Captain Kangaroo

AFTER MILESTONES IN a career that included gigs as Clarabelle the Clown on the HOWDY DOODY Show and another short lived series called TINKER, the good Captain came into our living rooms and entertained and instructed close to 3 generations of rug-rats.

THE GENISIS OF the CAPTAIN KANGAROO longevity was born in that TINKER Series; as we once heard Mr. Keeshin, himself the Captain, relate in an interview. There would appear to be no secrets here. The methods employed by the show's production team were those that any parent would instinctively gravitate toward after spending their time with their own offspring.

THEY TOOK A SORT of nonsensical and cute name, hung it on a character who was decked out like a cartoon character and mixed in generous portions of music, comic sketches and soft sell instruction on good manners and behaviour. Special guests and special examinations of varying subjects were a staple. Captain Kangaroo was so well assisted by Mr. Greenjeans (Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum) for so many years.

THERE WERE MANY showings of some made for TV cartoon series from TERRYTOONS, by then a subsidiary of the COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM'S Television Network. Titles shown included: TOM TERRIFIC, DEPUTY DAWG and LARIAT SAM.

If you were a child during the 50's,60's,and 70's,and part of the early 80's there was one show in particular that had children waking up before going to school at 8:00am to catch the continuing escapades of the Captain,Mister Moose(my all time favorite),Bunny Rabbit,and of course good ole Mr. GreenJeans.

What can I say about Captain Kangaroo? I was one of those kids that caught one the episodes before heading off to school and in the process humming the theme song along the way. Arguably,it will be one of the best children shows of all-time and it was one of the best shows ever! By the way,who can remember Mr. Moose playing tricks on the Captain with a batch of ping-pong balls,and Grandfather Clock,and everyone participating with The Dancing Bear,and those short cartoons they used to have....

In the world of what's on TV today that destroys kids' minds and their ideas of creativity,wouldn't be really nice if they brought back the Captain to take us into a magical land where we can relive our fantasies and our wildest dreams to come true.

It would be really nice. Kudos to the father of children's TV for making my childhood a magical place and putting a special place in my heart----Here's to you---Mr. Bob Keeshan!!!! For allowing us and millions of children into your homes each morning!

This was a show that ran for an impressive five decades on television. CBS ran "Captain Kangaroo" from 1955 until 1984. Then the show went into public television from 1984 until 1990,ending an impressive run on children's television. However,after the sudden death of actor Bob Keeshan,they(the producers) decided to bring out a new version of "Captain Kangaroo"(with the same lovable characters and a new actor in the Bob Keeshan who didn't have his heart into it like the original) that was on CBS for one season(on Saturday Mornings),and the next season went into syndication.

When oh when is the complete Captain Kangaroo series going to be available on DVD? The series spanned nearly 30 years and is a treasure trove of positive family values programming. Long before Sesame Street was even a glimmer in Jim Henson's eye, the Captain was entertaining young children with a world filled with healthy family values, imagination and creativity.

We are what we eat, what we watch, who we surround ourselves with, and what we aspire to be. Captain Kangaroo is, in my opinion, the finest young children's' television programming EVER to grace the television screen.

Bob Keeshan, a hero of WWII, is my hero as well. Do yourself a favor and introduce a child to the wonderful world of Captain Kangaroo.

As a child growing up in the 1960's, Captain Kangaroo was a children's program, with good moral values. We are going to miss Bob Keeshan, who played him. Not to mention his farmer friend Mr. Greenjeans, played by Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum. They are both deceased. Captain Kangaroo had other characters. Mr. Baxter, Debbie Weems, Bunny Rabbit, Grandfather clock, Magic drawing board, the old time radio and lets not forget Mr. Moose, who always dropped ping pong balls, on the Captain. I wish they would release the fourth of July program on VHS and DVD Captain Kangaroo Americana. Tells the history about our nation. At the end of the program the Captain would say Have a nice day, be good to your Mother. I like the theme Puffin Billy, better than Good Morning Captain. One time he had Pearl Bailey, on his show. Bunny Rabbit kept playing Won't you come home Bill Bailey, so Pearl would give him a carrot. Overall I enjoyed this show as well as Bozo The Clown. You never can be a child again. We need more children's TV shows like this, with moral values.

The passing of Robert (Bob) Keeshan , is another Hallmark of a distant memory... The legacy of Captain Kangaroo, cannot be measured in time, but by Love... of the many Children he has touched, with his honesty, and self-sacrificing humor...There are not enough words that can express, the heartfelt appreciation, to this Gentle Giant , of the airwaves... He saw the world for what is was, and tried to make it better, by developing a program designed to reach the HEARTS of Children, as well as their minds, something , politically developed programs , miss by a mile..

So go in peace Captain, Know that your touch was not in vain, for you changed the World , more than you can imgine....