Bob Keeshan

 Television producer and host Robert James Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, on Jun 27, 1927 - Jan 23, 2004. 

As a young man he served in the US Marine Corps Reserve. Starting as a page at the National Broadcasting Company, Keeshan later began his on-air career as the original "Clarabell, the Clown" for the NBC The Howdy Doody Show (1947) (aka "The Howdy Doody Show")."Clarabell, the Clown" 

He was then the first host/performer of WJZ/WABC TV Ch. 7 NYC's "Time For Fun" / "The Johnny Jellybean Show". Keeshan emceed the show as "Corny The Clown" weekdays at noon from Monday, September 21st, 1953, to Friday, July 29th, 1955. 

  He co-created, co-produced and hosted "Tinker's Workshop" with Jack Miller on WJZ/WABC TV Ch. 7 in New York City weekday mornings from Monday, November 15, 1954 to Friday, September 9, 1955. The show continued without Robert until Friday August 22, 1958

When asked to put together a show for children, he leaped at the chance. On Monday, October 3rd, 1955, Captain Kangaroo (1955) began its near 30-year run on CBS, until it was moved to Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the 1980s. 

Captain Kangaroo taught us values and gave those with busy or absent fathers a gentle and caring male role model to learn good behavior and manners from. A love of reading was encouraged and the animals that Mister Green Jeans (Hugh Brannum) showed allowed children who had never seen a particular animal to experience it though his fascination with it.  During its run in 1964, Keeshan also took on a Saturday morning persona as "Mister Mayor" for a year, but remained the Captain until the end of its run on 

PBS in 1993. Over the years he and the show won six Emmys and three Peabody Awards, totaling nine awards, altogether, and he was also elected to the Clown Hall of Fame.

  Hugh Brannum on left. (January 5, 1910 – April 19, 1987) 


He attended Fordham University on the GI Bill.

Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, New York. In 1945, during World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, but was still in the United States when Japan surrendered. (1)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

*Similar to my father. In fact, he went on to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island (S.C.) on Feb. 14, 1945. Dad said he would always remember Valentine’s Day differently after that. Again, his training ended after Germany surrendered and was not called to action by V-J Day that August. (Could they have met?)

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Bob Keeshan, TV's Captain Kangaroo (Fordham ‘51) when a college student appeared on the school’s WFUV-FM. As a Jesuit school, the music consisted of religious and classical selections. He decided to have some fun and put on a little swing music.(2)

 

From The Forever Fordham Alumni Directory.


Note: He took his courses in Manhattan, at the lower bRoadway location before the Lincoln Center campus was built.(3)


Got Banned from WFUV-FM


He was banned from the station. Looking for something to do, he was given the job of taking kids from the Howdy Doody peanut gallery to the bathroom during the show. After probably the first broadcast involving Bob, a discussion was held among the production staff that, on camera, it looked odd for a young adult to be sitting with the children. He was dressed as a clown. He didn’t speak, because he wasn’t a member of the union.


In 1989 he published "Growing Up Happy" and then in October of 1996 he published "Good Morning Captain: 50 Wonderful Years with Bob Keeshan, TV's Captain Kangaroo". Keeshan is also the author of the "Itty Bitty Kitty" children's book series. Widowed in 1996, he died in Vermont in 2004.


References

  1. *https://docs.google.com/document/d/14eM5nq8L96aQne1VMQx8RnrBmVu8-f9bt2O3gpxhI7M/edit?tab=t.0

  2. **https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/robert-keeshan/

  3. ***ibid

  4. https://www.pinterest.com/bergin0639/bob-keeshan-fordham-51/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tale Of Two Universities And How They Handled A Closed College

Image
  Long Island University & the closing of Southampton College vs. Fordham & the Closing of Marymount College in Tarrytown. L.I.U. In the course of the Southampton campus tenure under Long Island University, it produced 34 Fulbright scholars, most of which hailed from the marine science program. After many years of fiscal mismanagement, the University announced a multimillion-dollar capital campaign, launched a new interdisciplinary CORE curriculum and the construction of a new library to revamp the campus. After one year of a 10-year plan however, Long Island University officials ceased all plans, and Long Island University decided to effectively close the campus. On March 24, 2006, SUNY announced a final agreement for the purchase of the 81-acre (330,000 m2) Southampton College property from L.I.U. SUNY paid US $35 million ($54,792,500 in 2025.) for the 84-acre campus and its waterfront facility for its famed Marine Biology Department, as well as the NPR-affiliated WLIU FM...
Read more

Michele Beach Harrington: Executive Director- Alumni and Employer Engagement Long Island University

Image
  Michele Beach Harrington                                                                                             Executive Director- Alumni and Employer Engagement Long Island University  I was a little nervous meeting her; In large part because she drove up to meet me. We picked a diner in Brewster, NY so she could return home easily, via I-684, to the Long Island campus. For those of us, of a certain age, Michele was quick to remember, “That Brewster is the town where ‘That Girl’ was from.” (Marlo Thomas’ character in the ...
Read more

Fordham University Medical School Closed in 1921

Image
FORDHAM COLLEGES THAT ARE NO MORE-MEDICAL Fordham‘s Medical School along with Fordham's College of Pharmacy and Marymount College (located in Tarrytown, NY). The factors responsible for each school’s demise are interesting to take notice of as we explore our university’s long history. Here is a look at the end of the Medical S chool. MEDICAL SCHOOL The Fordham University School of Medicine was established in 1905 and opened with six students  and seven professors. Originally located in Collins Hall, the medical school was moved to Thebaud.  The school found a home of its own when a new building was constructed near the Bathgate entrance in 1911.   (Home of the Medical School from 1913-1921. Today Finlay Hall is a student dorm.) Fordham Hospital was the first public hospital in the Bronx , New York City , having opened in 1892. Prior to that time, all the New York City municipal hospitals were in Manhattan . The hospital and university were affiliated at least to the ex...
Read more