Episode 1593
Topic: Kindness and Unkindness
Air Date: May 4, 1988
Previous Episode: 1592 - Kindness and Unkindness
Next Episode: 1594 - Kindness and Unkindness
Purchase/Stream: Amazon
Mister Roges arrives with a jump rope which he takes outside to demonstrate. He talks about how you must practice in order to become better at things before he sings You've Got To Do It. Marilyn Barnett stops by along with three students who demonstrate their superb jump rope skills and talk about their plans for bird watching.
Back inside, Mister Rogers shows a pair of binnoculars and shares a book about birds.
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Aberlin encourages Prince Tuesday to be honest with his father about wanting to stay at the Someplace Else school. Meanwhile, X and his cousin Mary do some people watching before Lady Aberlin finds out from Mary that Sir Thomas is actually a very good teacher.
Back at the house, Mr. McFeely finds a lost cat on Mister Rogers' porch and calls its owner.
Mister Rogers concludes by singing I'm Taking Care of You.
Notes
Early in this episode, Marilyn Barnett stops by, as she often does in the Neighborhood, to demostrate a form of physical activity. This time, she brings along three young people -- Kiyonna, Eve, and Rashidi. The children demonstrate some excellent jump rope skills and clearly impress Mister Rogers.
Rashidi, 10 years old at the time, is the son of Marilyn Barnett and was kind enough to provide the following comments:
I was 10 years old when this particular episode was shot. I remember my Mom and I going into the basement trying to figure out what I was going to do and say. It was pretty exciting for me, going on the set of Mr. Rogers. I literally lived in his neighborhood, just a few blocks, but being on the set was a lot more exciting. I expected him to be exactly how he was on TV, and he was. The second highlight of my day was always seeing Trolley and the land of Make-Believe.
He would spend a few moments before shooting talking to me, and the rest of the kids that were on the show with me. Most of us actually went to school together.
I also remember when they opened up Mister Roger's Neighborhood at Idlewild Park the following somewhere, and they shut down the park just for us. He would always come up to me and say hello. I never would go up to him, because I didn't think he would remember me, but he did.
The last time I saw Mr. Rogers, was in 2000, at my father's funeral. He showed up to give his condolences and shared some kind words with us. He was definitely always warm spirited and friendly.
- Rashidi Barnett [Age 31]
Calling the number found on the lost cat's collar, Mr. McFeely dials 143-6870. This is the same number Mister Rogers offers to a caller who phones his house by accident in Episode 1595.
This episode is included on the DVD Kindness Collection.
Appearing In This Episode
- Cousin Mary Owl
- King Friday XIII
- Lady Aberlin
- Marilyn Barnett
- Mister Rogers
- Mr. McFeely
- Prince Tuesday
- X the Owl
Guests
- Eve Singer
- Kiyonna Harris
- Rashidi Barnett
Songs
- I'm Taking Care of You
- It's Such a Good Feeling
- Owl Correspondence School
- The Weekend Song
- Won't You Be My Neighbor?
- You've Got To Do It
Images
Episode Credits
With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Marilyn Barnett, Rashidi Barnett, Kiyonna Harris, Lenny Meledandri, David Newell, Mary Rawson, Eve Singer
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Producer: Margaret Whitmer
Director: Paul Lally
Associate Producer: Adrienne Wehr
Music Director: John Costa
Produced in association with WQED/Pittsburgh
A production of Family Communications
© 1988 Family Communications, Inc.