Article January 10, 2000 Issue

In the Rogers neighborhood

A conversation with television personality Fred Rogers

By Kim Shippey

For almost fifty years, Fred Rogers has been entertaining television audiences in many parts of the world as executive producer, writer, composer, lyricist, chief puppeteer, and host of a program designed mainly for children, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister, has a degree in music composition, and has been married for forty-seven years to his college sweetheart, concert pianist Joanne Byrd Rogers.

Among the many honors bestowed on Fred over the years, none has meant more to him than the lifetime award he received at the 1997 Daytime Emmys ceremony. He opened his acceptance speech with a familiar phrase, "It's a beautiful night in this neighborhood," and then surprised his television audience of millions in many countries by calling for ten seconds of silence so that everyone could think about and privately thank the people who had made them who they are.

During a Sentinel interview, we asked Fred what had prompted that unusual invitation.

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