Fred Rogers

Diagnoses

Personal

Vocation

Traits

Family

American actor who specializes in children's TV under the name Mr. Rogers, a writer of children’s literature and a screenwriter and producer. The end of an era was marked on 8/31/2001 when Fred Rogers greeted youngsters for the last time on his PBS TV show, "Mister Rogers's Neighborhood." He's had a run of 34 years and the show’s producers hope to segue into reruns with little or no disruption for the 3- to 6-year-olds who consider the cardigan-wearing Rogers as family. Rogers and his wife, concert pianist Joanne Byrd, both 73, have two grown sons and vacation at their home in Nantucket, MA. He plans to write more children’s books and expand a website that showcases his parenting advice. Originally trained and ordained as a minister, he said, "The general message of the Neighborhood is that the truth is best. If we can share ourselves with our kids in ways that aren't frightening to them, that's the greatest gift we can give anyone -- the gift of an honest self." His gentleness and decency gave several generations of children more than entertainment but nourishment for their growing characters. Rogers died of cancer on the morning of February 27, 2003, in Pittsburgh, PA. Link to Wikipedia biography