It害羞草研究所檚 been 50 years since Fred Rogers first appeared on TV screens, a gentle and avuncular man who warbled 害羞草研究所淲on害羞草研究所檛 You Be My Neighbour?害羞草研究所� as he changed into a cardigan and sneakers.

The low-key, low-tech 害羞草研究所淢ister Rogers害羞草研究所� Neighborhood害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes I think I wish we had a bat signal for Mister Rogers right now,害羞草研究所� said comedian Sarah Silverman, who has hung a portrait of Rogers on the set of her Hulu series 害羞草研究所淚 Love You, America害羞草研究所� for inspiration.

The golden anniversary of America害羞草研究所檚 favouriteneighbour害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a wonderful, thrilling time for me,害羞草研究所� said his widow, Joanne Rogers. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just sorry that Fred害羞草研究所檚 not here to share it. But I think he would be just as amazed as I am.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所渁 comfortable lap害羞草研究所� aired August 2001. Rogers died in 2003.

害羞草研究所淣o one has come along like him. Everything is based on high stimulation. He really was exactly the opposite,害羞草研究所� said actor John Lithgow. 害羞草研究所淗e had such a sense of children害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� developmental needs. And I think that害羞草研究所檚 under assault these days.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 You I Like害羞草研究所� set for March 6.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e thought about him more and more over the years because there害羞草研究所檚 no one like him,害羞草研究所� said Lithgow, who met Rogers while touring with his own concert series. 害羞草研究所淭here is no one who so completely talked on the level of children 害羞草研究所� not talking down to them, not talking up to them 害羞草研究所� just talking right to them.害羞草研究所�

One of those kids was Angela Santomero, who would go on to focus on child development and create 害羞草研究所淒aniel Tiger害羞草研究所檚 Neighborhood害羞草研究所� and co-create 害羞草研究所淏lue害羞草研究所檚 Clues.害羞草研究所� If Rogers害羞草研究所� baton has been picked up by anyone, it害羞草研究所檚 Santomero.

害羞草研究所淚 was his No. 1 fan. Like I literally could not sit any closer to the TV set when he was on,害羞草研究所� she says, laughing. 害羞草研究所淲hen someone looks you in the eye 害羞草研究所� I don害羞草研究所檛 care if it害羞草研究所檚 through the TV screen 害羞草研究所� and tells you that 害羞草研究所業 like you just the way you are,害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 very powerful.害羞草研究所�

Homage to Rogers is baked into 害羞草研究所淒aniel Tiger害羞草研究所檚 Neighborhood,害羞草研究所� which features children of characters from 害羞草研究所淢ister Rogers害羞草研究所� Neighborhood,害羞草研究所� including Prince Wednesday, the child of King Friday XIII, and Katerina Kittycat, the daughter of Henrietta Pussycat.

Rogers害羞草研究所� effect on popular culture was profound: Eddie Murphy parodied him on 害羞草研究所淪aturday Night Live害羞草研究所� in the 1980s and one of Rogers害羞草研究所� trademark zip-up sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian害羞草研究所檚 National Museum of American History. He害羞草研究所檚 had a category dedicated to him on 害羞草研究所淛eopardy.害羞草研究所�

PBS stations around the country still air 害羞草研究所淢ister Rogers害羞草研究所� Neighborhood害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� and those who became parents themselves 害羞草研究所� have found in Rogers害羞草研究所� heartfelt, simple lessons a comfort blanket in times of stress. At a time when media icons have been tarnished or pulled down, Rogers endures.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 essential right now. His teachings and his beauty and love and patience and care and empathy and compassion are our only salvation right now,害羞草研究所� said Silverman.

Last year, amid proposed slashes to PBS funding, Rogers害羞草研究所� 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 Rogers害羞草研究所� dictum to 害羞草研究所渓ook for the helpers.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 think of a time when we害羞草研究所檝e needed him so much,害羞草研究所� says Joanne Rogers, 89, an accomplished pianist who still lives in Pittsburgh. 害羞草研究所淚 think his work is just as timely now as it was when it came out, frankly.害羞草研究所�

The celebration of Rogers also includes a new feature-length Rogers害羞草研究所� documentary called 害羞草研究所淲on害羞草研究所檛 You Be My Neighbour?害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淢ister Rogers害羞草研究所� Neighborhood害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渘o brainer.害羞草研究所� Gicker was born the year the show went national and grew up watching 害羞草研究所淢ister Rogers害羞草研究所� Neighborhood.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭here are certain people that come up that you just know it害羞草研究所檚 not going to be a conversation. It害羞草研究所檚 just going to be, 害羞草研究所榊ep!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Gicker. 害羞草研究所淗is calm demeanour really made him stand out, especially at time when a lot of television wasn害羞草研究所檛 for kids at all.害羞草研究所�

The 50th anniversary celebrations are somewhat bittersweet for Joanne Rogers. While fans cheer Rogers害羞草研究所� pacifism and kindness, she joins them, of course, but she also misses her husband.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know how he would have liked growing older,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 think he would have just tackled it the way he tackled everything else. But he wasn害羞草研究所檛 given that opportunity and I regret that.害羞草研究所�

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Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

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