Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)

Fred Rogers: Mr. Rogers, King Friday XIII, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, X the Owl, Daniel Striped Tiger, Henrietta Pussycat, Queen Sara Saturday, Cornflake S. Pecially, Mister Rogers, Edgar Cooke, Grandpere, Donkey Hodie, Sara Saturday, Ino A. Horse, Collette, Tadpole Frogg, Prince Tuesday, Benjamin Franklin (X the Owl), Dr. Frogg, Sunflower (Daniel Striped Tiger), Alice Claire (Lady Elaine), Baby Bear (Daniel Striped Tiger), Campsite Owner (Lady Elaine Fairchilde), Daniel Duck (Daniel Tiger), Daniel Mefford (Daniel Striped Tiger), Farmer's Wife (Lady Elaine Fairchilde), Grandpere', Hildegarde Hummingbird (Lady Elaine Fairchilde), Hischer Booptrunk, Homeowner (X the Owl), Housewife who loves tomatoes (Lady Elaine), Mrs. Franklin (Henrietta Pussycat), Star #1 (Cornflake S. Pecially), Star #2 (Lady Elaine Fairchilde), Star #3 (X the Owl), Star #4 (Edgar Cooke), Teddy Bear (Daniel Tiger), Tiny Star (Daniel Tiger), Witch (Lady Elaine Fairchilde), Witch (Lady Elaine)

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Mr. Rogers : You make each day a special day. You know how, by just your being you. There's only one person in this whole world like you. And people can like you exactly as you are.

• Mr. Rogers : There's only one person in the whole world like you, and I like you so much. Meow meow meow so much. Bye bye.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Did you know / Did you know / Did you know that it's alright to wonder / Did you know that it's alright to wonder / There are all kinds of wonderful things / Did you know / Did you know / Did you know that it's alright to marvel / Did you know that it's alright to marvel / There are all kinds of marvelous things / You can ask a lot of questions / About the world, and your place in it / You can ask about people's feelings / You can learn the sky's the limit / Did you know / Did you know / Did you know that when you wonder, you're learning / Did you know that when you marvel, you're learning/ About all kinds of wonderful / All kinds of marvelous / Marvelously wonderful things.

• Mr. Rogers : [Sung at the beginning of every show as he enters the television house]  It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood / A beautiful day for a neighbor / Would you be mine? Could you be mine? / It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood / A neighborly day for a beauty / Would you be mine? Could you be mine? / I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you / I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you, so / Let's make the most of this beautiful day / Since we're together, we might as well say / Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor? / Won't you please? Won't you please... Please won't you be my neighbor?

  [Speaking] 

  Mr. Rogers : Hi, television neighbor. Welcome to this neighborhood.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  It's such a good feeling / To know you're alive / It's such a happy feeling / You're growing inside/ And when you wake up, ready to say / "I think I'll make a snappy new day"

  [Snaps fingers twice] 

  Mr. Rogers : It's such a good feeling / A very good feeling / The feeling you know that we're friends.

  [speaking] 

  Mr. Rogers : You always make each day a special day. By just your being you. There's only one person exactly like you in the whole world. And that's you yourself, and I like you.

  [singing] 

  Mr. Rogers : It's such a good feeling / A very good feeling / The feeling you know that we're friends.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  It's you I like / Not the things you wear / Not the way you do your hair / But it's you I like/ The way you are right now/ The way down deep inside you / Not the things that hide you / Not your toys... They're just beside you / But it's you I like/ Every part of you/ Your skin, your eyes, your feelings / Whether old or new/ I hope that you'll remember even when you're feeling blue/ That it's you I like / It's you yourself / It's you... It's you I like.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain / You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain / You're bigger than the water / You're bigger than the soap / You're bigger than all the bubbles / And bigger than your telescope; so you see... / You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain / You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain / The rain may go down / But you can't go down / You're bigger than any bathroom drain / You can never go down / Can never go down / You can never go down the drain.

• [repeated line] 

  Ino A. Horse : I know.

• Mr. Rogers : Maybe you and your family and friends could have your own arts festival. And include whatever you like to do. Such as drawing, or painting, or dancing, or dressing up, or singing, or cooking. There are many ways of saying who you are and how you feel. Ways that can be so helpful. Ways that don't hurt yourself or anybody else. You know, that's how you can tell when you're grown up inside: you're sure that what you're planning and doing are things that can be a real help to you and your neighbor. I'm proud of you, know that. I hope you do.

• Mr. Rogers : Do you find that eating is fun for you? Especially when you're hungry?

• [repeated line] 

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : Boomerang, Toomerang, Zoomerang.

• Lady Elaine Fairchilde : I want to win this contest. What did you say the prize would be, Friday?

  King Friday XIII : I didn't say. And anyway, if you do your best, you will have won the best prize of all.

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : What's that?

  King Friday XIII : The good feeling about having done well.

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : But I want the prize.

  King Friday XIII : Well, hope for the best. It may be all or nothing.

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : Oh Friday, you and your surprises. I don't know why I always fall for them.

• Mr. Rogers : You know, when I was a little boy and I went to bed before everybody else in the family, I used to be so curious about what the other people in the family were doing. Particularly I wanted to know what my mother and father were doing when I wasn't with them. I used to think alot about that. And I even asked them about it and they said that was their own time together. And while it was fine to be curious about it, there were some things that were for just grown-ups to do. And I would learn about them when I was a grown-up myself. And so I waited and I grew up and I became a grown-up myself. You know, I think we should have some make-believe.

• Mr. Rogers : Hi, television neighbor. I'm glad we're together again.

• Mr. Rogers : Anything worth while certainly takes a while.

• X the Owl : That's just nifty galifty.

• Lady Aberlin : Ugga mugga, Daniel.

  Daniel Striped Tiger : Ugga mugga, Lady Aberlin.

• King Friday XIII : Niece Aberlin and Lady Elaine Fairchilde, I presume?

  Lady Aberlin : Correct as usual, Uncle Friday.

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : Correct, but not always, Friday.

• King Friday XIII : There's only one of you, Fairchilde.

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : That's right, toots, aren't you glad?

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  I think I'm going to like today / I think I'll call it mine / I'll wrap it in ribbons, and make it mine / I think I'm going to like today / It's very plain to see / I like every minute, and it likes me / Don't you agree? / This is the nicest day in the neighborhood / The nicest day in the calendar / The nicest day in the hemisphere for me / I think I'm going to like today / It's been the best by far / I got it by wishing, on last night's star / I think I'm going to like today / And when today is through / I'll catch it and keep it / As good as new / There it will be / I'll have the nicest day in the neighborhood / The nicest day in the calendar / The nicest day will just stay at home with me. I think I'm going to like... today.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  If you will look carefully / Listen carefully / You will find a lot of things carefully / Look... And listen / It's good to look carefully / Listen carefully / That's a way you learn a lot of things, carefully / Look, look... And listen / Some things you see are confusing / Some things you hear are strange / But if you ask someone to explain one or two / You'll begin to notice a change in you / If you will look carefully / Listen carefully / That's a way to keep on growing carefully / Look, look, look, and listen.

• Mr. Rogers : It's almost time to go. So...

  [singing] 

  Mr. Rogers : Let's go right away / Go somewhere today / Let's be together and stay and stay / Let's go together today / Right away / Let's be together today / Together's the way I like the best / I like to be with you / I like the the things you explain to me / The things you show me to do / Let's go right away / Go somewhere today / Let's be together / And stay and stay / Let's go together today / Right away / Let's be together today / Oh someday it's good to play alone / But sometimes I get bored / There's just so much you can do yourself / With a ball. Or a doll. Or a sword. / But whenever I hear you want some time and want me to be with you / I wonder how you knew / 'Cause that's what I wanted too / Let's go right away / Go somewhere today / Let's be together / And stay and stay / Let's go together today / Right away / Let's be together... Today.

• Mr. Rogers : A lot of people have asked me how they can get a trolley like mine to play with. And I usually say, "Why don't you just make one?"

• Harriet Elizabeth Cow , Daniel Striped Tiger , Ana Platypus , Prince Tuesday : [Sung at the beginning of nearly every school scene]  Ana, Prince, and Daniel / Ana, Prince, and Daniel/ Daniel, Prince, and Ana / are here.

  Daniel Striped Tiger : Yes, we're here.

  [Miss Cow laughs] 

  Harriet Elizabeth Cow , Daniel Striped Tiger , Ana Platypus , Prince Tuesday : Ana, Prince. and Daniel / Ana, Prince, and Daniel / Daniel, Prince, and Ana / are here.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Let's think of something to do while we're waiting / While we're waiting / For something new to do / Let's think up a song while we're waiting / That's liberating / And will be true to you / Let's think of something to do while we're waiting / While we're waiting / Till something's through / You know it's really alright / In fact it's downright quite right / To think of something to do that's specific for you / Let's think of something to do while we're waiting.

• Mr. Rogers : [about Bramble, a horse]  Can you see his great big eye? He looks one side at somebody and the other side at somebody. That's a big eye you have, Bramble.

• Mr. Rogers : Hi. I'm so glad to see you. I thought about you all weekend. Wondering what you were doing. How you were feeling? How was your weekend? I like it when you tell me things.

• Mr. Rogers : Picture Picture says "Hello". I suppose you saw that earlier, didn't you? When Picture Picture has that word, do you know that it says "Hello"? Hello.

• King Friday XIII : And what are you ladies planning to invest your energy in this lovely moment in time?

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  What if I were very, very sad / And all I did was smile? I wonder after a while / What might become of my sadness? What if I were very, very angry / And all I did was sit / And never think of it? What might become of my anger? Where would they go / And what would they do / If I couldn't let them out? / Maybe I'd fall / Maybe get sick / Or doubt / But what if I could know the truth / And say just how I feel? I think I'd learn a lot that's real / About freedom / I'm learning to sing a sad song when I'm sad / I'm learning to say I'm angry when I'm very mad / I'm learning to shout / I'm getting it out / I'm happy learning exactly how I feel inside of me / I'm learning to know the truth / I'm learning to tell the truth / Discovering truth will make... me... free.

• King Friday XIII : I wonder what Mr. Rogers would say about this.

• Mr. Rogers : One time I met one of those people and he said that they had practiced for ten years to do dances like that. Ten years. Isn't that wonderful? That they care enough to do that? You know, there are times when you feel like dancing, but you're supposed to sit still or at least sit down. I wonder if we couldn't make up a... sitting kind of a dance. Because sometimes you have such a good feeling that you have to move a little bit.

  [singing] 

  Mr. Rogers : It's such a good feeling / To know you're alive / It's such a happy feeling / You're growing inside / And when you wake up ready to say / I think I'll grow 12 inches today / It's such a good feeling / A very good feeling / The feeling you know that you're alive... It's such a good feeling / To know you're in tune / It's such a happy feeling / To find you're in bloom / And when you wake up ready to say / I think I'll grow 12 inches today / It's such a good feeling / A very good feeling / The feeling you know that you're alive.

• King Friday XIII : I have every confidence in your installation of confidence.

  Handyman Negri : Thank you... I think.

  King Friday XIII : Carry on.

  [Exits] 

  Handyman Negri : [to self]  Every confidence in my installation of confidence?

• Queen Sara Saturday : How can we feel so much love when we don't know what love is?

• Mr. Rogers : Here are some things that some children gave me and gave me a good suggestion to go with them. This is an empty milk container and they said it could be an apartment house. Good idea? This is an empty oats box. They said it could be a tunnel. What about that? And this is a cottage cheese container. It could be a lake. Let's just take these things to the sand table on the other side of the kitchen.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  You are my friend / You are special / You are my friend / You're special to me / You are the only one like you / Like you, my friend / I like you / In the day time / In the night time / Any time that you feel's the right time / For a friendship with me, you see / F-R-I-E-N-D special / You are my friend / You're special to me / There's only ONE in this wonderful world / You... are... special.

  [Speaking] 

  Mr. Rogers : Yes, you are.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Tree Tree Tree, Tree Tree Tree / Tree Tree Tree, Tree Tree Tree / We love you, yes we do / Yes we do, we love you / Tree Tree Tree, Tree Tree Tree / Tree Tree Tree, Tree Tree Tree.

• X the Owl : [singing]  Owl Correspondence School/ Dear O.C.S/ We do our lessons/ And we get a U or an S/ We hope for an S/ Oh, Owl Correspondence School/ Dear O.C.S/ Owl Correspondence School... We love you best/ We love you best.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  I like to take my time / I mean that when I want to do a thing / I like to take my time to get it right/ I mean I just might make mistakes / If I should have to hurry up / And so I like to take my time... To tie my shoes/ To eat / To get dressed / To go to sleep at night / To sing a song for you / And everything I do/ I like to take my time/ I mean that when I want to do a thing / I like to take my time to get it right / I mean I just might make mistakes / If I should have to hurry up / And so... I like to take... my... time.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  There are many ways to say I love you / There are many ways to say I care about you / Many ways / Many ways / Many ways to say... I love you / Cleaning up a room can say I love you / Hanging up a coat before you're asked to do it / Drawing special pictures for the holidays / And making plays / You'll find many ways to say I love you / You'll find many ways to understand what love is / Many ways / Many ways / Many ways to say... I love you.

• [repeated line] 

  King Friday XIII : No buts about it.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  I'm taking care of you/ Taking good care of you/ For once I was very little too/ Now, I take care of you.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  You can make believe it happens, or pretend that something's true / You can wish or hope or contemplate a thing you'd like to do / But until you start to do it, you will never see it through / 'Cause the make believe pretending just won't do it for you. You've... Got... To... Do it. Every little bit/ You've got to do it / Do it. Do it. Do it. / And when you're through / You can know who did it / For you did it. You did it. You did it. / If you want to ride a bicycle and ride it straight and tall / You can't simply sit and look at it / 'Cause it won't move at all / But it's you who have to try it, and it's you who have to fall, sometimes / If you want to ride a bicycle and ride it straight and tall, you've... Got... To do it / Every little bit / You've got to do it / Do it. Do it. Do it. And when you're through / You can know who did it / For you did it. You did it. You did it. YOU did it.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Some are fancy on the inside / Some are fancy on the outside / Everybody's fancy/Everybody's fine/Your body's fancy, and so is mine/Boys are boys right from the beginning...

  [Speaking] 

  Mr. Rogers : When you're born a boy baby, you grow up to be a bigger boy, and then a man.

  [singing] 

  Mr. Rogers : Girls are girls right from the start.

  [Speaking] 

  Mr. Rogers : When you're born a girl baby, you grow up to be a bigger girl, and then a woman.

  [singing] 

  Mr. Rogers : Everybody's fancy / Everybody's fine / Your body's fancy, and so is mine / I think you're a special person / And I like your ins and outsides / Everybody's fancy / Everybody's fine / Your body's fancy and so... is... mine.

• Lady Elaine Fairchilde : [the neighbors have painted a portrait of Lady Elaine]  I'm just kinda speechless, myself. As I said I didn't know anybody cared about me.

  Lady Aberlin : If you had any doubt about that, Lady Elaine, you might have asked. After all, you have words and that's what words are for, aren't they, Robert Troll?

  Robert Troll : Absolutely...

  [Gibberish] 

  Robert Troll : ... Words.

• [repeated line] 

  X the Owl : Lady Aberlina, how in the world are ya?

• X the Owl : You learn something old everyday.

• King Friday XIII : Anything is possible in make-believe.

• [repeated line] 

  Donkey Hodie : I'll say.

• Mr. Rogers : Hi, neighbor. How're you doing?

• Mr. Rogers : Now I have one other tape of sounds that I'd like to play for you.

• [repeated line and usually song] 

  Cornflake S. Pecially : I'm a man who manufactures / Who manufactures chairs / I'm a man who manufactures chairs and every wares / I'm a man who manufactures.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Everything grows together / Because you're all once piece / Your legs grow as your fingers grow as your hands grow as your arms grow as your ears grow as your nose grows as the rest of your grows / Because you're all once piece.

• King Friday XIII : [singing, to his wooden bird on a stick]  Troglodytes Aedon / My wren is my pet / Is my very royal pet. Greet it. Troglodytes Aedon / Meet my pet / Troglodytes Aedon.

• King Friday XIII : [Reciting "big' words to "Row Row Row Your Boat']  Propel, propel, propel your craft... Gently down liquid solution. Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically... Existance is but an illusion.

• King Friday XIII : [singing to his wooden bird on a stick]  Mimus Polyglottos is my pet / Mimus Polyglottos is my pet / Mimus Polyglottos is my pet. Have you met my pet yet?

• Mr. Rogers : I was just thinking. You know, if you had all the toys in the world and you didn't have any imagination about how you would play with them, those toys would just sit there doing nothing. And that would be no fun. Thinking up good things to do with what you have gives everybody a good feeling.

• Robert Troll : What's wrong with the prince? He-He isn't sick, is he? W-what's this about?

  King Friday XIII : He told me he doesn't like himself.

  Robert Troll : Aw, "doesn't like himself". It's not like him to not like himself-

  [troll talk] 

  Robert Troll : King Friday.

• Mr. Rogers : I was just thinking, you know work changes things. And children can change things by doing a good job. Like changing the way a room looks by picking up your toys when your play is over. Or changing the way your plate of food looks by eating your food. Good work can make good changes and can give a good feeling.

• King Friday XIII : My father was a large man. 3 1/2 I believe he was.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  I'll be back / When the week is new / And I'll have more ideas for you / And you'll have things you'll want to talk about / I will too / I'll think of you when I'm not here / Cause thinking of people makes them seem near / The friends who know you love you cheerfully / I do too.

• Mr. Rogers : [singing]  Tomorrow, tomorrow / We'll start the day tomorrow / With a song or two...

  [Holds up two fingers] 

  Mr. Rogers : One two / Tomorrow, tomorrow / We'll start the day tomorrow / With a smile for you / Till then, I hope you're feeling happy / Till then, I hope your day is...

  [snaps fingers twice] 

  Mr. Rogers : Snappy / Tomorrow, tomorrow / It soon will be tomorrow / And be our day / We will say / "A very happy tomorrow to you".

• Mr. Rogers : So you can make up all sorts of things and sing them. And you can call that operas.

• King Friday XIII : [trolley dings]  Don't you worry about that. Don't you mind. There will *always* be mechanical scoffers.

• Mr. Rogers : You know, growing means when you're a baby and you're angry, all you can do is scream and kick. That's all. But when you get a little older, you can say that you're angry. You can stomp around and make up a dance, or pound some clay and make things out of clay, and sing a song or write a poem. That's what it means to grow. I'm proud of the way you're growing and changing.

• Mr. Rogers : [Hides his face behind an object]  Where's Mr. Rogers?

  [Shows his face] 

  Mr. Rogers : Peekaboo!