Mister Rogers shows a wedding cake and talks about his childhood desire to marry his mother. He goes to Brockett’s Bakery and looks at a few other decorated cakes. Lady Elaine Fairchilde is doing research on the neighbors’ birthdays. She discovers that Daniel Striped Tiger’s birthday is on Friday, so Lady Aberlin asks him how he would like to celebrate. Purple Panda learns that he does not have a birthday because he was made, not born.
Mister Rogers mixes up some tempera paints. He shows several paintings of houses by different artists and talks about ways to express anger. Marilyn Barnett comes by to exercise with Mister Rogers. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Purple Panda is sad because he doesn’t have a birthday. Daniel gives Purple Panda his birthday. Back with Mister Rogers, he wonders how Daniel will feel about giving away his birthday. He says everyone has a name, a birthday, and a history.
Mister Rogers buttons his sweater incorrectly. He plays a sound effects record and talks about the use of lip reading by the hearing impaired. He goes to Elsie Neal’s Craft Shop to visit with Al Worden. Al Worden talks about his poetry and shows a movie of one of his poems.In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Daniel has been coughing since yesterday. He feels very sad because he has given away his birthday. Pilot Ito tells him that two people can have the same birthday. Accepting this, Daniel stops coughing.
Coming in wet from the rain, Mister Rogers comments on the beauty of a rainy day. Francois Clemmons invites him to his studio where Mister Rogers sees some children playing the violin together. He tries Francois’ electric guitar.In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Elaine tries to drown out the sound of thunder by playing the piano. Elsie Jean is sad because the colors on her painting have run together and made purple. Purple Panda likes the painting. His fear of the storm is overcome by Handyman Negri’s explanation that the sky is not an angry person and his offer to hold Panda’s hand.
Mister Rogers has a geode, an agate, and a flint. He visits Jim Dorsey, a lapidarian, at Bob Trow’s Workshop. Mr. Dorsey shows how stones are polished. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, it’s Daniel’s and Purple Panda’s birthday. They are waiting for Astronaut Worden so that they can take an airplane into space. Lady Elaine asks them to take a cake to the moon for its birthday. Al Worden shows a moon rock to Mister Rogers and Mr. McFeely. Mister Rogers and Al Worden discuss why it can’t be touched and handled.
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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