ItB次元官网网址檚 been 50 years since Fred Rogers first appeared on TV screens, a gentle and avuncular man who warbled B次元官网网址淲onB次元官网网址檛 You Be My Neighbour?B次元官网网址� as he changed into a cardigan and sneakers.

The low-key, low-tech B次元官网网址淢ister RogersB次元官网网址� NeighborhoodB次元官网网址� presented Rogers as one adult in a busy world who always had time to listen to children. That legacy burns for many in these turbulent times.

B次元官网网址淪ometimes I think I wish we had a bat signal for Mister Rogers right now,B次元官网网址� said comedian Sarah Silverman, who has hung a portrait of Rogers on the set of her Hulu series B次元官网网址淚 Love You, AmericaB次元官网网址� for inspiration.

The golden anniversary of AmericaB次元官网网址檚 favouriteneighbourB次元官网网址檚 appearance is being celebrated with a PBS special next month, a new postage stamp, a feature-length documentary coming out this summer and plans for a Tom Hanks-led biopic.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a wonderful, thrilling time for me,B次元官网网址� said his widow, Joanne Rogers. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just sorry that FredB次元官网网址檚 not here to share it. But I think he would be just as amazed as I am.B次元官网网址�

An ordained Presbyterian minister, Rogers produced the pioneering show at Pittsburgh public television station WQED beginning in 1966, going national two years later. He composed his own songs for the show.

It offered a soft haven for kids, in sharp contrast to the louder, more animated competition. The final episode of what his widow calls B次元官网网址渁 comfortable lapB次元官网网址� aired August 2001. Rogers died in 2003.

B次元官网网址淣o one has come along like him. Everything is based on high stimulation. He really was exactly the opposite,B次元官网网址� said actor John Lithgow. B次元官网网址淗e had such a sense of childrenB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� developmental needs. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 under assault these days.B次元官网网址�

Lithgow, whose kids were enchanted by Rogers growing up, is joining Silverman and celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, Yo-Yo Ma, Esperanza Spalding, Judd Apatow and hosted by Michael Keaton for the public television pledge special B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 You I LikeB次元官网网址� set for March 6.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e thought about him more and more over the years because thereB次元官网网址檚 no one like him,B次元官网网址� said Lithgow, who met Rogers while touring with his own concert series. B次元官网网址淭here is no one who so completely talked on the level of children B次元官网网址� not talking down to them, not talking up to them B次元官网网址� just talking right to them.B次元官网网址�

One of those kids was Angela Santomero, who would go on to focus on child development and create B次元官网网址淒aniel TigerB次元官网网址檚 NeighborhoodB次元官网网址� and co-create B次元官网网址淏lueB次元官网网址檚 Clues.B次元官网网址� If RogersB次元官网网址� baton has been picked up by anyone, itB次元官网网址檚 Santomero.

B次元官网网址淚 was his No. 1 fan. Like I literally could not sit any closer to the TV set when he was on,B次元官网网址� she says, laughing. B次元官网网址淲hen someone looks you in the eye B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 care if itB次元官网网址檚 through the TV screen B次元官网网址� and tells you that B次元官网网址業 like you just the way you are,B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 very powerful.B次元官网网址�

Homage to Rogers is baked into B次元官网网址淒aniel TigerB次元官网网址檚 Neighborhood,B次元官网网址� which features children of characters from B次元官网网址淢ister RogersB次元官网网址� Neighborhood,B次元官网网址� including Prince Wednesday, the child of King Friday XIII, and Katerina Kittycat, the daughter of Henrietta Pussycat.

RogersB次元官网网址� effect on popular culture was profound: Eddie Murphy parodied him on B次元官网网址淪aturday Night LiveB次元官网网址� in the 1980s and one of RogersB次元官网网址� trademark zip-up sweaters hangs in the SmithsonianB次元官网网址檚 National Museum of American History. HeB次元官网网址檚 had a category dedicated to him on B次元官网网址淛eopardy.B次元官网网址�

PBS stations around the country still air B次元官网网址淢ister RogersB次元官网网址� NeighborhoodB次元官网网址� and some can be found on the PBS Kids video app. There are DVD collections on Amazon and episodes are streamable on Amazon Prime.

Rogers has remained relevant in this high-tech and ironic age despite a lack of new episodes. Generations of kids B次元官网网址� and those who became parents themselves B次元官网网址� have found in RogersB次元官网网址� heartfelt, simple lessons a comfort blanket in times of stress. At a time when media icons have been tarnished or pulled down, Rogers endures.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 essential right now. His teachings and his beauty and love and patience and care and empathy and compassion are our only salvation right now,B次元官网网址� said Silverman.

Last year, amid proposed slashes to PBS funding, RogersB次元官网网址� 1969 Senate testimony defending public TV from budget cuts went viral. And when a shaken Jimmy Kimmel addressed his viewers following the Las Vegas mass shooting, he quoted RogersB次元官网网址� dictum to B次元官网网址渓ook for the helpers.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 think of a time when weB次元官网网址檝e needed him so much,B次元官网网址� says Joanne Rogers, 89, an accomplished pianist who still lives in Pittsburgh. B次元官网网址淚 think his work is just as timely now as it was when it came out, frankly.B次元官网网址�

The celebration of Rogers also includes a new feature-length RogersB次元官网网址� documentary called B次元官网网址淲onB次元官网网址檛 You Be My Neighbour?B次元官网网址� to be released by Focus Features on June 8. It includes behind-the-scenes footage of the TV show and never-before-seen clips.

And the U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new stamp featuring Rogers on March 23 in the same Pittsburgh TV station where B次元官网网址淢ister RogersB次元官网网址� NeighborhoodB次元官网网址� was produced. The Forever stamp features an image of Rogers and the royal puppet King Friday XIII.

Bill Gicker, creative director of stamp development, said the decision to honour Rogers was a B次元官网网址渘o brainer.B次元官网网址� Gicker was born the year the show went national and grew up watching B次元官网网址淢ister RogersB次元官网网址� Neighborhood.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭here are certain people that come up that you just know itB次元官网网址檚 not going to be a conversation. ItB次元官网网址檚 just going to be, B次元官网网址榊ep!B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Gicker. B次元官网网址淗is calm demeanour really made him stand out, especially at time when a lot of television wasnB次元官网网址檛 for kids at all.B次元官网网址�

The 50th anniversary celebrations are somewhat bittersweet for Joanne Rogers. While fans cheer RogersB次元官网网址� pacifism and kindness, she joins them, of course, but she also misses her husband.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how he would have liked growing older,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think he would have just tackled it the way he tackled everything else. But he wasnB次元官网网址檛 given that opportunity and I regret that.B次元官网网址�

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Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

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