Captain Kangaroo was a children's television series which, in one form or another, ran from 1955 until 1984 on CBS and was later re-run on PBS. Created by and starring Bob Keeshan, the series combined comedy skits with nature lessons, story reading, animated segments, and puppet characters (including Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit).

Though the series was not designed to follow a specific educational curriculum, elements of the Captain Kangaroo format influenced the development of Sesame Street. This was in no small part due to the fact that many of the key members of the Children's Television Workshop, including Dave Connell and Jon Stone, had previously worked on the series. Episodes of Captain Kangaroo were studied to test children's attention spans and to help develop the CTW model.^[1]

When scheduling the first season of Sesame Street, Joan Ganz Cooney and associates deliberately avoided the 8 a.m. timeslot occupied on CBS by Captain Kangaroo, so as not to be in direct competition with what CTW viewed as the only worthwhile network children's show.^[2]

Muppet Mentions[]

• In the 1980s, Matt Robinson was a staff writer for Captain Kangaroo and reused his script for a Roosevelt Franklin skit, specifically the story of Morty Moot Mope. This time, with a more traditional medieval fairytale setting, Mr. Greenjeans (Lumpy Brannum) plays King Morty Moot Mope, while Dennis (Cosmo Allegretti) is Same Sound Brown (more Pied Piper than hipster in appearance). Captain Kangaroo himself plays the storyteller. Outside of an altered ending and the omission of the spanking motif (replaced by putting in a cage in the zoo), the script is little changed. In a later sketch, The Continuing Story of Morty Moot Mope, Same Sound Brown was tasked for a rhyme for the Queen, named Nickel Nare Nellie.

References[]

• Muppets Tonight episode 211 includes a cameo by Bob Keeshan. He appears in character as Captain Kangaroo, wearing the red blazer he adopted during the 1970s and 1980s incarnation of the series.

• In Sesame Street Episode 0068, Gordon shows Big Bird some mail and asks who must have just visited the street. In the script for the episode, Big Bird guesses Captain Kangaroo (in the final cut, he guesses Mister Rogers).

• Big Bird helps Mr. Hooper count the ping-pong balls for Mr. Moose's order in Episode 0459, using props for a gag that the Captain Kangaroo character would often play on the title character.

• In Episode 0640, Biff fills out an order at Hooper's Store for his friend Moose. After requesting for lots of ping-pong balls, Mr. Hooper proceeds to pour a box of them onto Biff's head. Biff responds wondering if he hears a moose laughing.

• In Episode 0658, Big Bird plans to run away from Sesame Street, bringing along his TV set so he won't miss Captain Kangaroo.

• After Mr. Hooper spills a box of ping pong balls on Big Bird in Episode 0677, Big Bird asks if he hears a moose laughing.

• The book Would You Like to Play Hide & Seek in This Book With Lovable, Furry Old Grover? by former Captain Kangaroo staffer Jon Stone features Grover shouting "Mr. Greenjeans," the name of the Captain's chief sidekick.

• Oscar ends his poem in Episode 0999 with a million ping pong balls, again referencing Mr. Moose's prank.

• In Sesame Street Episode 1052, Big Bird reveals he's written his own musical variety show based on the several he's seen on television. He cites examples of Sonny and Cher, Donny & Marie and "the Captain and Kangaroo" (a malaprop for Captain & Tennille).

• When Oscar calls for service on an airplane in Episode 1091, he calls out for Captain Kangaroo.

• Big Bird mentions having a letter to Captain Kangaroo among various other items that rhyme with "two" in his nest area in Episode 1134.

• Ernie can be seen watching "Captain Hippopotamus" in Big Bird's Look and Listen Book.

• In Sesame Street Episode 1195, Big Bird gives a lesson on heavy and light. Among his examples of light objects are ping-pong balls. Big Bird quips, "Just ask Mr. Moose."

• Big Bird remarks in Episode 1660 of Sesame Street that the library he opened took up much of his spare time, which included "watching the Captain."

• In Sesame Street Episode 1741, Forgetful Jones almost welcomes the viewer to the Captain's Treasure House, stopping himself at "the Captain -" before realizing he's mistaken.

• Oscar litters the street with ping-pong balls for a game in Episode 1823 of Sesame Street, at one point quipping, "Mr. Moose, eat your heart out!"

• In the Sesame Street Live show Big Bird's Sesame Street Story, when tasked with a title for the show that would become Sesame Street, Big Bird considers calling the show "Captain Kangabird."

• Herry's Mother says that Flossie was watching Captain Koala before her nap in the 1989 book It's No Fun to Be Sick!

• A "Trivial But True" entry in The Muppet CD-ROM: Muppets Inside reads, "Captain Kangaroo isn't really a kangaroo. And we don't believe he's a real captain either, because they don't allow kangaroos to join the Navy."

• Amongst the updates Rentro has for Singer at the beginning of Muppets from Space, he notes that his Captain Kangaroo pajamas have arrived.

Connections[]

• Pearl Bailey guest starred
• John Canemaker worked on animated transitions and inserts in the 1970s
• Kevin Clash played Kevin the college student, various sketch roles, and built and performed Artie and other puppets (credited as "The Kevin Clash Puppets") in the 1980s
• David Connell was executive producer during the 1960s
• Bill Cosby appeared in regular "Picture Pages" segments beginning in 1980
• Clark Gesner wrote and composed for the program and for the book-and-record set Finnerty Flynn and the Singing City
• Samuel Y. Gibbon, Jr. was an associate producer and writer for the series.
• Margaret Hamilton guest starred
• Doug Henning guest starred
• Hal Linden guest starred
• Jim Martin puppeteered with "The Kevin Clash Puppets" in the 1980s
• Bill McCutcheon played Mr. Homan from 1965-1966
• Jeff Moss worked as a production assistant and later wrote scripts and songs in the 1960s
• Dolly Parton guest starred
• Joan Rivers guest starred in the 1970s, playing Patty Pickles
• Matt Robinson wrote for the series in the 1980s
• Fred Rogers guest starred
• Daniel Seagren provided voices and designed and built puppets for "The Adventures of Slim Goodbody in Nutri-City" segments
• Jon Stone wrote and directed for the series in the 1960s
• Alice Tweedie provided voices for "The Adventures of Slim Goodbody in Nutri-City" segments
• Tom Whedon wrote for the series in the 1950s and the 1960s

Sources[]

External links[]

• Tvparty.com: Article on the connections between Captain Kangaroo and Sesame Street