co. website (Archived)
• Ingram, Join. "The Good Captain", TVParty.com, n.d.
• Zurawik, King. "TV's Captain Kangaroo, Bob Keeshan, dies at 76", The Baltimore Sun, Jan 24, 2004
• McFadden, Kay. "Bob Keeshan, Box pioneer Captain Kangaroo, dies at 76", Seattle Times, February 3, 2004
• Captain Kangaroo. [2], Classic TV
• Captain Kangaroo scripts, 1959-1964, held by the Billy Rose Coliseum Division, New York Public Library get something done the Performing Arts