Fred Rogers was an American television personality, writer, producer, musician, and puppeteer. He was the host and creator of the preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
In 1968, Rogers created Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which ran for 33 years. The program focused on children’s emotional and physical concerns, such as death, sibling rivalry, school enrollment, and divorce, and received critical acclaim. Rogers influenced many writers and producers of children’s television shows, including the likes of Josh Selig (creator of Wonder Pets), and Angela Santomero (co-creator of the children’s television show Blue’s Clues).
‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?‘, a documentary about Rogers’ life released in 2018, grossed over $22 million and became the top-grossing biographical documentary ever produced. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a 2019 film starring Tom Hanks as Rogers, tells the story of Rogers and his television series.
Rogers received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 and an Emmy award for Lifetime Achievement in 1997. He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. On September 21, 2018, Google dedicated a doodle in honour of the 51st anniversary of the premiere of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.