Mrs. Betsy McFeely, played by Elizabeth (Betsy) Seamans, lives in Mister Rogers’ “real” neighborhood with her husband, the Speedy Delivery man, Mr. McFeely. They live in cozy a home full of antiques with a sunny kitchen and a big yard where she often brings animals to show Mister Rogers.
Now and then Mrs. McFeely visits Mister Rogers at his house – she might bring a parrot or a lamb or invite him to come to the McFeely House to watch her milk a cow or to meet a llama or even a frisky monkey.
Mrs. McFeely loves to cook and garden. She plays the recorder, makes things from recycled materials and sometimes decides to learn new things. She takes singing and tap-dancing lessons, for example. She loves the library and drives a bookmobile, bringing books to children who can’t get to the library. She enjoys riding her bicycle and even tries out a motorcycle – driving it up to Mister Rogers’ house to surprise him. She is a capable and grandmotherly role model for women.
Betsy Seamans not only played the character of Mrs. McFeely, but, in collaboration with Fred Rogers, she also wrote dozens of scripts for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and produced film segments for the program as well.
Mrs. McFeely and her husband are grandparents to Chrissy and Terri. As viewers meet Chrissy, they learn she was born with a defect in her spine called “Spina Bifida” and walks with braces and crutches. From the way Mrs. McFeely interacts with her, they come to understand that while there are things Chrissy can’t do, there are many things she can do. Mrs. McFeely doesn’t step in to help unless Chrissy asks her to. Their visits are full of laughter and sharing, and include making tacos and putting on puppet shows.
Most of the time Mrs. McFeely is seen in Mister Rogers’ “real” Neighborhood, but she occasionally visits the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, like when she tests Corney’s new rocking chair or tap-dances in the Variety Show.
