Episode 1486
Topic: Play
Air Date: July 20, 1981
Previous Episode: 1485 - Competition
Next Episode: 1487 - Play
Purchase/Stream: Amazon
Mister Rogers arrives with his ventriloquist dummy, Hischer Booptrunk, which he places in the porch swing. After changing into his sweater and sneakers, Mister Rogers returns to the porch where he demonstrates how Hischer works.
Mr. McFeely stops by on his new delivery tricycle as he is on his way to deliver a walker to someone who was recently in an accident. After he and Mister Rogers demonstrate the walker, Mister Rogers goes back inside where he pretends that Hischer has fallen from the banister. This leads to a discussion about getting hurt and how it feels nice to have someone you love nearby when accidents happen. Mister Rogers then sings Please Don't Think It's Funny.
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Handyman Negri is on his ladder cleaning the top of the castle when Bob Dog receives a call that there is a ball stuck in X the Owl's tree. Borrowing Handyman Negri's ladder, Bob Dog goes to the tree to help but upon finding the ball atop the tree, he slips from the ladder and falls to the ground.
After Dr. Bill is brought in for help, it is decided that Bob Dog should be taken to the hospital. On the way, King Friday finds out about the accident and bans all play in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
Back at the house, Mister Rogers shows a takes a ride around the room on a wooden toy tractor before viewing a film about how the tractors are made. Afterwards, he talks about the importance of playing safe and then sings By Pretending.
Notes
Call me naive, but I'm fairly certain that that's a real person falling to the ground in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and not a dummy substituted for this scene. If it is a real person, honestly, the fall looks somewhat painful. While I'm not sure if this is a real person or not, I am 100% certain that the foot flies off the Bob Dog costume as a result of the impact (see the arrow in the image below on the right).
As the Trolley arrives in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, the castle fountain is not seen. However, just moments later when Mr. McFeely arrives at the castle, the fountain is present.
A dark purple cover underneath the Trolley track is used to hide the puppeteers (likely Fred Rogers) as King Friday and Queen Sara stand outside the castle.
Straying a bit from his established norm, Mister Rogers does not close this episode with the daily variation of the Weekend Song.
This episode is included on the DVD Kindness Collection.
Appearing In This Episode
- Bob Dog
- Dr. Bill Platypus
- Grandpere
- Handyman Negri
- Henrietta Pussycat
- Hischer Booptrunk
- King Friday XIII
- Mister Rogers
- Mr. McFeely
- Queen Sara Saturday
- X the Owl
Songs
Images
Episode Credits
With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Bill Barker, Joe Negri, David Newell, Bob Trow
Special thanks to: Woodcrafters Inc.
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Produced & 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.