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Senior Member
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: one shot, right between the eyes, just for old times sake
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Jan 23rd, 2004, 02:11 PM
QUECHEE, Vt. - Bob Keeshan, known to generations of children as TV personality Captain Kangaroo, has died at 76. Keeshan died of a long illness, his family said in a statement.
Keeshan’s “Captain Kangaroo” debuted on CBS television in 1955 and ran for 30 years before moving to public television for six more. The program was wildly popular among children and won six Emmy Awards, three Gabriels and three Peabody Awards.
The format was simple: Each day, Captain Kangaroo, with his sugar-bowl haircut and uniform coat, would wander through his Treasure House, chatting with his good friend Mr. Green Jeans, played by Hugh “Lumpy” Brannum.
He would visit with puppet animals, like Bunny Rabbit, who was scolded for eating too many carrots, and Mr. Moose, who loved to tell knock-knock jokes. A favorite sketch involved Mister Moose dropping ping-pong balls on the Captain's head.
But the show revolved about the grandfatherly Captain Kangaroo, whose name was inspired by the kangaroo pouch-like pockets of the coat Keeshan wore.
“I was impressed with the potential positive relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, so I chose an elderly character,” Keeshan said.
Before portraying the Captain, Keeshan was the first actor to play sidekick Clarabell the Clown on the "Howdy Doody Show."
Keeshan was the author of numerous books, including "Growing Up Happy: Captain Kangaroo Tells Yesterday's Children How To Nurture Their Own" and "Good Morning Captain: 50 Wonderful Years With Bob Keeshan: TV's Captain Kangaroo." He also wrote a series of books about a character called "Itty Bitty Kitty."
© 2004 MSNBC Interactive
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