BOB KEESHAN
Name: Robert James Keeshan
Born: 27 June 1927 Lynbrook, New York, U.S.
Died: 23 January 2004 Windsor, Vermont U.S.
Robert James Keeshan (June 27, 1927 – January 23, 2004) was an American
television producer and actor. He is most famous as the title character of the
children's television program Captain Kangaroo, which became an icon for
millions of baby boomers during its 30-year run from 1955-1984.
Keeshan also played the original "Clarabell the Clown" on the Howdy Doody
television program.
Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, New York, and attended Fordham University after
serving in the United States Marine Corps reserve during World War II. A
persistent rumor is that actor Lee Marvin appeared on "The Tonight Show" and
said he had served in the Marine Corps fighting alongside Keeshan at the Battle
of Iwo Jima. Marvin never told the story, never served on Iwo Jima (having been
invalided out after the battle of Saipan months earlier), and Keeshan never saw
combat or overseas duty, having enlisted just before the end of the war.
After World War II, network television programs for children were new. On Howdy
Doody, an early show which premiered in 1947 on NBC. Debuting on January 3, 1948,
Keeshan played "Clarabell the Clown", a silent Auguste clown who mainly
communicated by honking horns attached to a belt around his waist (one of the
horns meant "yes"; the other horn meant "no"). Clarabell often spritzed Buffalo
Bob Smith with a seltzer bottle and played practical jokes. He gave up the role
in 1952, and was replaced by another actor.
In August of 1953, Bob Keeshan was back on the air on WABC-TV (New York City),
doing a new children’s show, Time for Fun, playing the role of Corny the Clown,
a clown who spoke. Later that same year, in addition to Time for Fun, Bob
began Tinker's Workshop, a program aimed at preschoolers, where Bob played the
grandfatherly Tinker.
Developing the ideas from Tinker's Workshop, Keeshan and long-time friend Jack
Miller submitted the concept of Captain Kangaroo to the CBS network, which was
searching for innovative new approaches to children's television programming.
CBS approved the new show, and Keeshan starred as the title character of Captain
Kangaroo when it premiered on CBS on October 3, 1955. Keeshan described his
character as based on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children."
The show was a great success, and he served as host for almost three decades; it
ran until 1984.
Frequently recurring characters included Mr. Green Jeans (played by Hugh "Lumpy"
Brannum), and puppets such as "Bunny Rabbit" and "Mr. Moose."
The New York Times commented: "Captain Kangaroo, a round-faced, pleasant,
mustachioed man possessed of an unshakable calm ... was one of the most enduring
characters television ever produced."
He also had a Saturday morning show called Mister Mayor during the 1964-65
season.
Name: Robert James Keeshan
Born: 27 June 1927 Lynbrook, New York, U.S.
Died: 23 January 2004 Windsor, Vermont U.S.
Robert James Keeshan (June 27, 1927 – January 23, 2004) was an American
television producer and actor. He is most famous as the title character of the
children's television program Captain Kangaroo, which became an icon for
millions of baby boomers during its 30-year run from 1955-1984.
Keeshan also played the original "Clarabell the Clown" on the Howdy Doody
television program.
Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, New York, and attended Fordham University after
serving in the United States Marine Corps reserve during World War II. A
persistent rumor is that actor Lee Marvin appeared on "The Tonight Show" and
said he had served in the Marine Corps fighting alongside Keeshan at the Battle
of Iwo Jima. Marvin never told the story, never served on Iwo Jima (having been
invalided out after the battle of Saipan months earlier), and Keeshan never saw
combat or overseas duty, having enlisted just before the end of the war.
After World War II, network television programs for children were new. On Howdy
Doody, an early show which premiered in 1947 on NBC. Debuting on January 3, 1948,
Keeshan played "Clarabell the Clown", a silent Auguste clown who mainly
communicated by honking horns attached to a belt around his waist (one of the
horns meant "yes"; the other horn meant "no"). Clarabell often spritzed Buffalo
Bob Smith with a seltzer bottle and played practical jokes. He gave up the role
in 1952, and was replaced by another actor.
In August of 1953, Bob Keeshan was back on the air on WABC-TV (New York City),
doing a new children’s show, Time for Fun, playing the role of Corny the Clown,
a clown who spoke. Later that same year, in addition to Time for Fun, Bob
began Tinker's Workshop, a program aimed at preschoolers, where Bob played the
grandfatherly Tinker.
Developing the ideas from Tinker's Workshop, Keeshan and long-time friend Jack
Miller submitted the concept of Captain Kangaroo to the CBS network, which was
searching for innovative new approaches to children's television programming.
CBS approved the new show, and Keeshan starred as the title character of Captain
Kangaroo when it premiered on CBS on October 3, 1955. Keeshan described his
character as based on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children."
The show was a great success, and he served as host for almost three decades; it
ran until 1984.
Frequently recurring characters included Mr. Green Jeans (played by Hugh "Lumpy"
Brannum), and puppets such as "Bunny Rabbit" and "Mr. Moose."
The New York Times commented: "Captain Kangaroo, a round-faced, pleasant,
mustachioed man possessed of an unshakable calm ... was one of the most enduring
characters television ever produced."
He also had a Saturday morning show called Mister Mayor during the 1964-65
season.