Captain Kangaroo

'''''Captain Kangaroo''''' is an American [[children's television series]] that aired weekday mornings on the American television network [[CBS]] for 29 years, from 1955 to 1984, making it the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program of its day.<ref>"Bob Keeshan". ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. Retrieved January 2, 2010.</ref><ref>"Keeshan, Robert James". ''The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives''. Ed. Arnold Markoe, Karen Markoe, and Kenneth T. Jackson. Vol. 7: 2003–2005. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2010.</ref> In 1986, the American Program Service (now [[American Public Television]], Boston) integrated some newly produced segments into [[reruns]] of past episodes, distributing the newer version of the series to [[PBS]] and independent public stations until 1993.

'''''Captain Kangaroo''''' is an American [[children's television series]] that aired weekday mornings on the American television network [[CBS]] for 29 years, from 1955 to 1984, making it the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program of its day.<ref>"Bob Keeshan". ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. Retrieved January 2, 2010.</ref><ref>"Keeshan, Robert James". ''The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives''. Ed. Arnold Markoe, Karen Markoe, and Kenneth T. Jackson. Vol. 7: 2003–2005. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2010.</ref> In 1986, the American Program Service (now [[American Public Television]], Boston) integrated some newly produced segments into [[reruns]] of past episodes, distributing the newer version of the series to [[PBS]] and independent public stations until 1993.

== Conception ==

== Conception ==

The show was conceived by [[Bob Keeshan]], who also played the title character "Captain Kangaroo", and who based the show on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children". Keeshan had portrayed the original [[Clarabell the Clown]] on [[NBC]]'s ''The [[Howdy Doody]] Show'' during the network's early years.

The show was conceived by [[Bob Keeshan]], who also played the title character "Captain Kangaroo", and who based the show on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children". Keeshan had portrayed the original [[Clarabell the Clown]] on [[NBC]]'s ''The [[Howdy Doody]] Show'' during the network's early years.

== Show structure ==

== Show structure ==

''Captain Kangaroo'' had a loose structure, built around life in the "Treasure House" where the Captain (the name "kangaroo" came from the bigger pockets in his coat) would perform [[storytelling]], meet guests, and indulge in silly stunts with regular characters, both humans and puppets. Keeshan performed as the Captain more than 9,000 times over the nearly 30-year run of the show.<ref name=NYTKeeshanObit>{{cite news |last1=Severo |first1=Richard |title=Bob Keeshan, Creator and Star of TV's 'Captain Kangaroo,' Is Dead at 76 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/24/arts/bob-keeshan-creator-and-star-of-tv-s-captain-kangaroo-is-dead-at-76.html |access-date=August 6, 2015 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 24, 2004}}</ref>

''Captain Kangaroo'' had a loose structure, built around life in the "Treasure House" where the Captain (the name "kangaroo" came from the bigger pockets in his coat) would perform [[storytelling]], meet guests, and indulge in silly stunts with regular characters, both humans and puppets. Keeshan performed as the Captain more than 9,000 times over the nearly 30-year run of the show.<ref name=NYTKeeshanObit>{{cite news |last1=Severo |first1=Richard |title=Bob Keeshan, Creator and Star of TV's 'Captain Kangaroo,' Is Dead at 76 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/24/arts/bob-keeshan-creator-and-star-of-tv-s-captain-kangaroo-is-dead-at-76.html |access-date=August 6, 2015 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 24, 2004}}</ref>

== Changes in setting and duration ==

== Changes in setting and duration ==

The May 17, 1971, episode had two major changes on the show: The Treasure House was renovated and renamed "The Captain's Place" and the Captain replaced his navy blue coat with a red coat. In September 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long show to a half-hour, briefly retitled it ''Wake Up with the Captain'', and moved it to an earlier time slot;<ref name=trmka>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=efdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5910%2C2958826 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=CBS trims 'Kangaroo' |date=March 23, 1981 |page=15}}</ref> it&nbsp;was moved to weekends in September 1982, and returned to an hour-long format. CBS canceled ''Captain Kangaroo'' at the end of 1984.

The May 17, 1971, episode had two major changes on the show: The Treasure House was renovated and renamed "The Captain's Place" and the Captain replaced his navy blue coat with a red coat. In September 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long show to a half-hour, briefly retitled it ''Wake Up with the Captain'', and moved it to an earlier time slot;<ref name=trmka>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=efdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5910%2C2958826 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=CBS trims 'Kangaroo' |date=March 23, 1981 |page=15}}</ref> it&nbsp;was moved to weekends in September 1982, and returned to an hour-long format. CBS canceled ''Captain Kangaroo'' at the end of 1984.

== Television debut of Tony Hawk ==

An episode of the show in 1981 became professional [[Skateboarding|skateboarder]] [[Tony Hawk|Tony Hawk's]] first appearance on television.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boing |first=Boing |date=February 24, 2020 |title=Watch Skateboarder Tony Hawk |url=https://boingboing.net/2020/02/24/watch-skateboarder-tony-hawk.html |website=Boing Boing |access-date=April 10, 2024}}</ref>

== Longevity record ==

== Longevity record ==

''Captain Kangaroo'' was the longest running children's television show until 1997 when it was surpassed by ''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'', which itself was surpassed by ''[[Sesame Street]]'' in 2003. ''Captain Kangaroo'' is still far and away the longest running children's TV series by episode count with 6,090. When one counts the 65 edited versions that aired on [[PBS]] the episode count is 6,155. Second-place holder ''Sesame Street'' has aired 4,731 episodes, still 1,389 episodes short.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

''Captain Kangaroo'' was the longest running children's television show until 1997 when it was surpassed by ''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'', which itself was surpassed by ''[[Sesame Street]]'' in 2003. ''Captain Kangaroo'' is still far and away the longest running children's TV series by episode count with 6,090. When one counts the 65 edited versions that aired on [[PBS]] the episode count is 6,155. Second-place holder ''Sesame Street'' has aired 4,731 episodes, still 1,389 episodes short.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}