Bob Keeshan - Archive Interview Part 1 of 7

[knife4u08]

This video takes me back to the day that Mount Saint Helens blew. It was an amazing time! I really like this song.



[Zapmanio]

What a great video. So many great memories starting my days as a child with his show.

[swwsfriday]

born in 53 i was raised by this man and proud of it,i will love him forever.

[Oldag75]

This man was -- is -- a national treasure.

[wdchefdave56]

Captain... my Captain!

He still speaks to me at 55.

Obe Wan has nothing on the 'roo!

[yoursignalisbuster]

He seemed really upset about the phone ringing.

[ralphyization]

I loved Captain Kangaroo! Even though, I knew he was NOT Canadian, I knew he came to my tv everyday!(border city) It used to "piss me off, that a lot of those products weren't available in Canada. "fruitloops, that suff with peanut butter mixed with jam"... Sounds stupid now, but when you're 5 or 7 years old, that's a big deal! he he!

[BerkLeeDrm]

we can learn alot from his demeanor, a true gentleman.

[mybadtexas]

It just dawned on me that I probably got more nuruting from his show than I did from my parents.

[collegeman1988]

"Imagination is the soap that lubricates our getting through life."  What a great quote!

[ratrodscot]

i grew up with him on tv every mor, when i was a kid, an im glad i did,,,

[JHaines57]

I love him but boy does he look old. Older than he should for being around 70. I wonder what the illness was he died from? I'm betting he was already suffering from it.

He's obviously as mentally sharp as ever.

I miss him.

[seamusdog420]

Thanks Captain, You are missed!

[wilejud]

i loved that show it was an important part of my childhood

[maverick10241]

@wilejud as a kid i would cry to stay at home and watch it but it was part of my childhood and i miss those shows

[mgwilliams1000]

Amazing. You listen to him in this interview and he is STILL the same character that I watched each morning eating my cereal before the school bus came. I always loved MR Clock and Bunny Rabbit (who had to wear specks..HA) to Moose dropping his ping-pong balls after a bad joke... Purely Priceless. I can whistle that theme song yet.

[TheStanbabe]

I agree with Mr.Keeshan..there are very few of today's toys that lend anything to a child's imagination..which is very sad.

[TheASDFdude]

20:57

"I went to boot camp at Parris Island, and we all expected that we would be, we were all trained as infantry people, and we would be on the beaches of Japan in November, December, that was the schedule. But when I was in my 7th week of boot camp, they dropped the bomb."

[ytglory]

Loved him when I was little and my children watched the shows too....His show allowed a CHILD TO BE A CHILD!!  Thank you Bob Keeshan!!!

[AccordionProfessor]

I met Bob in Portland, Maine many years ago when he would visit and stay at my uncles Hotel. Bob was a nice man.

[mr7thDay]

The comments move me to tears.The demons that spend all day hating on other people are humbled by captain kangaroo.

[HermanDerGerman]

"Marine Sergeant Bob Keeshan earned the Navy Cross for getting his men of the beach while wounded at the initial landing at Iwo Jima.."

I call bullshit..he was still a boot when we dropped the bomb.. did you even watch the video?

[TomBarristerX]

This inteview was done in October of 1999. The interviewer is Karen Herman, who is the director of the Archive of American Television.

Mr. Keeshan needs no introduction to anybody who grew up in the 50's and 60's (and later). He was a master at weaving lessons of right and wrong into a humorous interface that kept children captivated. His show was the forerunner (and probably an inspiration) to later children's classics such as "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and Sesame Street".

[brad04970]

Marine Sergeant Bob Keeshan earned the Navy Cross for getting his men of the beach while wounded at the initial landing at Iwo Jima.... i'll bet most of you didn't know that... God Bless this Man who after the War wanted nothing but peace. he sent us off to school with a smile on our faces... Thank you Capt

[PatrioticPirate]

@brad04970 THANK YOU, and Semper Fidelis.

[SatchmoSings]

The man we saw on TV was like that in real life!

[franciesfinds041]

I do agree with you..

[glenmann62]

Farewell my old friend ! ,you were like a father to me and always taught me right from wrong as a child as well as how to have a imagination and have fun with it! your child sailors that are now in their 40-60,s will always have a speacial place in there hearts for you, even though we have all sailed are seperate ways on our journeys in life ,someday the rivers will all meet to that big ocean and we will run into you again asking Captain..permission to come aboard? R.I.P. Captain

[livnfree930]

I loved his show when I was little! Every morning my mom would put it on for me after my brother and sister left for school! I was the baby!

[hpmc9]

this man is written into the soul of this country. more than most young people will ever know

[ayla8251]

i loved captain kangaroo.

[TexasLady04]

A good gently soul. He was a grandpa to my children each morning. They adored his program. He taught them so many good things along with kindness ,decency

[daffydoug]

This man, the Captain was a truly gentle soul. No put ons .He was truly a kind man with a good heart.

Kids could sense that, I think.That's why he was so well loved. His memory was one of the sweetest of my childhood.

God bless you Captain, wherever you are now.

[auggdogrules]

captain kangaroo was actually a true war hero,he saved some of his fellow men in world war 2 i believe,true story,check it out.

[hokieguy95]

@auggdogrules It's an urban legend. He actually never got out of the states.

[alstrand]

Captain Kangaroo was everything everyone said here. What a great guy, and what a show that leaves us all with warm memories.  I was only slightly saddened to hear that he was another guy that thought things were better in his day than today. So, I'm just learning to not be that way when I get older. I mean no disrespect to Mr. Keeshan..

[brabon1]

@alstrand not sure he is saying better...but different and less complicated...and he does note that his family didnt experience the depression the way many other did

and he is right about toys and games

[wildam30]

i miss the old shows wow, romper room, new zoo review, electric company man OH man!!! just thinking about it brings me to tears, on how much our world has changed.

[weightfeather1]

I always thought of Captain Kangaroo as kindness, patience, wisdom and silliness personified. This lovely interview is a great treat. It helps us understand the traits of this gentleman that helped to form the kindly character we're so familiar with.

[143AC]

Dear LeMotrso,

"Captain Kangaroo"was not a sea captain..he was a tour guide and guard of

a kids museum.

[tonysshadow]

Im sorely disappointed wth this icon being just another typical yankee..full of himself for having survived.

[databank3]

@tonysshadow I am amazed at your point of view.  There is not another negative post on here but yours. This guy was everything right about the 60's when most of America was falling apart from the Vietnam War and rioting on campus and civil rights actions. I was born in 1962 and grew up watching this. This show shielded alot of kids from some of the harsh realities of the world. God Bless this man. He was very important to a generation in this country.

[hawkdaddy64]

Words can not describe the loss we all feel for this very loving man.  God Bless and rest in peace. Heaven is yours for all that you have done for us. Thank you.

[sfjohn5]

bunny rabbit ruled lol =)

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

Where are the dvd releases? Many have told me the shows have been lost forever. If true that's a shame

[bewarethedecks]

@TELEVISIONARCHIVES

Sorry this is so late....but back in the 60's & 70's, the practice of "wiping" or "junking" tapes was very common due to their high cost. Many shows like "Romper Room" and "Split Second" were recorded on tape, broadcast and then the tape was erased and re-used for another episode.

I suspect (but don't know for sure) that most of the episodes of "Captain Kangaroo" have been lost due to the practice.

[OBarbara]

thank you so much for sharing this,I grew up watching this guy and Mr.GreenJeans,oh,how I loved Captain Kangaroo,Ping Pong Balls...remember????Oh.those were the days~

[RanetkiFan]

When I think about it...besides mom and dad, this is guy that basically brought us up in the 50's I think this holds true with many kids my age at the time.

[LordBicen]

Thankyou for posting this. He was a Great and Wise man. Gems like this are Timeless.

[Lovetogolf2005]

He's the best!

[anothertominohio]

Only those of us who grew up in front of the tv watching The Captain can truly understand the impact his show had on our lives. Even in the black & white days, it was always so exciting to hear the theme song start and the Treasure House doors open to start the show. My Grandmother was a widow and I remember hoping she would marry Mr. Green Jeans so she'd have some help around the house.

[143AC]

Dear LeMortso, There was an attemp to revive the character..first in national syndication and later on The Fox/Family Channell on Cable tv,during the late 1990's. "The All New Captain Kangaroo"starred John McDonough played "CK",George Cahill played"Mr.Green Jeans" and Paul Pisorie manipulated and voiced the puppets on the show..but it didn't work and the show got cancelled.

[choirboyfromhell1]

Magnificent interview with a wonderful human being. Do I ever miss 'Captain Kangaroo', even at the old age of 51.

[Hikneehole]

does anybody remember the train room?

[cheyenne86]

I remember when I got my tonsils out Captain Kangaroo was the last thing I watched before it happened. A great show

[quarqill]

A great TV icon and legend.

[ccl2006]

I created sock puppets and did shows in Naples, Italy at the Air Force base in the early 1970s when I was in 3rd grade BECAUSE of what I learned from Mr. Moose...Bunny Rabbit....Mr. Green Jeans..god love him....ps..now I'm a college professor and i bring PLAY into the classroom . RIP

[twah12]

I met Bob Keeshan in Musekgon Michigan when he was touring with the Wizard of Oz. Having grown up with him every morning for years he was an idol. He was just like he is in this interview, a down to earth, warm, friendly man who was a friend to millions of children

[SueBeaWho]

OMG, I have only watched 2 and a half mins of this and Captain Kangaroo is STILL teaching me! I LOVE him!!! He is sooooooo right! I am 47 and there are things I want to do yet, he makes me feel I CAN! Yes, to repeat what someone else said WE NEED ANOTHER CAPTAIN!! TY BOB KEESHEN!!!!

[dksbcgn]

Captain, you brought such joy to me when I was a kid. In fact, I used to play Captain Kangaroo any chance I got.

There truly never will be anyone quite like you.

God bless you Captain, you are dearly missed.

[ndwheel05]

Captain Kangaroo will live forever in my heart. Because of him, I am a better man!

[infodisinfo]

when I was a kid I loved the Captain, and I watched him on and off till I was about 13, as odd as that sounds.

what a great guy, remember reading about him speaking out on child issues long after his show was canceled. but not speaking in the manner so many of these mushy wackos do today. he talked about standards, and what was right for the child, not pshycobabble rubbish we hear so much today, or even then.

RIP good Captain.

[LeMortso]

Aye Aye! RIP Captain. Just recently watching some old episodes on Youtube has brought me to tears! What a wonderful Man he was, what a wonderful message for Kids.

I never realized how important he was to me, to America, before. We need another Captain !

[BienvenuJDC]

@LeMortso

I know what you mean. I get so nostalgic when I get on youtube.

[locatebob]

Smoking cigarettes and watching Capitan Kangaroo ... now don't tell me ... there's nothing to do...