Productions Fred Rogers - Mister Rogers Neighborhood

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would not have been possible without the staff of Fred Rogers Productions, including Paul Siefken, Kevin Morrison, Matt Shiels, Brittany Smith, Jack Rowley, and Micah Southwood.

Special thanks to Cathy Cohen Droz, Hedda Sharapan, and Margy Whitmer for their generous gift of time and invaluable insights into the mind and heart of their colleague Fred and the work of the Neighborhood.

To David Newell for always being ready with a Speedy Delivery of stories, history, and lore of the Neighborhood, and for carrying forward its timeless legacy every time he speaks, whether in costume or not.

And to Emily Uhrin for accommodating our many requests and sharing the treasure trove of the Fred Rogers Archive with us. Thanks also to the staff of the Fred Rogers Center, especially Karen Struble Myers.

Big thanks to the team at Clarkson Potter for bringing this book to life, especially Angelin Borsics for her encouragement, patience, and outstanding editorial guidance; Danielle Deschenes for her magical design skills; production editor Patricia Shaw, copy editor Lawrence Krauser, and proofreader Edith Baltazar for their expert eyes on the text of this book; and Kim Tyner, Jessica Heim, and Philip Leung for bringing the photographs to life through the proofing process.

Deep appreciation to everyonecast, crew, coworkers, friends, guests, musicians, and neighborswho shared their experiences of being part of the Neighborhood: Chuck Aber, Betty Aberlin, Joe Abeln, Leah Blackwood, Kathy Borland, Jim Bruwelheide, Franois Clemmons, Andrew Gordon, Bill Isler, Tom Junod, Paul Lally, Susan Linn, Yo-Yo Ma, Catherine McConnell, Carl McVicker Jr., Joe Negri, Barbie Pastorik, Bob Rawsthorne, Adair Roth, Betsy Nadas Seamans, Nick Tallo, and Frank Warninsky.

Neighborly thanks to Tom Hanks for his eloquent foreword to the book. And many thanks to the following people at Sony Pictures and in the crew of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Marielle Heller, Kristie Alarcon, Greg Weimerskirch, Jade Healy, Arjun Bhasin, Marissa Lombardo, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Maryann Plunkett.

Thanks to our intern, Marisa M. Andrews, for all of her work behind the scenes. To photographer Lynn Johnson and Miriam Intrator at the Lynn Johnson Collection: Ohio University Libraries for opening their archives to us. Thanks also to the following photographers for their contributions to the book: Matt Bulvony, Terry Clark, Kira Corser, Dave DiCello, Susan Gray, Lilo Guest, Jordan Hainsey, Richard Kelly, Jim Manzella, Mark Murphy, Walt Seng, Sandy Speiser, William Wade, and Jack Weinhold.

Thank you to Courtney Keel Becraft at the Senator John Heinz History Center for generously sharing your resources and photographs; to James Okonale at the McFeely-Rogers Foundation; to Wenxian Zhang and Darla Moore at the Rollins College Archive; and to Brooke Thompson-Mills for her assistance.

Thanks to Katie Funaki and Megan Hedges at Rewind Memories in Squirrel Hill for your quick work.

Personal thanks from Melissa: Thank you to my neighborhood helpers and personal connectors: Isaac Bower, Ellen McGrath Smith, Lauren Stern, and Lisa and Ben Collier. Loving thanks to my family, especially my brother, for handling so much so I could focus on work, and to Chris and Helena for your patience, support, and hugs.

Personal thanks from Tim: Thank you to all of those at Fred Rogers Productionsespecially Kevin Morrisonfor continued support of the Neighborhood Archive, and to Melissa Wagner for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful book project. To the Neighborhood Archive audience, I am grateful for each and every one of you as that labor of love has grown far beyond anything I ever could have imagined.

Personal thanks from Jenna: Im grateful to the spirit of Fred Rogers for showing up in unexpected ways throughout the writing of this book. Deep love and thanks to my husband, James, who loves me just the way I am, and who has taught me to be proud of myself. In the words of Donkey Hodie, I want you, hee-haw! Just you.

FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS creates quality childrens media that models an enthusiasm for learning and earns the trust of parents and caregivers.

MELISSA WAGNER is a freelance editor and writer who worked with Fred Rogers on several books and who lives in Pittsburgh.

TIM LYBARGER is the creator of the Neighborhood Archive, an exhaustive online Mister Rogers fan site. He lives in Mahomet, Illinois.

JENNA McGUIGGAN is a freelance writer who has worked with The Fred Rogers Center. She lives in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

WORKS CONSULTED

Fred Rogers Archive. Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Childrens Media at Saint Vincent College. Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Fred Rogers Exhibit. Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Childrens Media at Saint Vincent College. Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Books

Collins, Mark, and Margaret Mary Kimmel (eds.). Mister Rogers Neighborhood: Children, Television, and Fred Rogers. University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996.

King, Maxwell. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers. New York: Abrams Press, 2018.

Rogers, Fred. Dear Mister Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood? New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

Articles

Before Mr. Rogers Neighborhood came Misterogers on CBC. CBC Archive. June 20, 2018.

Briggs, Kenneth A. Mr. Rogers Decides Its Time to Head for New Neighborhoods. New York Times. May 8, 1975.

Chau, Elaine (producer). The Canadian Story Behind Mister Rogers Neighborhood. CBC Radio. June 6, 2018.

DeFrancesco, Joyce. A Life Well-Lived: A Look Back at Fred Rogers Life. Pittsburgh Magazine. April 2003.

Fletcher, Christopher. One Last Time. Pittsburgh Magazine. March 2001.

Hart, Ron. The Music of Fred Rogers Neighborhood. JazzTimes. July 19, 2018.

Hartlaub, Peter. Dead and Fred: George A. Romeros connection to Mr. Rogers. SFGate blog. May 13, 2010.

A Heros Heroes: Fred Rogers response to our September 2002 question: Who is your hero? Pittsburgh Magazine. April 2003.

Johnny Costa: Pianist for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Pittsburgh Music History. https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/jazz/modern-era/johnny-costa.

Junod, Tom. Can You SayHero? Esquire. November 1998.

Kimmel, Margaret Mary, and Mark Collins. The Wonder of It All: Fred Rogers and the Story of an Icon. Latrobe, Pennsylvania: Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Childrens Media at Saint Vincent College. September 2008.

Kris, Deborah Farmer. The Timeless Teachings of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. PBS for Parents. http://www.pbs.org/parents/rogers/the-timeless-teachings-of-mister-rogers-neighborhood.

Laskas, Jeanne Marie. Zen and the Art of Make Believe. Pittsburgh Magazine. October 1985.

Laurich, Alice. Meet Mister Rogers. Focus Magazine, Tribune Review. June 23, 1974.

Llana, Sara Miller. How Canada Helped Make Mister Rogers Neighborhood. The Christian Science Monitor. July 20, 2018.

The Method Behind the Magic. PBS for Parents. www.pbs.org/parents/rogers/the-method-behind-the-magic.

Nedeff, Adam. Violent Images: The Assassination Special. The Neighborhood Archive. http://neighborhoodarchive.com/articles/20131122_violentimages/index.html.

Pesci, Jennifer. Family Values. Pittsburgh Magazine. January 1998.

Rogers, Fred, with Kathryn Brinckerhoff. I Like You Just the Way You Are.