In 1955, a TV show debuted on CBS. It was a morning show aimed at children. The show's creator, Bob Keeshan, was a talented individual with a love for kids. He was low-key, patient, and appealing to young ones.
The show would last an incredible 29 years, providing loving memories for many generations of Boomers.
The Captain had familiar guest stars, including Mr. Green Jeans, the New Old Folk Singer, and Mr. Bainter, the Painter. These were all played by veteran character actor Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum.
The Captain himself played the Town Clown who had the most enormous shoes I have ever seen.
Another funky visitor was the Banana Man. Here's his act in a nutshell, from original Banana Man A. Robins' brochure:
Dressed in clown attire and pushing his trunk on wheels, Robins enters singing his shrill, absurd melody. He then proceeds to produce from his pockets whole bunches of bananas, pineapples, watermelons, banjos, violin, about everything under the sun - he changes wardrobe and character three times, right before your eyes - he fills three trunks with his hundreds of props, converts the trunks into a train, and as the engineer, drives the whole string of cars offstage.
Now THAT's entertainment!
Other familiar faces were the puppets: Mr. Moose (whose corny jokes always seemed to trigger a ping-pong ball shower on the hapless Captain), Bunny Rabbit, Miss Frog, Mr. Whispers, and Miss Worm.
Additionally, Dancing Bear would come out and do his thing every show.
The show also featured a really cool picture that would draw itself while you watched. The pen lines would magically appear while a song played in the background.
And the songs! The first time I watched Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, I recognized opening tune Big Rock Candy Mountain as one I'd heard on Captain Kangaroo in the 60's. Cool stuff!
There is an urban legend going around that has Lee Marvin giving kudos to Keeshan for being a war hero. While you want to believe it, unfortunately there is nothing to it. Keeshan signed up for the Marines, but didn't see any action.
Keeshan did have discernment, though. When a remake of the show was launched in 1997, he was invited to appear as the Admiral. He viewed a few episodes and declared that he wanted nothing to do with it.
Good call, Captain.
Comments (7)
I never really got into this show for some reason. It always seemed boring to me.
Posted by Rhea | January 9, 2007 2:59 PM
Posted on January 9, 2007 14:59
I loved Capt. Kangaroo! I watched him everyday.
Do you remember a show called Mr. Twinkle or Mr. Twinky? He was on in the 50's and was a little boy with a star on his head. I loved that show too.
Posted by Liz | March 28, 2007 2:09 AM
Posted on March 28, 2007 02:09
iwasjust thinking of that thismorning.when i awoke..not hard t figure'''
a. j;'
b. j;'//
wddyathinkeh(CDN(_))
idoremember the gun carriagentuen salute...
wsup!!home today,,hear?
Posted by me | May 23, 2007 10:34 AM
Posted on May 23, 2007 10:34
K,good--for the time, it was on==
there was a certain lack of connection with "the real world"
would like to exploare moare...
did not connect with immediate issues:
mayabheIwsajust missing something"?==help me out!
Posted by me | May 23, 2007 10:49 AM
Posted on May 23, 2007 10:49
I think the reason some kids found Keeshan boring was that he was prob the most low-key kids host ever...remember, he was mute, for chrissakes, on howdy for 10 years...
The captain was so laid back he made Mr. Rogers look like a methamphetamine-addled
livewire.
I do think the captains'
"staff" should have brought him a black coffee at least once in awhile. Thank god for
"Mr. Moose", who at least livened things up with the ping-pong avalanch, much like electric-shock therapy
on a chronic depressive.
Posted by scott | July 20, 2007 6:04 AM
Posted on July 20, 2007 06:04
I have vague memories of CK! I do remember Mr. Moose, Green Jeans and the dancing bear! The Captian's low key is why I liked him! His haircut was a little disturbing, but that's ok! Wasn't their a Grandfather Clock character also?
Posted by Rivers End | May 29, 2009 7:48 PM
Posted on May 29, 2009 19:48
I watched the Captain but I was never crazy about the show but it was all that was on at that time of the morning. Some of the book readings were cool. The ping pong balls were all right. But the Captain was a likeable cool guy. To me, this was typical of much of TV at that time. It was not really all that good to many kids who watched. That we watched was not necessarily a sign it was good. We wanted to be entertained. Demanding little things, weren’t we? I remember when Astroboy was on just after the Captain for a year or 2, during my sub-primary year in school at age 5/6. At the time, I was crazy about Astroboy. Having viewed some rented DVDs, I am not as sure why I was so big on it other than Astroboy himself seemed to strike a sympathetic cord.
Astroboy does have a small cult like following and did some of start the Anime thing, but it was poor animation as a whole.
I had not seen the Captain in many years when in the mid or late 80s, I was watching some British comedy on PBS, staring some of those who had been on the “Young Ones” when I heard this theme song that I immediately found very familiar but could not place it. I am not sure when it dawned on me that it was the theme to Captain Kangaroo.
Posted by Scott Irv | May 29, 2009 11:21 PM
Posted on May 29, 2009 23:21