Episode 1611

Topic: When Parents Go To Work
Air Date: November 20, 1989
Previous Episode: 1610 - Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe
Next Episode: 1612 - When Parents Go To Work
Purchase/Stream: Amazon

Mister Rogers arrives with a toy elephant but doesn't have a chance to say much about it before taking a call from Joe Negri. At the Music Shop, Mr. Negri is giving guitar lessons to three boys who demonstrate their talents for Mister Rogers by playing Everybody's Fancy. They then play Many Ways to Say I Love You as Mister Rogers sings along.

Helena, an employee of Negri's Music Shop, takes a phone call from her son who is upset. Mr. Negri allows Helena to leave her job to attend to her son. In her absence, Mister Rogers stays at the shop to help out organize the display case. Using a melodica, he plays It's You I Like as Mr. Negri plays along on the guitar.

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Handyman Negri is giving a guitar lesson to Prince Tuesday when King Friday arrives an announces that he will be visiting another neighborhood on a special work project. Almost immediately, Queen Sara mentions that an office employee of Food for the World is sick and her help is needed. Princess Zelda arrives and a clearly disappointed Prince Tuesday mentions that his mother and father are both away working. Looking for the elephant costume used in the Josephine play, Princess Zelda is directed towards the C room of the castle where she is amazed by all of the things there that start with C. When they find the costumes from the play, Handyman Negri and Princess Zelda put on the elephant heads and sing We Are Elephants. Not in much of a playful mood, Prince Tuesday expresses his anger at his parents' absence. Princess Zelda makes up a song called Nobody Likes It.

Back at Negri's Music Shop, Mr. Negri gives Mister Rogers a melodica as compensation for his help. Before Mister Rogers leaves, Mr. Negri mentions that Natasha, a famous oboist, will be visiting later in the week.

Returning to the house, Mister Rogers talks about the importance of expressing your true feelings when you're feeling angry.

Notes

Joe Negri explains his reason for allowing Helena to leave work: "That is one thing about this neighborhood. Families and children come first."

The Trolley is not seen entering the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Instead, Joe Negri/Handyman Negri play a sound on the guitar similar to what it typically heard as the Trolley enters the Neighborhood.

Appearing In This Episode

• Handyman Negri
• Helena Ruoti
• Joe Negri
• King Friday XIII
• Mister Rogers
• Prince Tuesday
• Princess Zelda
• Queen Sara Saturday

Guests

• Anirban Roy
• Ben Yogman
• Lee Katsafanas

Songs

• Everybody's Fancy
• It's Such a Good Feeling
• It's You I Like
• Many Ways to Say I Love You
• Nobody Likes It
• We Are Elephants
• The Weekend Song
• Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Images

Episode Credits

With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Lee Katsafanas, Lenny Meledandri, Joe Negri, Zelda Pulliam, Anirban Roy, Helena Ruoti, Ben Yogman
Executive Producer: Fred Rogers
Producer: Margaret Whitmer
Director: Bob Muens
Associate Producer: Adrienne Wehr
Music Director: John Costa

Produced in association with WQED/Pittsburgh
A production of Family Communications
©1989 Family Communications, Inc.