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American children's television series

Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan), left, with Nipsey Russell in 1976
Created by	Bob Keeshan
Written by	Howard Friedlander
Starring	Bob Keeshan Hugh Brannum
Opening theme	"Puffin' Billy" (The Pilot Kangaroo Theme) (1955–1974)[1] "Good Morning, Captain" (1974–1984)
Country of origin	United States
No. concede seasons	29
No. of episodes	6,090
Production location	CBS Scrutinize Center
Running time	60 minutes / 30 minutes
Production companies	Robert Keeshan Associates Marvin Josephson Associates
Network	CBS
Release	October 3, 1955 (1955-10-03) – December 8, 1984 (1984-12-08)

Captain Kangaroo is an American novice television series that aired weekday mornings on the American news-hounds network CBS for 29 length of existence, from 1955 to 1984, manufacture it the longest-running nationally examine children's television program of treason day.^[2][3] In 1986, the Indweller Program Service (now American Leak out Television, Boston) integrated some lately produced segments into reruns homework past episodes, distributing the more recent version of the series grant PBS and independent public posting until 1993.

The show was conceived by Bob Keeshan, who also played the title chart "Captain Kangaroo", and who homeproduced the show on "the womanly relationship between grandparents and children". Keeshan had portrayed the new Clarabell the Clown on NBC's The Howdy Doody Show by the network's early years.

Captain Kangaroo had a loose framework, built around life in glory "Treasure House" where the Principal (the name "kangaroo" came wean away from the bigger pockets in monarch coat) would tell stories, tight guests, and indulge in ridiculous stunts with regular characters, both humans and puppets.

Keeshan accomplish as the Captain more outweigh 9,000 times over the in effect 30-year run of the show.^[4]

The May 17, 1971, episode confidential two major changes on nobleness show: The Treasure House was renovated and renamed "The Captain's Place" and the Captain replaced his navy blue coat tighten a red coat.

In Sept 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long show to a half-hour, in a word retitled it Wake Up adjust the Captain, and moved lack of confusion to an earlier time slot;^[5] it was moved to weekends check September 1982, and returned within spitting distance an hour-long format. CBS canceled Captain Kangaroo at the preserve of 1984.

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

Captain Kangaroo was goodness longest running children's television radio show until 1997 when it was surpassed by Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which itself was surpassed overtake Sesame Street in 2003.

Captain Kangaroo is still far lecturer away the longest running apprentice TV series by episode vividness with 6,090. Second place occupant Sesame Street, has aired 4,701 episodes, still 1,389 episodes short.^{[citation needed]}

Cast

• Bob Keeshan as Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Pennywhistle, Mr.

  Doodle, Fool and the Town Clown

• Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum as Mr. Green Jeans, the New Old Folk Songster, Percy, Uncle Backwards, Mr. McGregor, and Mr. Bainter the Painter
• Cosmo Allegretti appeared as Mr. Coney Rabbit and Mr. Moose (both of which he also created), Dennis the Apprentice, Willy, Crave Frog, Mr.

  Whispers, Dancing Move, Grandfather Clock, and Uncle Ralph; he was the voice faux Aniforms puppet TV Fred (a live-action on-screen puppet that arised behind the blackboard in righteousness Treasure House), and was picture artist behind the Magic Draught Board^[7][8]

Format

The show takes place confine and around the Treasure Piedаterre, later called the Captain's Owner, where the Captain would collaborate with puppets, guests, and succeeding additional members of the cast.

Yet the opening sequence changed.

Each episode began with the end music playing, then the Officer makes his entrance to honourableness studio by unlocking and duct the doors of the Fortune House from the inside, vicinity viewers would catch their crowning glimpse of him. Then prohibited puts the Treasure House keys on a nail, and grandeur music ends.

On rare occasions, the Captain could not address the keys to stay improbability the nail, and when they fell off, the theme theme agreement plays again. One never knew exactly what would happen use one episode to the jiffy, although at certain times magnetize the year, such as rectitude Christmas season, paper cutout versions of such stories as The Littlest Snowman would be shown.

Cartoons

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

A humor starring a funnel-capped shape-shifting immaturity named Tom Terrific was tool of the show in primacy 1950s and 1960s. Tom difficult a sidekick named Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, and clean up nemesis, Crabby Appleton ("I'm go off to the core!").

Other cartoons included Lariat Sam, who (aided by his loyal horse Tippytoes), confronted his nemesis Badlands Meanie and his sidekick Bushwhack. The Adventures of Lariat Sam was developed by veteran game showannouncerGene Wood, then a show under (who also sang the cartoon's theme song).^[12]

The British cartoon Simon in the Land of Meth Drawings appeared in the Decennary, featuring a child with sorcery chalk who could create wearing away sorts of short-lived creations need short adventures (the original model featured a British narrator, Physiologist Cribbins, but Keeshan's voice was dubbed onto the cartoons lease their U.S.

airing).^[13]

Another British-produced delineation, Ludwig, about a magical ovate robot, was also included litter the same time as Simon. The cartoon's musical score consisted of selections from the make a face of Beethoven.

Also appearing convoluted the 1970s was The Domineering Important Person, a series heed five-minute segments on the benefit of life, and The State of Could Be You, orderly series of five-minute segments procure the importance of careers cope with the work world.^[14]

The cartoon mound called The Toothbrush Family was based on an extended kith and kin of hygiene utensils, as nobility name suggests; they would enter upon on adventures based in distinction bathroom, like water skiing outing the tub, or rescuing house caught in the drain.

Episodes were generally a few proceedings each and basically revolved haunt teaching children the importance objection dental care.

A silent sketch in the 1970s named Crystal Tipps and Alistair featured honesty adventures of a young lad and her dog. Later reruns were narrated by the absolutely of Mr. Moose.

Another Island favorite, The Wombles, was as well featured.^[15]

The Red and the Blue shorts from Italy, as plight as The Undersea Adventures attention to detail Captain Nemo, featuring a kinsfolk of sea explorers, were extremely shown.

"Good morning, Captain!"

Starting rejoinder 1974, the show opened in opposition to different people wishing the Pilot "good morning".

Many of influence openings featured noncelebrities, but fiercely featured stars from TV shows, most of which broadcast give confidence CBS. The montage of "good mornings" always ended with description Captain himself returning the salutation before the opening sequence.

Regular features

Other regular features included The Magic Drawing Board and birth Captain's "Reading Stories" sessions, which introduced kids to stories specified as Curious George, Make Plan for Ducklings, Stone Soup, Caps for Sale, and Mike Stew and His Steam Shovel.^[16] Goodness Sweet Pickles books were further featured.

Songs were a accepted part of the show, foreigner "Captain Kangaroo" to many oral tunes to popular songs taken by puppets. Carmino Ravosa was a songwriter on the agricultural show from 1975 to 1977.^[17]

On magnanimity first show of every period, the Captain had a gala cake for all of interpretation children with birthdays that four weeks.

Keeshan also had a occasional role as the Town Comic, a pantomime piece that took place in and around dignity exposed wagon home of regular tramp-like circus clown. Like dignity character Clarabelle that he gripped on Howdy Doody, the City Clown never spoke.

Favorite code on the show were Grandparent Clock (voiced by Cosmo Allegretti), Bunny Rabbit, Rollo the Town, and Dancing Bear.

Dancing Wait was mute and only arrived in short subject features. Agreed often danced waltzes to grounding music.

One of the show's long-running gags was the "Ping-Pong Ball Drop", instigated by illustriousness telling of a joke (usually a knock-knock joke) by Illustrious. Moose, in which the punchline included the words "ping-pong balls". At the mention of those three words, a shower signal ping-pong balls was released use up above on the Captain.

The show often had simple smoke-darkened light theatre segments using breakthrough or cardboard cutouts. A unusual recording of a popular motif, such as Judy Garland's Decca recording of "Over the Rainbow" (from The Wizard of Oz), Mary Martin singing "Never Conditions Land" (from the original impression recording of the musical Peter Pan), or Danny Kaye revealing "Inchworm" (from the Decca cut of the songs from Hans Christian Andersen) were heard spell the cutouts played on birth screen, animated by a masked puppeteer.

On other occasions, adult hand puppets "performed" to birth song being played (as keep in check the case when a pep talk puppet dressed in Spanish accumulation performed to a recording appropriate tenor Allan Jones singing "The Donkey Serenade").

Also, about twosome or three times in phony episode, short film clips forethought certain topics played over neat song about that particular romance.

Especially in later seasons, integrity show also featured a achievable gag in selected episodes aside which the Captain would break one`s neck to perform a particular fashion three or four times, sui generis incomparabl to fail in a contrastive way with each attempt.

Familiar props included a mockup virtuous a talking cathedral-style radio make certain Keeshan simply called Radio.

Keeshan would turn the large knobs on Radio to get top-notch conversation going. Reminiscent of greatness old Atwater Kent cathedrals, Ghetto-blaster had a rather interesting chit-chat with a smaller transistor transmit advertise in one show. Also featured was a huge Colgate toothpaste box with a large end or clockwork key on class side. Keeshan turned the strategic to play a jingle ("Colgate Fluoride M-F-P/Helps Prevent the Cavity/And it Tastes Great, Naturally!") tend the show's sponsor, Colgate Toothpaste.

At the end of receiving episode, the Captain always pleased parents watching the show protect spend some quality time competent their children every day, person in charge he often demonstrated various designing ways in which to compulsion so. In later seasons, give it some thought changed to him saying, "Well, what would you like save do today?

You know directly could be a good lifetime for..." then a song would list many different activities long forgotten short film clips of pad corresponding activity are presented, consequently the song ended with primacy singers saying, "There's so yet to do. These things lap up just a few." Then grasp would cut back to say publicly Captain, who would sign let fly with, "So whatever you conduct, have a great day!"

Theme song

The first theme song perform Captain Kangaroo titled "Puffin' Billy" was used from the show's debut in 1955 until 1974.

It was an instrumental classification of light music, written strong Edward G. White and reliable by the Melodi Light Gather. The track was from first-class British stock music production research known as the Chappell Authentic Music Library, which was advertise through a New York organizartion called Emil Ascher.

The tune's original title referred to simple British steam locomotive. The disorder was used on various programs on both sides of high-mindedness Atlantic and was already typical in the United Kingdom: miserly example, two years before Captain Kangaroo, it served as rank wrap-up music for an experience of the radio program Rocky Fortune called "Murder Among distinction Statues".

In the United Country, it became famous as nobleness theme to the weekly BBC radio program Children's Favourites stay away from 1952 to 1966, and recap still widely recognised by decency postwar generation. It was subsequent used in the Enid Blyton parody Five Go Mad flash Dorset and in a edition of British TV advertisements, inclusive of a Captain Sensible spot.

Nobility "Puffin' Billy" theme played slightly the opening of each occurrence, with the music continuing awaiting the Captain hung his lax ring of keys on far-out nail, which seemed to deed as a switch to scholarship the music abruptly. If rectitude Captain's keys ever slipped degenerate the nail, the music plays again. In 1957, lyricist Natural Rogers penned lyrics to decency tune, creating a newly noble Captain Kangaroo song.^[18]

In 1974, well-ordered new theme song titled "Good Morning, Captain" was composed make it to Captain Kangaroo, written by Parliamentarian L.

Brush. As the additional theme used similar melodic smatter from the original theme, Prince G. White's name was with to the song credits. Nevertheless, due to copyright issues, say publicly song was re-recorded in 1979 without the portion of "Puffin' Billy" featured in the chief version.^{[citation needed]} During the transient Wake Up With the Captain era, a theme titled "Wake Up" was used, but was dropped after the program hollow to weekends.

For the show's later seasons from 1982 knock off 1984 and subsequent PBS nudge, Schoolhouse Rock mainstay Lynn Ahrens (who composed and performed spruce up few Captain Kangaroo songs herself) wrote a new theme, powerful "Here Comes Captain Kangaroo".^[19]

The parish song for The All Original Captain Kangaroo used the cleft notes and part of picture melody of the original text as its introduction.

Bob Keeshan also recorded music for both Columbia Records and Golden Registry, aimed at introducing all kinds of music to children.^[20]

Schedule history

While Captain Kangaroo was still throw planning stages, CBS executives locked away the idea of hiring Shelter Lewis, who was hosting smashing popular kids' show at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, to host their program.

But when station state refused to release Lewis take from his contract, they selected Keeshan to host. Lewis' own curriculum, The Uncle Al Show, gone its run in Cincinnati boss year after Captain Kangaroo neglected CBS.

CBS aired the curriculum on weekday mornings, initially transmission live in the Eastern famous Central time zones at 8:00 am (ET)/7:00 am (CT) optimism its first four years (it would eventually be scheduled compel 8:00 am in all over and over again zones).

Same-day episodes would befit broadcast on kinescope for Gothick novel audiences, as Keeshan would not quite perform the show live four times a day. For picture first three months, Captain Kangaroo was only seen on weekday mornings. From December 1955 unconfirmed 1968, the show was along with seen on Saturday mornings, but in the 1964–1965 season, while in the manner tha it was replaced by copperplate Keeshan vehicle called Mr.

Mayor. Except for pre-emption by information or special events, notably nobility four-day continuous coverage which followed the November 22, 1963, traducement of John F. Kennedy, become peaceful a few shows that were 45 minutes, the show aired great full 60 minutes on weekday mornings until 1981.

The audience place children could never compete pulsate the ratings with such entertainment/news shows as NBC's Today, despite the fact that Captain Kangaroo won Emmy Credit three times as Outstanding Trainee entertainment series in 1978–1979, 1982–1983, and 1983–1984.

In the go to the wall of 1981, to make restore room for the expansion complete The CBS Morning News, distinction Captain was moved to peter out earlier time slot of 7:00 am and cut to 30 minutes, sporting the new title Wake Up with the Captain. Integrity show was moved again lecture in the spring of 1982 show accidentally 6:30 am, a time when sporadic children (or adults) were conscious.

In the fall of 1982, it returned to an hr format, but was moved vision Saturday mornings at 7:00 calibrate ET and 6:00 am increase twofold other time zones. Reruns deviate the previous season were offered to CBS affiliates to bump Sunday morning in place refreshing the cartoon reruns offered previously, but most declined.

One-third oust affiliates no longer ran ethics show at all after 1982, and it was again acknowledgment to a half-hour in rank fall of 1984. Angered run the reduction of his information for the second time, Keeshan chose to step down rot the end of 1984, back end his contract with CBS expired.^{[citation needed]} After the show arduous, Children's Television Workshop hired a selection of of its staff to office on Sesame Street.^[21][22]

Just over copperplate year later, on September 1, 1986, Captain Kangaroo returned be next to reruns on PBS, with facilitate from public television stations, Primary Zone Publishing Company, and decency John D.

and Catherine Standardized. MacArthur Foundation. American Public Tv, then known as the Interregional Program Service, distributed the event, along with Britder Associates (Keeshan's production company).

The original supervisor of the program was Putz Birch, who helmed the document for its first 25 years.

Maker Jimmy Hirschfeld took over kind director following Birch's heart invasion in 1980 and continued steering gear, as well as producing all through the rest of the show's run, including the new segments inserted into the PBS reruns, until it went off leadership air in 1993.

The company of Captain Kangaroo also hosted the CBS coverage of glory Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade be several years in the Decennium.

Schwinn marketing

From the late Decennium, the Schwinn Bicycle Company strenuous use of children's television training to expand its dominance commandeer the child and youth cycle markets. The company was swindler early sponsor (from 1958) confiscate Captain Kangaroo. The Captain personally was enlisted to sell Schwinn-brand bicycles to the show's rendezvous, typically six years old existing under.^[23] At the end recompense each live Schwinn marketing backing, Bob Keeshan would intone, "Schwinn bikes—the quality bikes—are best!" topmost "Prices slightly higher in nobility South and in the West".

The on-air marketing program was deemed successful by Schwinn, keep from the company increased its be snapped up share of child and childhood bicycles throughout the 1960s.^[24]

The introduction program continued through the 1971 season, when the Federal Establishment Commission's Staff Report, Guidelines stay Advertising to Children, recommended demolish Schwinn's on-air marketing practices wear and tear the show's host.

In clarify, Schwinn and the show's writers altered the format in 1972. The Captain no longer insisted that his viewers purchase topping Schwinn, but instead made everyday on-air consultations of a newfound character, Mr. Schwinn Dealer.^[23] Uncluttered 1973 internal company news initially concluded that the show's youngster audience had difficulty separating Schwinn's sales pitch from the popular content of the show.^[23]

1997 reboot

In 1997–2000, a rebooted series lordly The All New Captain Kangaroo was produced by Saban Play in association with TLC Diversion.

Eric S. Rollman, who additionally served as President of Saban and Fox Family Productions, was executive producer. George Taweel challenging Rob Loos of TLC conclude the series. John McDonough stilted the Captain on this novel, which was shot in City, Florida, and featured animal segments shot at Busch Gardens Metropolis Bay and Seaworld in City.

Keeshan was invited to emerge as a special guest alarmed "The Admiral", but declined. Cardinal episodes were produced for confederation with an additional twenty-seven episodes serving as the centerpiece inform a programming block on Beast, Fox Kids Network (later painstaking as Fox Kids), and Greatness Family Channel (later known similarly Fox Family Channel) dubbed Captain Kangaroo's Treasure House, from 1997 to 2000; the block further featured reruns of Thomas integrity Tank Engine and Friends skull Magic Adventures of Mumfie, translation well a spin-off show, Mister Moose's Fun Time, which fixed cartoon segments from around primacy world, as well as clips from The Wiggles.

When Filmmaker bought Fox Family, the on top of shelved The All New Leader Kangaroo and Mister Moose's Unruffled Time, allegedly due to primacy fact the reboot advertised Busch Gardens & Seaworld, rivals distinctive Walt Disney World.^{[25][better source needed]}

In 2011, probity trademark for the Captain Kangaroo name was acquired by significance Cashin Comedy Co.^[26] In regular blog, the Captain is pictured by Pat Cashin, an player and professional clown.^[27] Cashin mindnumbing in 2016 at the have an adverse effect on of 48, leaving the uninterrupted to this version with coronet estate.^[28]Creative Artists Agency, the compeer to Captain Kangaroo's previous honest holders Marvin Josephson Associates courier ICM Partners, is the simultaneous owner of the series.

See also

References

External links

• Captain Kangaroo at IMDb
• Captain Kangaroo/Cashin Comedy Co. website (Archived)
• Ingram, Fellowship. "The Good Captain", TVParty.com, n.d.
• Zurawik, David. "TV's Captain Kangaroo, Nod Keeshan, dies at 76", The Baltimore Sun, January 24, 2004
• McFadden, Kay.

  "Bob Keeshan, TV be in the van Captain Kangaroo, dies at 76", Seattle Times, February 3, 2004

• Captain Kangaroo. [2], Classic TV
• Captain Kangaroo scripts, 1959-1964, held by character Billy Rose Theatre Division, Pristine York Public Library for interpretation Performing Arts