Fred Rogers

Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003) was an American television personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He was the creator, producer, head writer, and host of the children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from 1968 until he left in 2001. He also wrote the music for the show.[2]

Quick facts: The Reverend Fred Rogers, Born, Died, Resting... ▼

The Reverend Fred Rogers
Rogers in a publicity photo for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in the 1980s
Born	Fred McFeely Rogers (1928-03-20)March 20, 1928 Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	February 27, 2003(2003-02-27) (aged 74) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting place	Unity Cemetery, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names	Mister Rogers
Alma mater	Dartmouth College (Transferred) Rollins College (BM) Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (BD)
Occupation(s)	Children's television presenter, actor, puppeteer, singer, composer, television producer, author, educator, Presbyterian minister
Years active	1951–2001
Political party	Republican[1]
Spouse	Joanne Byrd (m. 1952)
Children	2
Awards	Presidential Medal of Freedom (2002)
Signature

In the 1950s, Rogers was not happy with the television shows that children were seeing. He began to write and perform shows for children near the city of Pittsburgh, USA. In 1968, a television company called Eastern Educational Television Network began distributing Rogers's new show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, across the United States on the TV channel WQED. For thirty years, Rogers was a television icon of children's entertainment and education.[3]

Rogers supported many public causes. In the Betamax case, the U.S. Supreme Court used what Rogers said before a lower court to support fair use television recording. Rogers also spoke before a U.S. Senate committee to support government money for children's television.

In August 2001, Rogers retired from recording Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. In October 2002, doctors told him he had stomach cancer. He died from the disease a few months later on February 27, 2003. He was 74 years old.

President George W. Bush honored Rogers with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rogers was also given forty honorary degrees and a Peabody Award. He was added to the Television Hall of Fame. He was number 35 on the TV Guide's Fifty Greatest TV Stars of All Time.[4] The Smithsonian Institution has one of his sweaters as a "Treasure of American History".

Rogers influenced many creators of children's television shows. His shows helped people understand sad and tragic events, even after he died.