Episode 1299

Air Date: April 12, 1973
Previous Episode: 1298
Next Episode: 1300

Mister Rogers arrives with a bag of potatoes -- both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes. In the kitchen, he shows two potatoes he put in water that have now grown into plants and observes the differences between the two.

Mr. McFeely delivers an ocarina -- an instrument from Negri's Music Shop which is often referred to as a "sweet potato." An invitation is extended to Mister Rogers to visit the shop where a bluegrass band is rehearsing.

At Negri's Music Shop, Mister Rogers is introduced to the bluegrass band -- The Dixie Travelers.

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Chef Brockett plays the ocarina while Lady Elaine Fairchilde dances and she suggests he take the role of a potato bug in the upcoming opera. The roles of a king and a pilot still need to be filled. King Friday XIII delivers the bad news that he will be unable to perform in the opera due to the fact that he is currently "settling several wars at once." He agrees to give Yoshi Ito time off to play the part of the pilot and suggests Francois Clemmons for the role of the king. Lady Aberlin rehearses a song she will sing in the opera -- Who Wants to Be a Cow.

Back at the house, Mister Rogers sings the same song before Francois Clemmons returns to the Neighborhood and picks up the key to his studio.

Appearing In This Episode

• Chef Brockett
• Debbie Neal
• Franois Clemmons
• Joe Negri
• King Friday XIII
• Lady Aberlin
• Lady Elaine Fairchilde
• Mister Rogers
• Mr. McFeely
• Reardon

Guests

• The Dixie Travelers

Songs

• It's Such a Good Feeling
• The Potato Bug Song
• The Weekend Song
• Who Wants to Be a Cow?
• Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Images

Episode Credits

With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Don Brockett, Francois Clemmons, Debbie Neal (uncredited), Joe Negri, David Newell
with John Reardon
with The Dixie Travelers - Bob Artis, Norman Azinger, Tim Nesiti, Michael Orrvick, WIlliam Zirngibl
Produced and Directed by Bob Walsh
Music Director: John Costa

Produced by Family Communications, Inc. in association with WQED, Pittsburgh

The people who gave the money to make this television visit are the people of The Sears Roebuck Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

© 1973, 1974 Family Communications, Inc.