THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARCHIVE - All Things Mister Rogers

Episode 1125

Air Date: April 24, 1970
Previous Episode: 1124
Next Episode: 1126

Mister Rogers arrives with a vanda orchid plant and explains that they are used in Hawaii to make leis. Also mentioning that there are a lot of pineapples in Hawaii, Mister Rogers is reminded of the Neighborhood of Make Believe's opera -- Pineapples and Tomatoes.

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, final plans are coming together for the opera as Reardon checks the last-minute details.

Before the opera, Reardon introduces the cast to King Friday and Queen Sara:

Opera Operator - Lady Aberlin
Housewife who likes tomatoes - Lady Elaine Fairchilde
Benjamin Franklin - X the Owl
Vice President of the Pineapple Can Telephone Company - Reardon

The opera begins with a song and dance by Operator Aberlin who sings about the quality service provided by the Pineapple Can Telephone Company. Operator Aberlin receives a call from Vice President Reardon who invites her to his office to meet Benjamin Franklin.

As Operator Aberlin serves pineapple juice to Benjamin Franklin, Reardon takes a call from an angry Lady Elaine Fairchilde who expresses her distaste for pineapples and preference for tomatoes. Seeking to change her opinion, Reardon leaves to visit Lady Elaine.

Scene 2 opens with a song about tomatoes by Lady Elaine. VP Reardon arrives and finds that Lady Elaine has replaced the picture on her pineapple can with a picture of a tomato. Expressing that she likes tomatoes because of their red color, Reardon invites Lady Elaine back to his office so he can give her a more appropriate phone.

Scene 3 returns the audience to the Pineapple Can Telephone Company where Operator Aberlin is worried because the Vice President has not yet returned. Reardon returns and presents Lady Elaine with a red pineapple can. Lady Elaine departs and is followed by Ben Franklin who intends to help her install her new phone. Meanwhile, Lady Aberlin returns to her workstation but is distracted by her love for the Vice President. The opera concludes with VP Reardon joining Operator Aberlin and expressing a mutual feeling for her.

Back at the house, Mister Rogers wraps up by mentioning that "everybody likes different things because everyone is different inside. That's why each person's so special."

Notes

The glasses certainly add to X's Ben Franklin costume, but the key is the skin-toned bald wig worn atop X's blue head!

Appearing In This Episode

Songs

Images

Episode Credits

Produced by WQED Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in association with Small World Enterpriese, Inc. for N.E.T.

Producer-Writer: Fred Rogers
Associate Producer-Director: David Fu-Ying Chen
Music Director: Johnny Costa
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, John Reardon
Hawaii film courtesy of David Newell

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