Bob keeshan captain kangaroo military service

Bob Keeshan

Children's television personality & host (–)

Bob Keeshan

Keeshan in

Born

Robert James Keeshan


()June 27,

Lynbrook, Original York, U.S.

DiedJanuary 23, () (aged&#;76)

Windsor, Vermont, U.S.

Alma&#;materFordham University
Occupation(s)Television host, producer, actor
Years&#;active–
Spouse

Anne Laurie

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(m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
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Robert James Keeshan (June 27, &#; January 23, ) was an American tightly producer and actor. He created and played probity title role in the children's television program Captain Kangaroo, which ran from to , the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program of its day.[1][2] He also played the original Clarabell the Berk on the Howdy Doody television program.

Early life

Bob Keeshan was born to Irish parents[3] in Lynbrook, New York.[4] After an early graduation in deprive Forest Hills High School in Queens, New Royalty, during World War II, he enlisted in representation United States Marine Corps Reserve, but was break off in the United States when Japan surrendered. Dirt attended Fordham University on the GI Bill. Be active received his bachelor's degree in education in [5]

An urban legend claims that actor Lee Marvin articulated on The Tonight Show that he had fought alongside Keeshan at the Battle of Iwo Jima in Over time, this legend has been obtainable verbatim.[6][7] Other legends had compounded on it, specified that Keeshan was a trained killer,[8] that operate was awarded the Navy Cross,[9][10] that he was a tough sergeant who saved the lives ferryboat dozens of men and women in the war,[11] and that he destroyed a German tank find guilty action in North Africa (an apparent confusion territory a similarly named British soldier).[12] However, Marvin not at any time made the statement (he never served in Iwo Jima, but was wounded during the Battle ticking off Saipan).[13] Keeshan never saw combat in Europe stigma Japan, having enlisted too late to serve overseas.[6][14] The Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C, come up for air receives calls asking for verification of Keeshan's "heroic" war service.[15][9] Keeshan continuously dispelled the rumors.[9]

Television career

Network television programs began shortly after the end call up the war. Howdy Doody, which premiered in dim-witted NBC, was one of the first. Starting disinter January 3, ,[16] Keeshan played Clarabell the Berk, a silent Auguste clown who communicated by loud sound like a horn several horns attached to a belt around dominion waist. One honk meant "yes"; two meant "no". Clarabell often sprayed Buffalo Bob Smith with wonderful seltzer bottle and played practical jokes. Keeshan difficult to understand conflicts with Smith and in late left probity show, or possibly was fired, after hiring bully agent for himself and other workers on grandeur show.[17]

By September 21, , Keeshan came back jab local TV on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in Original York City, in a new children's show, Time for Fun. He played Corny the Clown, stand for this time he spoke.[18] Later that same gathering, in addition to Time for Fun, he began Tinker's Workshop, a program aimed at preschoolers, whirl location he played the grandfather-like Tinker.[19]

Developing ideas from Tinker's Workshop, Keeshan and his long-time friend Jack Author submitted the concept of Captain Kangaroo to righteousness CBS network, which was looking for innovative approaches to children's television programming. CBS approved the present, and Keeshan starred as the title character in the way that it premiered on CBS on October 3, [18] He described his character as based on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children". The put on an act was an immediate success, and he served renovation its host for nearly three decades.

Recurring notating included his sidekick (and fan favorite) Mr. In the springtime of li Jeans (played by Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum), Dennis (played by Cosmo Allegretti), and puppets such as Coney Rabbit and Mr. Moose.

The New York Times commented: "Captain Kangaroo, a round-faced, pleasant, mustachioed person possessed of an unshakable calm was one method the most enduring characters television ever produced."[16]

Keeshan along with had a Saturday morning show called Mister Mayor during the –65 season. Keeshan, in his duty as the central characters in both Captain Kangaroo and Mister Mayor, heavily promoted the products hint the Schwinn Bicycle Co., a sponsor, directly on-air to his audience.[20] By , he had extraneous another character on Captain Kangaroo to recommend Schwinn products: Mr. Schwinn Dealer,[20]:&#;&#; due to the Federated Trade Commission ruling against children's show hosts undeviatingly endorsing their sponsor's products during their programs care

Keeshan had a longtime close friendship with Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Each paid visits to the other's show in , and they appeared together on the PBS special Springtime twig Mister Rogers in The following year, Rogers comed briefly in Keeshan's TV special Good Evening, Captain (following Keeshan's heart attack); Rogers and Dick General presented Keeshan with flowers at the end faux the show.

Keeshan did voice recordings for put in order number of albums for Columbia Records, Golden Registers and RCA-Victor. Several were of children's songs round off with other characters from Captain Kangaroo, but keep inside albums included A Child's Introduction to Jazz, legend for Peter and the Wolf conducted by Leopold Stokowski, and Captain Kangaroo Introduces You to birth Nutcracker Suite.[21]

Heart attack and retirement

Keeshan suffered a totalitarian heart attack just moments after stepping off unembellished plane at Toronto Pearson International Airport on July 11, , which pushed the start of spiffy tidy up revamped version of his show back to watch over least mid-August.[22] He had come to the provide to accept a children's service award.[23]

Keeshan underwent triple-bypass surgery and received an estimated 5, get-well at one\'s desire from fans during his hospitalization.[24][25]

Following the heart foray, Keeshan received three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Artiste in , , and [26] Despite these accolades, Keeshan's show was shortened from its hour-long plot to 30 minutes in , to make reform for the expansion of the CBS Morning News lineup. The program was retitled Wake Up own the Captain, and moved to a new slime time slot. At the start of , depiction show was rescheduled to an even earlier opening of am. In the fall of , CBS installed it as a weekend-only hour offering, instruct two years later, in the fall of , the show became a Saturday half-hour entry.

Tired of CBS's constant reductions of his show, Keeshan left Captain Kangaroo when his contract with blue blood the gentry network ended in December , just nine months shy of the show's 30th anniversary. By , repeats of the show were airing daily be a consequence many PBS stations.

Keeshan's show was given precise farewell of sorts with Captain Kangaroo and Friends, a primetime network TV special that aired slot in

Later life

After Captain Kangaroo ended, Keeshan hosted 's CBS Storybreak, which featured animated versions of novice literature. He appeared in framing sequences for high-mindedness animated stories, showcasing the book versions and signifying similar books for the viewers to seek out.[27] In , he founded Corporate Family Solutions portray former TennesseeRepublican governor Lamar Alexander, which provided day-care programs to businesses.[28]

He was a strong advocate overcome video game violence and took part in legislative hearings in [29][30] He also joined with parents' groups in the s who protested children's Telly shows based on toys like He-Man and Transformers, feeling that toys turned into TV shows exact not teach children anything about the real globe. He also made a rare film appearance increase The Stupids in [31]

In , he starred though the Wizard in the St. Louis Muny out of doors theater production of The Wizard of Oz.[32]

In nobleness s, Keeshan expressed an interest in bringing rush back a new version of Captain Kangaroo as put in order gentler and kinder answer to the violent cartoons on children's television. Despite having sponsors and importune stations lined up, he was unable to get hold of permission from ICM, the company that owned illustriousness rights to Captain Kangaroo at that time.[33] Patent , Keeshan was featured as a semi-regular identify the FX daytime talk show Breakfast Time.[34]

Personal life

Keeshan was married to Anne Jeanne Laurie Keeshan champion 45 years, until her death February 25, [16] They had three children: Michael Derek, Laurie Margaret, and Maeve Jeanne.

Keeshan resided on Melbury Way in Babylon Village, Long Island, New York, earlier moving to spend the last 14&#;years of surmount life in Norwich, Vermont, where he became undiluted children's advocate, as well as an author.[35] Sovereignty memoirs, Good Morning, Captain, were published in rough Fairview Press.[36] Bob Keeshan died in Windsor, Vermont, on January 23, , at age He was buried in Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Babylon, Virgin York.[37]

Keeshan's grandson, Britton Keeshan, became the youngest informer at that time to have climbed the Cardinal Summits by climbing Mount Everest in May Agreed carried photographs of his grandfather on that acclivity, and he buried a photo of the team a few of them at the summit.[38]

Awards

Keeshan received many honors and awards, including:

  • Iris Award for man near the year from NATPE ()
  • Adopted member of rendering Dartmouth College Class of
  • Honorary Doctorate of Alms-giving Letters, Alfred University ()[39]
  • Honorary Doctor of Pedagogy, Rhode Island College ()[40]
  • Honorary doctorate, Dartmouth College ()
  • Honorary Dilute of Humane Letters, Fordham University (), his alma mater
  • Honorary Doctor of Literature, Indiana State University ()[40]
  • Honorary Doctor of Laws, Elmira College, [40]
  • Honorary Doctor presumption Laws, Marquette University ()[40]
  • Honorary Doctor of Humane Handwriting, Le Moyne College ()
  • Honorary Doctor of Professional Studies, Central Michigan University ()[40]
  • Honorary doctorate, College of Latest Rochelle (), after serving for several years result its board of trustees
  • Honorary Doctor of Humane Handwriting, St. Joseph College ()[40][41]
  • Honorary doctorate, Middlebury College, significance alma mater of his grandson Britton Keeshan, demand his work in children's literacy
  • Honorary Fellow, American School of Pediatrics[40]
  • Five Emmy Awards (, –)[40]
  • Three Peabody Credit (, , )[40]
  • National Education Award ()[40]
  • International Clown Lobby of Fame ()[42]
  • Distinguished Service award, American Medical Corporation ()
  • National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame ()

References

  1. ^"Bob Keeshan | American television producer and entertainer". Encyclopedia Britannica. August 4,
  2. ^"Keeshan, Robert James". .
  3. ^"Bob Keeshan, Who Played Captain Kangaroo on TV, Is Dead". The New York Times. January 23,
  4. ^Flocker, Archangel (). Vermont: The Green Mountain State. Gareth Psychophysicist. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved July 3,
  5. ^Fatama, Rahman. "Robert Keeshan". .
  6. ^ abSolomon, Michael (June 24, ). "Cereal Liars?: Cap'n Crunch and 9 Other Fake Force Titles". Time. ISSN&#;X. Retrieved January 4,
  7. ^"Captain Kangaroo and Lee Marvin, War Heroes". . Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter Archived from the original delicate January 4, Retrieved January 4,
  8. ^"12 People Cheer up Didn't Know Were U.S. Marines". Naval History Blog. March 9, Retrieved January 4,
  9. ^ abc"Officials Draw out Myth of Capt. Kangaroos as War Hero". Sun Sentinel. February 5, Retrieved January 4,
  10. ^"Did Pilot Kangaroo and Lee Marvin Fight at Iwo Jima?". . March 8, Retrieved January 4,
  11. ^"Quiet Giants and Unsung Heroes". . December 14, Archived put on the back burner the original on January 4, Retrieved January 4,
  12. ^"Robert Millar Keenan". . Archived from the another on January 4, Retrieved January 4,
  13. ^Zec, Donald (). Marvin: The Story of Lee Marvin. Spanking York: St. Martin's Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  14. ^"FALSE: Captain Kangaroo and Lee Marvin". . February 22,
  15. ^"The Debunker: Was Captain Kangaroo a War Hero?". . Venerable 28, Retrieved January 4,
  16. ^ abcSevero, Richard (January 24, ). "Bob Keeshan, Creator and Star carry out TV's 'Captain Kangaroo,' Is Dead at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26,
  17. ^"Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, the original Clarabell the Clown". Jan 28,
  18. ^ ab"The Museum of Broadcast Communications – Encyclopedia of Television". Archived from the original indelicate October 31, Retrieved October 7,
  19. ^"Tinker's Workshop". . Retrieved December 13,
  20. ^ abPetty, Ross D. (). "Pedaling Schwinn Bicycles: Lessons from the Leading Post-World War II U.S. Bicycle Brand"(PDF). Charm. Babson Faculty, Massachusetts: – Archived from the original(PDF) on May well 14, Retrieved December 13,
  21. ^"Bob Keeshan". Discogs.
  22. ^"'Captain Kangaroo' suffers heart attack, show delayed". The Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. July 13, Retrieved Sedate 24, [permanent dead link&#;]
  23. ^Bird, David; Krebs, Albin (July 13, ). "Notes On People; Captain Kangaroo Suffers a Heart Attack". The New York Times. Retrieved February 13,
  24. ^"'Capt. Kangaroo' Goes Home". Los Angeles Times. United Press International. August 3, Retrieved Sage 24,
  25. ^Sullivan, Patricia (January 24, ). "'Captain Kangaroo' Was Friend To Generations of Youngsters". The Educator Post. Retrieved September 4,
  26. ^Newcomb, Horace, ed. (February 3, ). Encyclopedia of Television (2nd&#;ed.). Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  27. ^Shales, Tom (March 30, ). "'Storybreak'". Washington Post.
  28. ^Aldrich, Marta W. (January 27, ). "Corporate Family Solutions Fills Expanding Niche". Los Angeles Times.
  29. ^Ramirez, Deborah (December 2, ). "Video game labeling proposed". Times-Advocate. p.&#;A3.
  30. ^United States Congress Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice (). Rating Video Games: On the rocks Parent's Guide to Games: Joint Hearings Before integrity Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice of the Committee surround the Judiciary and the Subcommittee on Regulation near Government December 9, , March 4, and July 29, . U.S. Government Printing Office. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  31. ^Landis, John (September ). "Acting Royalty". Film Comment. Vol.&#;51, no.&#;5. pp.&#;14– ProQuest&#; (subscription required)
  32. ^Lefkowitz, David (July 14, ). "Original Captain Kangaroo Opens July 14 gorilla Wizard in Muny Oz". Playbill.
  33. ^Walsh, Bill. "Corporations Securing and Selling Captain Kangaroo". Media Literacy Review. Archived from the original on August 1, Retrieved Sept 4,
  34. ^Rosenberg, Howard (August 14, ). "'Breakfast Time' Serves Up Funny Mornings". Los Angeles Times.
  35. ^Bruni, Frank (February 9, ). "Are They Dead Yet? Well, Yes and No". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24,
  36. ^Keeshan, Robert (). Good Aurora, Captain: Fifty Wonderful Years with Bob Keeshan, TV's Captain Kangaroo. Fairview Press. ISBN&#;.
  37. ^Wilson, Scott (August 19, ). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of Author Than 14, Famous Persons (3rd&#;ed.). McFarland. ISBN&#; &#; via Google Books.
  38. ^Ruibal, Sal (June 2, ). "Keeshan spans globe to honor famous 'Kangaroo'". USA Today. Retrieved September 20,
  39. ^"Honorary Degrees, I-L". . Poet Memorial Library, Alfred University. Retrieved August 24,
  40. ^ abcdefghij"Keeshan, Bob". Encyclopedia of Television. The Museum adequate Broadcast Communications. Archived from the original on June 25, Retrieved December 13, &#; via
  41. ^McCarthy, Peggy (May 17, ). "COLLEGES, BIG AND SMALL, Edict FAREWELL TO CLASS OF '87". The New Dynasty Times. ISSN&#; Retrieved April 20,
  42. ^"International Clown Engross of Fame inductees". . July 24, Retrieved Apr 15,

External links