Episode 1449
Air Date: May 8, 1975
Previous Episode: 1448
Next Episode: 1450
Mister Rogers arrives with three bean bags which he has recently purchased. Tossing a few of them in the air, he mentions that Don Rapp is visiting the Neighborhood again and is making the bean bags at Elsie Neal's craft shop. Before heading that direction, Mister Rogers sings Let's Be Together Today.
At Elsie Neal's craft shop, Dr. Rapp demonstrates how the bean bags are made. He shows a variety of uses for bean bags such as juggling and several different games. As they play, two neighbors, David and Nick, stop by to pick up a dozen bean bags.
Back at the house, Mister Rogers uses his bean bags to continue playing some of the games he learned from Dr. Rapp.
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Queen Sara and Handyman Negri are making plans to celebrate King Friday's upcoming birthday. At the factory, Handyman Negri checks on the progress that Corney is making with a birthday basket for the King. Corney returns Digger Digorum's basket to Handyman Negri who takes it to the castle where Digger is staying.
Moving on to the clock, Daniel shares that he is making bean bags for the King's birthday that he will put in the bottom of Corney's basket. Inside Digger Digorum's basket, Daniel finds a tiny note written in a different language. The note reads: "If you turn this basket on its side at just the right angle and look very carefully at the bottom, you will see the best entertainers from the bottom of a basket: The Zookeeni Brothers." Of course, a look into the basket reveals a short Zookeeni Brothers performance.
Lady Elaine mentions that she will give King Friday a gift afterall: a new kind of birthday song.
Back at the house, Mister Rogers talks about how giving can sometimes be difficult. He suggests that young viewers think of one of their special possessions which can help them "understand when other people don't give their extra special things to [them]."
Notes
Don Rapp returns for another visit to the Neighborhood after a previous visit in Episode 1407.
The two neighbors who purchase a dozen bean bags from Elsie Neal's shop are David M. Smith (Assistant Art Director) and Nick Tallo (Floor Manager).
Although Corney's full name is typically considered to be "Cornflake S. Pecailly," Handyman Negri addresses him as "Cornelius S. Pecially."
Originally organized as a joke, the Zookeeni Brothers consisted of members of the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood floor crew including Frank Warninsky, Jim Seech, Joe Abeln, David Smith, and Michael John Douglas (later Michael Keaton). Peaches and Cream were played by Mary Rawson and Carol Stewart.
Digger Digorum recognizes that the the secret note found in the bottom of the basket is written in Ugaritic. The note appears to have been written using Ugaritic characters. Based on a quick attempt at rough translation, the characters seem to be random and not representative of an actual message.
Just before seeing the performers in the basket, Digger Digorum shows the inside which reveals the blue screen used for the effect of looking inside the basket.
Appearing In This Episode
- All American All Star One Man Band
- Cornflake S. Pecially
- Daniel Striped Tiger
- David M. Smith
- Digger Digorum
- Elsie Neal
- The Flying Zookeni Brothers
- Handyman Negri
- Lady Elaine Fairchilde
- Mister Rogers
- Nick Tallo
- Peaches & Cream
- Queen Sara Saturday
Guests
- Don Rapp
Songs
Images
Episode Credits
With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Anna Haworth, Elsie Neal, Joe Negri, Don Rapp, David M. Smith, Nick Tallo, The Flying Zookeeni Brothers and the All American All Star One Man Band with Peaches and Cream
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Produced and Directed by Bill Moates
Music Director: John Costa
Produced by Family Communications, Inc. in association with WQED, Pittsburgh
The people who gave the money to make this television visit are the people of Public Television Stations, Ford Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Sears-Roebuck Foundation, and Johnson & Johnson
© 1975, Family Communications, Inc.