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Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, Dies at 76

Started by FlyingDonut,

29 posts in this topic

FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

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Posted

This makes me sad.

 

Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, Dies at 76

The Associated Press

Friday, January 23, 2004; 1:34 PM

 

QUECHEE, Vt. - Bob Keeshan, who gently entertained and educated generations of children as television's walrus-mustachioed Captain Kangaroo, died Friday 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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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awe4one

awe4one

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This makes me sad.

 

I'd guess that a large majority of Americans between the age of 20-60 are sad as well....

 

I'd like to think wherever he is now, that he's having a conversation with Mr Green Jeans or getting balls dropped on his head by Mr Moose..... smirk.gif

 

RIP..... frown.gif

 

Jim

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

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Also Ray Rayner, the icon from Chicago:

 

Ray Rayner: Chicago television icon for the Baby Boomers

By William Hageman

Tribune staff reporter

January 22, 2004

 

Someone at WGN-Ch. 9 once calculated that, during Ray Rayner's first thousand shows on "Bozo's Circus," he threw or was hit by 800 pies and fired off or was sprayed by 700 bottles of seltzer water.

 

But Rayner, who died Wednesday morning at age 84 of respiratory failure at a Ft. Myers, Fla., hospital, was more than a target for Bozo. He was a TV icon for Chicago Baby Boomers.

 

"There were times in his career when he was on whenever you turned the television on," said Bruce DuMont, founder and president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications. "To me, along with Bob Bell, who played Bozo for so many years, and Frazier Thomas, who was synonymous with Garfield Goose, he was the other jewel in the crown of children's icons."

 

The New York-born and -raised Rayner--he was born July 23, 1919, as Rahner but later changed his name--was a B-17 navigator during World War II and was shot down over France. It was during the 2 1/2 years he spent as a prisoner of war that he was bitten by the acting bug.

 

"They put on plays to kill time," said Rayner's daughter, Christina Miller. "That was the first time he did any acting. And he loved it."

 

After the war, he attended Holy Cross College for a year, then transferred to Fordham University, where he received a degree in philosophy. He later received a master's in humanities from the University of Chicago in 1970.

 

After college, Rayner started his radio career on Long Island. He became news director for a Dayton radio station in 1949 and later took a job in Grand Rapids, Mich., as a disc jockey. He came to Chicago in 1953 and was hired as a staff announcer for the local CBS affiliate.

 

His Chicago television debut came on a morning variety show, "Rayner Shine." While at WBBM-Ch. 2, he hosted "The Ray Rayner Show," an afternoon dance party show; "The Little Show," a children's program; and "Popeye's Firehouse." He moved to WGN-TV in 1961, where he became a part of the lives of thousands of Chicago Baby Boomers.

 

He started out as Sgt. Henry Pettibone on "The Tracy Show." Several months later, he also joined "Bozo's Circus" as Oliver O. Oliver, the sidekick clown with the Kentucky accent who served as Bozo's foil.

 

In 1962, Rayner also became host of "Breakfast with Bugs Bunny," which was retitled "Ray Rayner and His Friends" two years later. At that point, he had three shows and some interesting friends.

 

There was Cuddly Dudley, a giant orange dog--voiced by Roy Brown, who later became Cooky the Clown on the show--who helped him answer mail. There was Dr. Lester Fisher, director of the Lincoln Park Zoo, who made weekly appearances to talk about animals. And there was Chelveston the Duck.

 

Named after Chelveston, England, where Rayner was stationed during the war, Chelveston may be best remembered for chasing Rayner around the studio, nipping at his heels. (Rayner later admitted to stashing duck feed in his pants cuffs so the duck would peck at his legs). Rayner inevitably would save himself by providing Chelveston with a head of lettuce, which the duck also would attack savagely.

 

The morning show featured Rayner in a jumpsuit covered with small pieces of paper--a 1960s version of Post-Its--on which he supposedly wrote things (they were actually blank) he needed to do, such as show a cartoon, visit Cuddly Dudley or work on a do-it-yourself project (most of which ended up as less than artistic successes).

 

"When he first started his show in the morning, I suggested we do a do-it-yourself segment," said Al Hall, longtime WGN producer and director. "I gave him a rather simple project to do, which I figured would take about three minutes. It took 15. We were live--I was almost out of my mind. How could anybody be this uncoordinated? About two weeks later, I talked to the guy who used to be his producer at Channel 2, and he said, `Hey, you've got to have him do do-it-yourself projects.' I said, `Yeah, I know.'"

 

Rayner also did other work during his Chicago days.

 

"He was a working actor," his daughter said. "He did voice-overs. He did commercials. He did industrials. He did, you name it. He was doing appearances. He did anything any actor in Chicago would do."

 

Rayner worked at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Summit and the adjacent Forum Theatre, mainly in the 1970s.

 

"Aside from his other accomplishments, Ray also was very much a creature of the stage," said Richard Christiansen, former chief critic of the Chicago Tribune. "He had a zestful presence and a wonderful voice along with excellent comic timing. There was a sense of enjoyment in his work--you knew he was having a good time, and the audience was having a good time along with him."

 

"The Tracy Show" ended in 1966, and Rayner moved to "Rocket to Adventure," another children's show, which lasted two years. He left "Bozo's Circus" in 1971 and continued his morning show until he retired from WGN in December 1980. He moved to Albuquerque, where he was soon back on the air, doing weather for the CBS affiliate until 1989.

 

After his first wife, Jeanne, died about seven years ago, he decided to relocate to Florida, his daughter said.

 

In addition to his daughter, survivors include his second wife, Marie; a son, Dr. Mark Rahner; and four grandchildren. Mass will be said Saturday in Ft. Myers.

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garthgantu

garthgantu

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This saddens me. I watched Captain Kangaroo from the start in 1955 - one of my earlier tv memories along with Big Brother and Howdy Doody. The Cap was Cool.

 

PoV, you'll probably remember this line... "Twunk your magic twanger, Froggy!"

...what was the show? What current 'alternative' daily comic strip occasionally features a character based on Froggy Gremlin?

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BronzeBruce13

BronzeBruce13

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This saddens me. I watched Captain Kangaroo from the start in 1955 - one of my earlier tv memories along with Big Brother and Howdy Doody. The Cap was Cool.

 

I think the Captain "was" Clarabell from Howdy Doody too.. was he not?

I remember hearing that.

 

 

yup.. a search confirmed it. Surprising he was not credited with that as well...

 

 

# Bob Keeshan; Captain Kangaroo, the first Clarabell the Clown

Read about Bob Keeshan, the original Clarabell the Clown, known world-wide as Captain Kangaroo! ... Bob Keeshan, the original Clarabell the Clown. ...

http://www.clown-ministry.com/History/BobKeeshan.html

frown.gif

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BronzeBruce13

BronzeBruce13

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got me on Soupy confused-smiley-013.gif ...

 

btw your digital photoshop manipulations are awesome! I've caught a few and they caused much needed/appreciated belly-laughter. You should start a "Redhook Funny Photo Gallery" thread in which you, DiceX and others with PS talent post these creations. Having them all in one growing thread (with limited babbling and hijacking) would be a great way to reference old classics and post new creations.

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Mr. Zipper

Mr. Zipper

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In the summer of 1990, I was fresh out of college and worked as a room service waiter at the Albany, NY Marriott.

 

One day I brought a breakfast tray up to a room, and to my surprise Captain Kangaroo answered the door. He was older and grayer, but I was fairly sure it was him. Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing the red blazer with the wide lapels so I wasn't 100% sure. wink.gif As the man signed for his breakfast, I asked him, "Excuse me, but aren't you Captain Kangaroo?"

 

He looked up and said, "He's a good friend of mine." I replied, "Tell your friend that I loved his show."

 

He smiled and thanked me.

 

I still have the signed room service slip. :-) cloud9.gif

 

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OldGuy

OldGuy

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In the summer of 1990, I was fresh out of college and worked as a room service waiter at the Albany, NY Marriott.

 

One day I brought a breakfast tray up to a room, and to my surprise Captain Kangaroo answered the door. He was older and grayer, but I was fairly sure it was him. Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing the red blazer with the wide lapels so I wasn't 100% sure. wink.gif As the man signed for his breakfast, I asked him, "Excuse me, but aren't you Captain Kangaroo?"

 

He looked up and said, "He's a good friend of mine." I replied, "Tell your friend that I loved his show."

 

He smiled and thanked me.

 

I still have the signed room service slip. :-) cloud9.gif

 

That's post 181 for you! 893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif

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