The Odd, Gentle Legacy of TV’s ‘Captain Kangaroo’
Okay, I’m just going to say it: Bob Keeshan, the entertainer who played Captain Kangaroo on television for more than 30 years, was a very odd man. But don’t get me wrong, folks; when I say odd, I mean it in only the kindest way possible.
The other day, I stumbled across a picture of the good Captain during the early formative years of the show. During those years, Bob was still defining the look of Captain Kangaroo, and if you ask me, he looked more angry than kind. Still, he was a good deal less scary than when he was The Howdy Doody Show‘s first Clarabell the Clown. For the life of me, I just don’t understand how anyone can think that clowns are fun, good-natured beings. They are, at their very core, horrible, scary creatures that shouldn’t ever, ever, ever come near children or children’s television for that matter. But I digress.
George E. Joseph/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection
Getting back to Captain Kangaroo. From the very beginning, Bob knew that he wanted this show to be different. Captain Kangaroo would be more than just a TV host introducing cartoons, and the show itself wouldn’t be so much about helping children learn their numbers and ABCs. Instead, Bob was more concerned about making each child who watched his show feel safe and secure. He recognized that the world kids were growing up in was changing drastically, and not for the better.
So, along with his pal Mr. Green Jeans (played by actor Hugh Brannum), Mr. Moose, and Bunny Rabbit, Bob helped every child who ever watched his show, including me, feel just a little bit more loved and valued. Like its star, the show was a bit odd. It was kind and gentle, and at times, it moved at a snail’s pace. And you know what? It was perfect. As a young boy, I couldn’t wait to get up each day and say, “Good morning, Captain!”
Everett Collection
Later on, Fred Rogers acknowledged that Captain Kangaroo greatly influenced the tone and structure of his program, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Together, these two fellers also acknowledged that the medium through which they connected with their young audiences was greatly flawed. I’ve always thought that it was odd that both of these gentlemen were outspoken advocates of spending time away from the television set. Both Bob and Fred worried that too much time in front of the TV would lead to a detached generation. A generation that would feel more comfortable interacting with screens instead of making face-to-face human connections.
While both of them understood the value of what their shows were providing young people, neither of them bought into the entertainment industry sales tactic that TV was actually good for you. Instead, they felt that kids needed to get out and play with friends, learn social cues from peers, and discover new avenues of imagination. They knew that these things would never happen if kids chose not to step away from their TV screens. I know it is an odd thing. They saw the very medium that provided them with their livelihood for what it truly was: something that should only be consumed in small doses.
Time magazine journalist James Poniewozik said this about Bob: “Though he cautioned parents against using TV as a babysitter, knowing some would anyway, he made himself into a virtual grandfather.”
Bob Keeshan passed away on January 23, 2004. As a testament to his lifelong efforts, Bob’s Captain Kangaroo jacket, along with Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit, are on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. According to journalist Stephen Silverman writing for People magazine, Captain Kangaroo “won six Emmy Awards, three Gabriels and three Peabodies…and the hearts of generations.”
A little bit of trivia for you: Bob’s character was called Captain Kangaroo because of the large front pockets on his jacket. You just never knew what kind of treasure might be hiding inside those wonderful, magical pockets.
S. Karin Epstein/Camera5/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection
As long as we’re talking about the Captain today, let me also take a moment to debunk a myth. For years, there was a rumor that Lee Marvin, while appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, confided that Bob had saved his life while fighting in the battle for Iwo Jima during World War II.
Now, let me just say that there is a tiny bit of truth to this story, but first, let’s talk about what’s not correct. According to the fact-checking website Snopes, neither Lee nor Bob fought in the battle for Iwo Jima. The truth behind the rumor, however, is that both Lee Marvin and Bob Keeshan did serve as Marines. However, Bob never did see any sort of combat, as the war was concluding when he enlisted in the Marine Reserves.
While I’m at it, let’s dispel one more pesky rumor. Fred Rogers was never a Marine sniper. What he was, my dear friends, was a huge fan of Bob Keeshan because he recognized in Captain Kangaroo a character that had similar goals to his own. Both men were considered odd because they weren’t on television to get rich. They were there because they were genuinely worried about the soul of the nation. And sadly, these days, I totally understand why they were.
Remind 
Kid Stuff
June 2018
Unleash your inner child by reliving your favorite kids TV shows, cartoons, toys and more!
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