Episode 1193
Air Date: May 12, 1971
Previous Episode: 1192
Next Episode: 1194
Mister Rogers shares photos of Van Cliburn and himself when they were young boys and talks about how children grow into adults. He suggests that some people -- including Mr. McFeely -- become grandfathers. Mister Rogers calls Mr. McFeely who says he will try to locate some pictures of himself when he was a boy.
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Collette is preparing to return to Paris and is given a "key to the kingdom" by Grandpere. Before leaving, she asks to see King Friday who is joined by Lady Elaine Fairchilde in saying goodbye.
At the Museum-Go-Round, Lady Elaine offers to teach Van Cliburn a new way to play the piano but he is not interested in her suggested methods of playing with the backs of his fingers or with his elbows. Taking things a bit too far, Lady Elaine turns Mr. Cliburn and his piano upside down. Playing the piano upside down, Mr. Cliburn declares that he much prefers playing right side up before being returned to his normal position by Lady Elaine and her boomerang.
Back at the house, Mister Rogers is invited to the McFeelys' home where Mr. McFeely is relaxing on his porch and shares some old films. Mr. McFeely also mentions another one of his hobbies -- model making -- and shows a project he has been working on. Returning to his house, Mister Rogers suggests making a Trolley out of a box before he concludes by singing Children Can.
Notes
While the pictures Mister Rogers shares of himself come from a photo album, the pictures of Van Cliburn are from a book called The Van Cliburn Legend. This book was written by Abram Chasins and Villa Stiles in 1959 and is available for purchase through Amazon.com.
As Mister Rogers shows pictures of himself as a boy, Won't You Be My Neighbor plays in the background. When the episode transitions to Mr. McFeely's home, Let's Be Together Today plays while I Like To Take My Time plays as Mister Rogers returns to his own house.
Going inside the Museum-Go-Round, Lady Elaine has a piano waiting in the "Van Cliburn Room."
In order to return himself to an upright position, Van Cliburn is instructed to play a "C sharp scale in six" as Lady Elaine says "boomerang toomerang soomerang."
The scene with Van Cliburn playing upside down is later shown in Episode 1454.
Appearing In This Episode
Guests
- Van Cliburn
Songs
Images
Episode Credits
Produced by WQED Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in association with Small World Enterpriese, Inc. for N.E.T.
Created by Fred Rogers
Produced and directed by Sam Silberman
Written by Eliot A. Daley, Fred Rogers
Music Director: John Costa
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Van Cliburn, David Newell
Historical footage provided by Cinedex, WITF
Production funds for this television visit were provided by a grant from the Sears-Roebuck Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
© 1971 National Educational Television and Radio Center