Famous Pittsburghers: “Mister” Fred Rogers
Written by Viktoria Sako
Photo courtesy of PBS KVIE
Before Mister Rogers entered the realm of television, he was appalled by it. With one click, he saw pies being thrown and flung at one another, whipped cream flying through the air, and emotions fueled by anger and hate. Rather than turning the TV off, Rogers saw an opportunity to create a program that audiences could relate to and learn from.
Born as Fred McFeely Rogers on March 20th, 1928, about an hour away from Pittsburgh, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Mister Rogers eventually rose to become a television neighbor to all, young and old alike. Inspired to make changes in TV programming after finishing his music degree at Rollins College, Rogers began to immerse himself into the world of television, eventually going to work at NBC and WQED. While breaking into the world of TV, Rogers also attended the University of Pittsburgh’s graduate program to research child development and also became an ordained Protestant minister, practicing his faith through television.
Image courtesy of Internet Archive
Airing the first episode in 1968, Rogers created “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” with WQED-TV Pittsburgh, the country's first community-supported public television station, after failed attempts to start “The Children's Corner” and “Misterogers” in the years prior. Pioneering educational programming for children, Rogers dedicated his life to creating a show where his audience feels trusted and cared for. Rogers revolves each episode around a topic he wants his viewers to consider, characterizing different puppets in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to illustrate the theme for the episode, believing that truth can be uncovered through make-believe.
Each thirty-minute episode is nothing short of whimsy. Rogers begins each episode the exact same way, entering the house melodically singing “'It's a beaut-i-ful day in this neighborhood… won’t you be my neighbor?” then ditching his work shoes and jacket for a zip-up sweater (hand-knitted by his mom!) and sneakers. Take a look at some of the original items from ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, including Rogers’ puppets and parts of the original set, at Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, housed in their Special Collections.
Rogers didn’t just appear on the TV screen– he worked on the show endlessly, playing the role of producer, host, chief puppeteer, song and script writer, to meticulously create each half hour episode. Even after Rogers’ passing, his mark on children's television has never faded, many today aspiring to make programming akin to Rogers’, and his lasting legacy in Pittsburgh remains stronger than ever.
Sit and overlook the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline with bronze-ified Rogers by visiting the Tribute to Children, located just outside Acrisure Stadium.
