The late children’s TV icon is having a pop culture moment, with an upcoming PBS special, documentary and feature film starring Tom Hanks.
It’s a beautiful year in the neighborhood for fans of Mr. Rogers.
On Feb. 19, beloved children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood celebrates its 50th anniversary on PBS, which the public broadcaster marks with star-studded retrospective Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like (March 6,8 ET/PT, times may vary). It’s one of several projects in the pipeline centered on the affable TV host, including documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and just-announced biopic You Are My Friend, starring Tom Hanks.
Fred Rogers died of stomach cancer in 2003 at age 74, leaving a legacy of kindness, love and acceptance. Asked how he’d feel about the recent surge of attention, his widow, Joanne, says “he would be the same humble person as he always was. I think he would be happily amazed.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by David Newell, who popped in to make “speedy deliveries” as cheerful postman Mr. McFeely throughout the series’ 31-season run.
“This is the year of Fred,” Newell says. “The program has really resonated — it’s very rewarding. People in their 50s now are the first generation that watched the Neighborhood, and it goes all the way down to teens. It’s four generations (of fans).”
Among them are Michael Keaton, Judd Apatow, Whoopi Goldberg and John Lithgow, who appear in It’s You I Like to share how Mister Rogers influenced their own careers. After seeing trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and cellist Yo-Yo Ma on the show, jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding was inspired to become a musician. Sarah Silverman cites Rogers as an inspiration for her stand-up comedy, given his ability to present difficult subjects such as birth, death and divorce in an accessible, honest way.
“He talked about important things, but made it age-appropriate and very simple,” executive producer Ellen Doherty says. “He took so much care in expressing the ideas, and that’s why so much of it connects.”
The hour-long special also incorporates clips from some of the show’s most memorable segments, including his meeting with Koko the gorilla, who playfully removed Rogers’ trademark sneakers; an endearing appearance from The Wizard of Oz ‘s Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton, who eased kids’ fears when she let out her famous cackle (without green makeup); and the tear-jerking friendship anthem It’s You I Like in a duet with Jeff Erlanger, a quadriplegic boy.
For children watching, “he wanted to give them a safe haven,” Rogers says. “He used to talk about giving them a nice, warm lap to sit in. The program still touches people, because our country is a scary place right now. I think people need a comfortable lap to sit in and someone to say, ‘Your feelings are manageable and mentionable.’ They need comfort.”
Four other ways you can commemorate everyone’s favorite cardigan-clad neighbor:
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Ride the trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe in this animated spinoff, which premiered on PBS in 2012. Daniel will air back-to-back with Mister Rogers the week of Feb. 26, pairing episodes that tackle similar themes such as the loss of a pet.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville ( 20 Feet From Stardom), this documentary profiles Fred Rogers and the timeless lessons we can still learn from his puppets- and music-filled show. Neighbor premiered to ecstatic reviews (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) at last month’s Sundance Film Festival, and arrives in theaters June 8.
You Are My Friend
If anyone can channel Rogers’ gentle charm and personable nature, it’s Hanks, who will play the TV icon in an upcoming biopic directed by Marielle Heller ( The Diary of a Teenage Girl) and written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster ( Transparent). The movie depicts the real-life friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod, who profiled him for Esquire magazine.
U. S. Postal Service postage stamp
On March 23, USPS will release a new stamp featuring Rogers and royal puppet King Friday XIII. The Forever collection postage will be unveiled at the Pittsburgh TV station where Neighborhood was produced.
