Episode 1500

Topic: Pets
Air Date: June 4, 1982
Previous Episode: 1499 - Pets
Next Episode: 1501 - Make-Believe (Creativity)
Purchase/Stream: Amazon

Mister Rogers arrives with a collection of animal paintings made by some young friends. After looking at the paintings, he invites viewers along as he visits the Neighborhood Zoo.

At the Zoo, Mister Rogers meets Barbara Bingham who allows him to help feed the panda bears. Mister Rogers then goes on to see elephants, giraffes, tigers, and lions.

Back at the house, Mister Rogers talks about there was not a zoo nearby when he was a child. It was during a parade when he was able to see different kinds of animals.

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, the parade is underway in celebration of Ana's birthday. Led by a drum-playing Purple Panda, the parade includes a whale, an elephant, Bob Dog, a clown, Mr. McFeely, and Lady Aberlin. As the parade passes by the Platypus mound, Lady Aberlin presents Ana with her birthday gift -- the pet kitten she had hoped for.

Moving on to a smaller celebration, Daniel Tiger and Prince Tuesday enjoy a birthday picnic with Ana and Lady Aberlin. Daniel give Ana the truck he made for her while Prince Tuesday recites a birthday poem. Back at the castle, King Friday is none too happy as he feels that birthdays should celebrated in grand fashion. Something as small and quiet as a picnic is unacceptable! However, as he and Handyman Negri arrive at the site of the picnic, King Friday realizes that not everyone thinks like he does -- "My my. Everyone likes different things."

Back at the house, Mister Rogers reinforces the idea that small and simple is okay and oftentimes better than loud and extravagant. After talking about the many ways that Ana was shown love on her birthday, Mister Rogers wraps up for the week by singing Many Ways to Say I Love You.

Notes

The "Neighborhood Zoo" in this episode is actually the Washington National Zoo.

Typically, when a character is featured on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, no matter how small their part, the cast member behind that character is listed in the credits. On this particular episode, we see Purple Panda leading the parade but none of the usual cast members who played Purple Panda is credited.

As Mister Rogers goes to see the elephants, We Are Elephants plays in the background.

This episode is included on the It's a Beautiful Day Collection (DVD).

Appearing In This Episode

• Ana Platypus
• Bob Dog
• Cornflake S. Pecially
• Daniel Striped Tiger
• Dr. Bill Platypus
• Elsie Jean Platypus
• Handyman Negri
• Harriett Elizabeth Cow
• Henrietta Pussycat
• King Friday XIII
• Lady Aberlin
• Lady Elaine Fairchilde
• Miss Paulificate
• Mister Rogers
• Mr. McFeely
• Prince Tuesday
• Purple Panda
• Queen Sara Saturday
• X the Owl

Guests

• Barbara Bingham

Songs

• Children's Marching Music
• It's Such a Good Feeling
• Many Ways to Say I Love You
• The Weekend Song
• Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Images

Episode Credits

With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Charles Altman, Bill Barker, Barbara Bingham, Carole Muller, Joe Negri, David Newell, Audrey Roth, Bob Trow
Special thanks to The Washington National Zoo
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Producer: Sam Newbury
Director: Paul Lally
Associate Producer: Margy Whitmer
Music Director: John Costa
Art Director: Jack Guest
Properties: Jan Pascale
Technical Supervisor: Ken Anderson
Studio Supervisor: Mark Adelsheim
Producation Coordinator: John Cosgrove
Assistant Director: Wayne Morris
Technical Director: Jim Ochtun
Lighting Director: Frank Warninsky
Video: Tom Deluga
Studio Cameras: Bob Vaughn, Art Vogel
Studio Audio: Dick LaSota
Videotape: Don McCall
Floor Manager: Nick Tallo
Production Crew: Doug Coates, Kate Kearney, Jimmy Seech, Tom Wholey
Location Production: Norris Brock, Paul Dunlap, Interface Video Systems, Mark Knobil, Joe Seamans, John Sutton
Carpenters: Rich Karapandi, Patsy Gianelli
Scenic Artists: Kathleen Corton, Frederika Gray, Pat Mueller, Tom Vitolo
Specialty Animal Puppets: Susan O'Neill
Production Assistants: Viki Gedrys, Lenny Meledandri
Musicians: Carl McVicker, Bob Rawsthorne
Film Editor: Michael Colonna
Post Production: TPC Communications Inc.
Videotape Editors: Chuck Aikman, Nicholas Spies
Audio Mixers: Bill Forsythe, Greg Lesko
Consultants: Albert V. Corrado M.D., Margaret B. McFarland Ph.D.

Produced in association with WQED/Pittsburgh
A production of Family Communications
© 1982 Family Communications, Inc.