Thanks to Mark Buzzitta, we can now share the complete as-produced “Springtime with Mister Rogers” special as it was seen in 1979. The special opens with Mister Rogers walking down the city, greeting his neighbors. When he arrives at his house, Mister Rogers is told that Betty Aberlin’s Little Theater has a leak in its roof. Everyone in the neighborhood starts to find a way to raise money, Mister Rogers even refinishes a cabinet he plans to donate. Eventually, the neighborhood decides to make a special musical springtime show for the event. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Elaine is sad that she can’t become a princess, and eventually fantasizes about being a princess. With Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangroo).
Ezra Jack Keats visits Mister Rogers and reads one his (Keats’) books. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, King Friday has lost his XIII. He sends Lady Aberlin and Handyman Negri to search for the “roaming” Roman numeral. Lady Elaine puts a note on the Museum-Go-Round saying, “I didn’t take it.” She leads the neighbors to Donkey Hodie’s windmill. Donkey Hodie has the XIII. The king had offered him 13 for pumping water through the king’s waterfall. Donkey Hodie didn’t want to bother the king for his payment so he took the XIII.
Mister Rogers shows optical illusion pictures and then draws one. He talks about telling how people feel by how they look.In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Ezra Jack Keats tells Donkey Hodie a story. Henrietta Pussycat comes by and misunderstands that Keats is telling a story about a bad king and is not talking about King Friday. Henrietta tells the king. The king calls Donkey Hodie and Ezra Jack Keats, who come to the castle and settle the matter. Then Ezra Keats reads the story to them all. Back with Mister Rogers, he comments that sometimes people don’t hear things correctly. Ezra Jack Keats’ story made the point that a person can try to do things for himself. Mister Rogers visits Francois Clemmons who, with John Costa, is giving Chef Brockett a voice lesson. Mister Rogers talks about getting scared when people jump out at you.
Mister Rogers demonstrates how to paint using a paper towel, water, and squirt paints. Mr. McFeely stops in to say that if Mrs. McFeely comes by, Mister Rogers will hear her. Mister Rogers visits Betty Aberlin’s theatre to give Susan Linn an idea for a show using Audrey Duck and Cat-a-Lion. Mister Rogers suggests they pretend Audrey Duck painted over a picture that Susan Linn painted of Cat-a-Lion. Mrs. McFeely comes by on a motorcycle. She explains how the motorcycle runs. Mrs. McFeely remarks that women can do anything they want to. Mister Rogers comments that it’s normal for girls to want to do things boys do and vice versa.
Mister Rogers and Bob Trow make and frame a collage of pictures of all the neighbors.In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Queen Sara has little time for Bob Dog because she is busy with Prince Tuesday. Lady Aberlin takes a picture of Bob Dog with her new camera. After photographing Lady Aberlin, Bob Dog laments that the royal family is too busy to have their pictures taken. Lady Aberlin suggests that they ask anyway, and the king, queen, and prince pose with Bob Dog for a photograph. Then Bob Dog snaps a picture of Lady Aberlin and King Friday excluding the queen and Prince. Queen Sara suggests she and Bob Dog have some special time together and gives Prince Tuesday to Lady Aberlin for a while. Queen Sara explains to Bob Dog that although she has Prince Tuesday, Bob Dog will always be important to her, too. Back with Mister Rogers, he discusses how difficult it is to share the people you love.
Mister Rogers demonstrates that heat rises by placing a vial of hot colored water into a tumbler of cold water.In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Elaine has Mrs. McFeely make an appointment with King Friday. At the castle, Lady Elaine uses her Boomerang-Toomerang-Soomerang to turn the Neighborhood of Make-Believe purple. The king sends Handyman Negri to find out how the neighbors like the color. They do not like the situation. Lady Elaine changes the neighborhood back to normal. Back with Mister Rogers, he visits Chef Brockett and watches him fry an egg and make French toast.
Watch full-length Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood programs. The first Monday of every month will feature programs from the early years 1968-1975. The third Monday of every month will feature programs from the “Theme Weeks” library 1979-2001.
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