Episode 1476
Topic: Divorce
Air Date: February 16, 1981
Previous Episode: 1475 - Mister Rogers Makes an Opera (Windstorm in Bubbleland)
Next Episode: 1477 - Divorce
Purchase/Stream: Amazon
Mister Rogers arrives with a stack of paper cups which he takes to the kitchen and uses to build a tower and a building. Just as Mister Rogers is beginning to play a game with three cups and a stone, Mr. McFeely stops by the back door with a piece of sheet music he found while unpacking a delivery crate.
Mister Rogers takes the music to the piano where he plays the song for Mr. McFeely. The song is one that reminds Mr. McFeely of his wedding day and he spends the next several minutes reflecting on that event. After remembering his wedding day, Mr. McFeely and Mister Rogers talk about how people are not always happy but as soon as the topic of divorce comes up, Mr. McFeely hurries out the door. Returning to the kitchen, Mister Rogers talks to viewers about a couple he knows who got a divorce and how that separation affected the children in the family.
In a very brief time of Make-Believe, the royal family is having a picnic when they meet Krista Jayne Bacardi and her daughter, Patty. As Prince Tuesday heads off to play with Patty, he learns that her parents are divorced.
Returning to the kitchen, Mister Rogers continues talking about divorce and how Prince Tuesday may have felt when he found out Patty's parents were divorced.
Back in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Prince Tuesday is worried about a disagreement between his parents caused by King Friday's talk about jet planes. As he talks to Lady Aberlin about his feelings Mr. McFeely stops by on his way to deliver a machine to Corney's factory. Mr. McFeely and Lady Aberlin explain to Prince Tuesday that machines don't have feelings but people do -- and he will always be a person with feelings. Prince Tuesday is called inside and Lady Aberlin delivers the machine to Corney. Lady Elaine is eager to find out what the machine is for but becomes angry when Corney will not tell her.
Concluding for the day, Mister Rogers talks about the differences between people and machines before he sings Please Don't Think It's Funny and cleans up the paper cups in the kitchen.
Notes
Mister Rogers uses a small stone and three cups to play a game where he hides the stone under one cup and moves them around as viewers are to keep their eyes on the cup hiding the stone. Mister Rogers, however, seems oblivious to his clear disadvantage -- all three cups are different colors.
Mr. McFeely mentions that he and Mrs. McFeely have been "married for 45 years." This episode aired in 1981 which means they would have married in 1936. Estimating that Mr. McFeely was 20 when he married, theoretically he would have been 85 years old when Mister Rogers' Neighborhood ended in 2001!
According to a 2013 article in the Daily Herald -- a suburban Chicago news source -- David Newell's real wife, Nan, played the part of the maid of honor in the wedding film. He refers to her in this episode as "Betsy's sister."
The wedding officiant for the McFeely's wedding was portrayed by Charles Altman, the voice of Prince Tuesday during this era of episodes.
Unlike other episodes from the post-1979 era, the opening does not show text of the week's topic.
This episode is the first where Mister Rogers sings an alternate version of the Weekend Song to close an episode other than one ending the week.
Appearing In This Episode
- Cornflake S. Pecially
- King Friday XIII
- Kristajayne Bacardi
- Lady Aberlin
- Lady Elaine Fairchilde
- Mister Rogers
- Mr. McFeely
- Patty Bacardi
- Prince Tuesday
- Queen Sara Saturday
Songs
Images
Episode Credits
With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Charles Altman, Elaine Lynch, David Newell
Special thanks to: Dale English; The People of Oakmont, PA
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Produced and Directed by Hugh Martin
Associate Producer: Cathy Cohen
Music Director: John Costa
Produced in association with WQED/Pittsburgh
A production of Family Communications
© 1981 Family Communications, Inc.