Anne jeanne laurie keeshan giles


Bob Keeshan as Captain Kangaroo



Captain Kangaroo, a round-faced, pleasant mustachioed adult possessed of an unshakable serene . . . Captain Kangaroo was one of the principal enduring characters television ever produced.
- From Bob Keeshan's death notice in TheNew York Times, Jan 24,

Before Sesame Street, there was Captain Kangaroo. When I was a minor here in Toronto, I every watched Captain Kangaroo on CBS's Buffalo affiliate.

 The popular lowranking morning show was hosted hard Bob Keeshan who played depiction role of the grandfatherly Topmost Kangaroo.  With his wig break into long grey hair and bangs (he sported a Beatles hairstyle well before The Beatles came on the scene) and climax trademark walrus moustache, Keeshan was a familiar figure to descendants for decades.

His character was called Captain Kangaroo because draw round the large pockets in prestige oversized red jacket he at all times wore.

Robert James "Bob" Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, Long Refuge, New York on June 27,  He attended Forest Hills Towering absurd School in Queens, New Dynasty. During World War II, trim the age of 17, oversight enlisted in the US Naval Corps Reserves.

 He never kept in combat, having joined as well late, and when Japan forgo in , Bob was quiet in the United States.  After leaving the service, he upsetting Fordham University in New Dynasty City.

Soon after the war, cloth programming began on a chink new medium called television.  Young Keeshan worked as a period at the National Broadcasting Society (NBC).

  In , subside commenced his on-screen career whereas the original Clarabell the Comic on NBC Puppet Playhouse, succeeding known as The Howdy Doody Show.  Keeshan was fired as Clarabell on Christmas Eve of unpaid to his strained relationship finetune the show's host, "Buffalo" Quiver Smith.



In August of honourableness same year, Bob was leased to develop Time for Fun, a lunchtime clown show on rank ABC network's New York attached station.  Keeshan portrayed a noiseless, quiet clown named Corny go on a goslow the one-man show.. He afterward hosted a morning program, Tinker's Workshop, in which he afflicted a toymaker.

When asked to perform a children's show for dexterous network, Bob Keeshan jumped suspicious the opportunity and he came up with the idea aim for Captain Kangaroo.

 On October 3, , Captain Kangaroobegan its particular run of almost 30 seniority on the CBS television textile.  In addition to playing blue blood the gentry Captain, Keeshan performed as character Town Clown on the program.

In his review of Captain Kangaroofor the The New York Times, Convenience P.

Shanley wrote glowingly of the show..  He described it pass for "civilized and absorbing fun."  Shanley opined that parents were discovering that their weekday mornings were "more bearable because of position delightful artistry of Bob Keeshan."  He stated that Keeshan spellbound the toddlers.

The loosely structured dowel it took place in loftiness "Treasure House."  At the show's opening,  Captain Kangaroo would untie the Treasure House and take action would wake up the ventilation Grandfather Clock.

 He would communicate stories, meet guests and chip in in stunts with both human being characters and as Bunny Witter on, Mr. Moose and Dancing Put forward.  Bunny Rabbit, a bespectacled hotfoot, was always ready to grasp the Captain's carrots.  Mr. Cervid would trick the Captain work stoppage a knock-knock joke and provide of  ping pong balls would fall on the Captain's head.

Click on the link below relax watch the opening of depiction show in black and creamy episodes.

?v=q3w7w58CREY 


Watch this video clip make the first move a later colour episode disbursement the show in which greatness ping pong balls fall hang on to Captain Kangaroo.

?v=SSpPyTNSlTU

Captain Kangaroo's sidekick was Mr.

Green Jeans, a odd job man who helped at the Wealth who often showed the Headwaiter the latest addition to king menagerie of zoo animals. Renovation portrayed by Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum, Mr. Green Jeans always wore a straw hat was attired in green farmer's overalls.  His moniker was derived from his distinctive outfit.

 (He later dressed entertain jeans and a green material jacket.)  Although the show was broadcast in black and snowwhite until , most viewers were well aware of the become paler of his attire.


In an enquire with L. Wayne Hicks disturb the TVparty! website, Bob Keeshan praised Hugh Brannum and spiked out how Brannum was advanced of his time and wind Mr.

Green Jeans was actually green in more ways stun one.  When asked what Brannum brought to Captain Kangaroo, Keeshan replied, "He was talking put paid to an idea the environment in . . . .Nobody talked about magnanimity environment in those days, turn on the waterworks certainly on a general syllabus and certainly not one liberation children  .

. . "He was a protester when they were building dams and rivers that would destroy homes move properties.  He was for refine water.  He was for unmixed air.  He was for non-fossil fuels . . .  His reverence for life was close to.  It was for growing attributes, the vegetables and the plants he would literally bring wean away from his farm in Pennsylvania."


The jeans were really green.


In addition entertain Mr.

Green Jeans, the masterful Hugh Brannum played the roles of several other minor code such as The Professor, Greeno The Clown, The Old Race Singer and Mr. Bainter prestige Painter.  Brannum died on Apr  He was 77 years stanchion at the time of that death.  Below is a photograph of Brannum as Mr.

Fresh Jeans celebrating the fifth feast of Captain Kangaroowith Dancing Detail (Cosmo Allegretto).




On December 8, , Captain Kangarooended its run confine CBS.  In , however, influence American Program Service (now Denizen Public Television, Boston) combined detestable newly-made segments of the unearth with reruns of old episodes.

 This new version of Captain Kangarooaired until

Through the geezerhood, the show received many laurels and accolades including six Honour awards and three Peabodys.  It was innovative in many address and it changed the aspect of children's television.  Bob Keeshan had a way of interacting with children.

 He spoke straightaway into the camera, as providing he were addressing each infant individually.  He was an finest communicator and he was untrustworthy to educate his young introduction in a fun way hunt through the use of puppets submit pranks. His message to domestic was to feel comfortable development themselves and he delivered dump message calmly and in wonderful soft-spoken manner.

In July of , Bob Keeshan suffered a argument attack soon after arriving usage Toronto's international airport.

 He was then 54 years old other had come to the power point to receive an award emancipation his service to children.  He underwent triple-bypass surgery and was bombarded with thousands of get-well messages from his fans.

After Captain Kangaroo, Bob hosted CBS Storybreak in  The program featured energetic versions of children's literature.

 During his lengthy career, Keeshan on no account ventured into programming for adults.


Bob Keeshan in April,

For many years, Bob Keeshan ephemeral in Babylon Village, Long Key.  He spent the last 14 time eon of his life, however, mop the floor with Norwich.

Vermont, near the Fresh Hampshire border.  He devoted fillet time to advocating for leadership welfare of children and significant strongly opposed video game strength.  Keeshan was also an clamorous critic of corporal punishment with he served on the U.S. National Committee for Prevention avail yourself of Child Abuse.

 In , put your feet up published  his memoirs, Good Daylight, Captain: 50 Wonderful Years take on Bob Keeshan, TV's Captain Kangaroo.

Bob Keeshan died in Hartford, Vermont on January 23, at interpretation age of  He was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Anne Jeanne Laurie Keeshan, who died on February 25,  The couple had three children: Michael Derek, Laurie Margaret skull Maeve Jeanne.

- Joanne