Episode 1595

Topic: Kindness and Unkindness
Air Date: May 6, 1988
Previous Episode: 1594 - Kindness and Unkindness
Next Episode: 1596 - Secrets
Purchase/Stream: Amazon

Mister Rogers arrives with a homemade crown made by a friend.

He recalls a time when he was discouraged when someone told him he could not do something well. Mister Rogers kindly answers a phone call which turns out to be a wrong number before he talks about being polite on the phone.

Before a visit from accordian player Guy Klucevsek, Mister Rogers uses his dictionary to look up the word "accordian."

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, X the Owl and his cousin Mary continue their OCS course in people watching.

Meanwhile, Sir Thomas Tune gains a great deal of popularity among the school children and convinces King Friday to allow both the new schooling method and the old.

Back at the house, Mister Rogers concludes by singing It's You I Like.

Notes

The part of Thomas T. Tune is played by Tommy Tune, a well-known choreographer.

The children use their rhythm instruments to play Everybody's Fancy for Sir Thomas Tune.

This episode contains another of the many subtle lessons that you aren't likely to see on other television programs. While most children's shows focus on academic learning, Mister Rogers' lesson on how to talk on the phone signifies the importance he placed showing character through everyday actions.

For what it's worth, Mister Rogers tells the caller that they must be looking for the person at phone number 143-6870. Of course, there is no city in the U.S. with a "143" prefix -- "143" is Fred Rogers' code for "I Love You." Each number signifies the number of letters in each word.

The number offered to the caller who phones Mister Rogers' house is the same number found on the collar of the lost cat in Episode 1593.

This episode is featured on the 1994 VHS release Kindness.

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

Appearing In This Episode

Guests

Guy Klucevsek
Tommy Tune

Songs

Images

Episode Credits

With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Michael Horton, Guy Klucevsek, Lenny Meledandri, Carole Muller, Mary Rawson, Bob Trow, Tommy Tune
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Producer: Margaret Whitmer
Director: Paul Lally
Associate Producer: Adrienne Wehr
Music Director: John Costa
Editor: Randy Strothman
Art Director: Jack Guest
Properties: Eloise Albrecht
Production Assistants: Lenny Meledandri, Ellen Moore
Lead Technician: Ken Anderson
Studio Supervisor: Doug Coates
Production Coordinator: Mark Smukler
Assistant Director: Rich Dwyer
Technical Director: Jack Arthurs
Lighting Director: Frank Warninsky
Assistant Lighting Director: Mike Reid
Video: Tom Deluga
Studio Cameras: Don McCall, Bob Vaughn, Art Vogel
Audio: Dick LaSota
Videotape: Don McCall, Bill Moore, Don Williamson
Floor Manager: Nick Tallo
Assistant Floor Manager: Jim Seech
Location Production: Mark Adelsheim, John Burdick, John Fitzpatrick, Jerry Hughes, Bob Lubomski, Marla Mauer, Joe Seamans, Richard Seig
Carpenter: Rich Karapandi
Scenic Artists: Sally Cox, Jim Hicks, Beth Ann Zamborsky
Costumer: Barbara Anderson
Musicians: Carl McVicker, Bob Rawsthorne
Consultants: Albert V. Corrado M.D., Margaret B. McFarland Ph.D.
Director of Production: Sam Newbury
Videotape Editor: Kevin Conrad
Videotape Sound: Dennis Williams