Another batch of early episodes

[Neighborhood Archive]

Added another batch of episodes this week to be covered on the Archive. I've still got a few left to detail from the first batch, but once those are done, here are episodes you can expect to see on the Archive in the coming weeks:

0028-0050 (excluding 0045 which has already been covered)
1205
1210
1231-1240 (excluding 1235 & 1236 which have already been covered)
1272-1280 (excluding 1279 which I was unable to get at this time)
1346-1350

Stay tuned...

[mitsguy2001]

Looking forward to those!  Please let us know whether or not Mr. McFeely smokes in Episode 37, and what exactly is said about it.  I had heard somewhere that he blows smoke in Fred's face and Fred started coughing, but I don't know if that is true.

Also, does anyone (Mr. McFeely or anyone else) smoke in any other early episodes?

Thanks.

[Neighborhood Archive]

Please let us know whether or not Mr. McFeely smokes in Episode 37

Ever since I first heard this rumor, I've had a very hard time believing it but was definitely a little curious. When I got this new batch of episodes, one of the first things I did was to do a quick scan through Episode 37. Although I haven't watched it in its entirety yet, I saw nothing at all suggesting that this is even remotely true.

I'll get to detailing this episode in the coming weeks but for know, I think it's pretty safe to say this is just an urban legend.

[mitsguy2001]

Please let us know whether or not Mr. McFeely smokes in Episode 37

Ever since I first heard this rumor, I've had a very hard time believing it but was definitely a little curious. When I got this new batch of episodes, one of the first things I did was to do a quick scan through Episode 37. Although I haven't watched it in its entirety yet, I saw nothing at all suggesting that this is even remotely true.

I'll get to detailing this episode in the coming weeks but for know, I think it's pretty safe to say this is just an urban legend.

Although, the University of Pittsburgh files definitely say that Fred is angered by Mr. McFeely's smoking.  It's possible that maybe smoking is discussed but not shown on camera.  Another possibility (check the production date and set details) is that maybe the episode was later edited to remove the smoking, and you have the edited version.  In fact, I wonder if some of the edited episodes (such as 9 with the new set; 10 where Betty Aberlin seems to have replaced Barbara Russel; and 21 with a production date nearly 5 months after it first aired) maybe were edited to remove smoking.  I also wonder whether or not David Newell smoked in real life, and whether or not he quit (either after the first season or even sometimes later).

[Neighborhood Archive]

the University of Pittsburgh files definitely say that Fred is angered by Mr. McFeely's smoking.

Okay. I'll have to give this a closer look this evening. I'm really curious now.

[Neighborhood Archive]

After watching it in detail, there is definitely no mention of smoking anywhere in Episode 37.

[mitsguy2001]

After watching it in detail, there is definitely no mention of smoking anywhere in Episode 37.

Interesting.  Was there any evidence that it was re-shot after its original airing?  I find it hard to beleive that the University of Pittsburgh files would be that wrong.  So I'm guessing that they probably edited it after its original airing to remove the smoking.  Either that, or it confused it with another episode.  I copied the description below.  Does this sound anything at all like the episoide that you saw?

Summary:

Mr. Rogers paints with water colors. He talks about how he is sometimes angered by Mr. McFeely's smoking. Mr. Rogers finds two pieces of chalk on his porch. Peggy Lipschutz uses the chalk for drawing while Vivian Richman sings.

In the NOM, Coach Saunders exercises with X and Daniel.

Contents:

Songs: Won't you be my neighbor? Let's go right away, Tomorrow.

Credits:

Producer, Fred Rogers ; director, David Fu-Ying Chen ; musical director, John Costa ; consultants, Margaret B. McFarland and Albert V. Corrado.

Performers:

Neighbors: David Newell (Mr. McFeely), Willie Saunders, Peggy Lipschutz, Vivian Richman, Charles Cubolic, Sol Davidson. -- Puppets: Daniel Striped Tiger, X the Owl.

[Neighborhood Archive]

That's the episode described perfectly...minus the smoking part, of course.

[mitsguy2001]

That's the episode described perfectly...minus the smoking part, of course.

Did Mr. McFeely appear in the episode?  What did he do?  Was there any evidence that the episode was reshot, such as the set looking different (compared to other episodes in that era) or a production date that was later than the airdate?  Usually, as I mentioned before, a way to tell an episode was reshot is by looking at Betty's hairstyle (In Episode 21, which was obviously reshot, it looks more like it did in the 1969 season than it did in earlier 1968 episodes or even the assasination special), but she's unfortunately not in that episode (unless she was added in the reshoot, like she was in Episode 10, which is unlikely, since there would have been no reason to reshoot the NOM).

I am now really suspecting that maybe other reshot episodes (such as 9, 10, and 21) could have had someone (Mr. McFeely, or anyone else) smoking.  I also wonder if maybe 1036-1040, 1051-1055, 1056-1060, 1071-1075, or 1121 could have also had smoking.  Although, you said someone smokes a cigar in 1014, but that wasn't reshot.

[Neighborhood Archive]

Did Mr. McFeely appear in the episode?

Yes.

What did he do?

Nothing out of the ordinary. Made a delivery (a guitar) early in the episode and returned later to watch those performing at Mister Rogers' house.

Was there any evidence that the episode was reshot?

Nope. Production date shows 12/13/67. Episode would have aired in early 1968.

[mitsguy2001]

Interesting.  What version of the set did this episode have?  Maybe if it was just one scene that was re-shot, they maybe didn't create a new production slate.

On another note, according to the University of Pittsburgh files, Barbara Russell only appears in 2 episodes: Episodes 1 and 18.  I wonder if she could have been in other episodes (such as 10) and was cut.  If so, I wonder if there was a reason why they would have cut her.  I read somewhere (not sure where) that she had an "advanced sense of humor".  Not sure what that means, but maybe it was too much for kids?  From her posts, it seemed that Betty Aberlin knew Barbara Russell, even though (according to the files) they never appeared in an episode together.  Which leads me to think that maybe they were in episodes together, and Barbara's parts were cut for whatever reason?  I beleive Betty said that Barbara Russell was friends with Don Brockett.  But Barbara Russell and Don Brockett don't appear in any episodes together either (according to the files).

There are a lot of mysteries about these early episodes.

[mitsguy2001]

In any case, based on Tim's blog post, it doesn't seem that Episode 37 was ever edited.  And it also seems unlikely that any weeks that were edited or banned involved smoking either.

Also, it was Fred that said Barbara Russell had an "advanced sense of humor".

[mjb1124]

Looking forward to the new batch, Tim!   Thanks for including some 1972 episodes.

That is very weird about the smoking thing.   I knew the database had some wrong information about songs and such, but that's a pretty glaring error.   I get the impression that whoever compiled that must have not been taking things very seriously.

[MrRogers143]

Tim, I can't wait for the new episodes to come up. I wish I could work with you on The Archive. Like, I wish I could help you with like episode descriptions, or character pages, or things like that.

[mitsguy2001]

Looking forward to the new batch, Tim!   Thanks for including some 1972 episodes.

That is very weird about the smoking thing.   I knew the database had some wrong information about songs and such, but that's a pretty glaring error.   I get the impression that whoever compiled that must have not been taking things very seriously.

And it makes me wonder what else is wrong in the files.  I had always assumed it had minor errors, such as wrong or omitted songs, but am surprised it would include a completely false plot point.