"It's (not such) a beautiful day in the neighborhood"...
Mr. Rogers left our neighborhood on this date in 2003 to move on up to a "deluxe apartment in the sky". Fred Rogers, a native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania was an ordained Presbyterian minister who started his TV career as a puppeteer on "The Children's Corner" before starting his own show in Pittsburgh in 1968...
Mr. Rogers message to children was simply to love each other and themselves. Having studied early childhood development at the University of Pittsburgh, he came well equipped to help children deal with fear and anger, as well as everyday problems. Rogers composed most of his show's songs and handled most of the puppeteering and voices himself. Fred Rogers would win 4 Emmy's and a George Foster Peabody Award but never considered himself a star, saying instead, "I always thought I was a neighbor who just came in for a visit"...
He taped his last "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" in December of 2000 but came out of retirement briefly to film public service spots helping parents and children deal with the 911 tragedy. Fred Rogers lost his battle with stomach cancer on February 27, 2003 at the age of 74. One of his trademark red sweaters now hangs in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C...
More February 27 Memories...
1883) Oscar Hammerstein patents the 1st cigar-rolling machine (women of America take one last swig of fresh air)...
1922) The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote...
1939) The U.S. Supreme Court outlaws sit-down strikes (protestors demonstrate by holding a sit-down strike)...
1949) Chaim Weizmann becomes the 1st Israeli President (lots of mazel)...
1956) Specialty Records releases "Slippin' and Slidin'" by Little Richard...
1960) The Miracles make their 1st TV appearance on "American Bandstand"...
1960) The U.S. hockey team defeats the Russians 3-2 at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley and goes on to win a gold medal...
1974) "People" magazine hits the newsstands for the 1st time...
1980) The Doobie Brothers ("What a Fool Believes"), Donna Summer ("Hot Stuff"), Michael Jackson ("Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough") and Earth, Wind & Fire ("After the Love Has Gone") all win Grammy's...
1981) Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder record "Ebony and Ivory"...
1982) Wayne B. Williams is found guilty of murdering 2 people (while over 28 bodies were found in the Atlanta area over a period of 22 months)...
1988) Katarina Witt of East Germany becomes the 1st repeat winner of an Olympic gold medal in figure skating since Sonja Henie won 3 straight (1928-36) with her second consecutive win (later that year she'll win her 4th title in 5 years at the World Figure Skating Championships)...
1990) The Exxon Corporation and Exxon Shipping are indicted on 5 criminal counts in reference to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill...
1991) President George Bush (#41) announces live on TV that "Kuwait is liberated"...
1991) James Brown is paroled from prison after serving 2 years (he had been sentenced to 6 years after leading police on an interstate car chase. Time off for good (soul) singing ?)...
1992) 16-year old amateur golfer Tiger Woods becomes the youngest player to compete in a PGA Tour event (Nissan L.A. Open) and posts a one-over-par 72, just barely missing the cut...
1997) Legislation banning most handguns goes into effect in Britain...
2000) ABC-TV airs "The Beach Boys" TV movie...
2002) Alicia Keys wins 5 Grammy's for her debut album, "Songs in A Minor" (she ties the record for a female artist with Lauryn Hill and since tied by Norah Jones and Beyonce)...
2002) In Boston 20 people working at Logan International Airport are charged with lying to get their job or security badges (yikes !)...
2003) Fred Rogers of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" dies at 74 (feature story)...
To ensure accuracy of dates and content in the timeline, multiple reference sources were used...
Happy Birthday To...
1930) Joanne Woodward...
1932) Elizabeth Taylor...
1934) Ralph Nader...
1940) Howard ("Johnny Fever" on "WKRP") Hesseman...
1980) Chelsea Clinton...
Commentary...
Happy trails to Don Knotts who died over the weekend at 81. Like I did, those who watched the Steve Allen Show have to remember the first time we saw Don Knotts as part of the "man on the street" skit that featured Don as the nervous guy who when asked "what do you do ?" would usually be a bomb defuser, tightrope walker or anything else that required nerves of steel, not nearly part of his character's DNA...
Don would go on to play the beloved Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show", winning 5 Emmy Awards and graduate to the movies in family movies like "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" and "The Incredible Mr. Limpet"...
It's interesting to note and nice to know that Andy Griffith was one of the last visitors to see Andy before he passed away. Friends to the end...
Today is the 58th day of 2006 with 307 days remaining in the year, 21 days until spring and 33 days until opening day...
