It91裸聊视频檚 been 50 years since Fred Rogers first appeared on TV screens, a gentle and avuncular man who warbled 91裸聊视频淲on91裸聊视频檛 You Be My Neighbour?91裸聊视频� as he changed into a cardigan and sneakers.

The low-key, low-tech 91裸聊视频淢ister Rogers91裸聊视频� Neighborhood91裸聊视频� presented Rogers as one adult in a busy world who always had time to listen to children. That legacy burns for many in these turbulent times.

91裸聊视频淪ometimes I think I wish we had a bat signal for Mister Rogers right now,91裸聊视频� said comedian Sarah Silverman, who has hung a portrait of Rogers on the set of her Hulu series 91裸聊视频淚 Love You, America91裸聊视频� for inspiration.

The golden anniversary of America91裸聊视频檚 favouriteneighbour91裸聊视频檚 appearance is being celebrated with a PBS special next month, a new postage stamp, a feature-length documentary coming out this summer and plans for a Tom Hanks-led biopic.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just a wonderful, thrilling time for me,91裸聊视频� said his widow, Joanne Rogers. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 just sorry that Fred91裸聊视频檚 not here to share it. But I think he would be just as amazed as I am.91裸聊视频�

An ordained Presbyterian minister, Rogers produced the pioneering show at Pittsburgh public television station WQED beginning in 1966, going national two years later. He composed his own songs for the show.

It offered a soft haven for kids, in sharp contrast to the louder, more animated competition. The final episode of what his widow calls 91裸聊视频渁 comfortable lap91裸聊视频� aired August 2001. Rogers died in 2003.

91裸聊视频淣o one has come along like him. Everything is based on high stimulation. He really was exactly the opposite,91裸聊视频� said actor John Lithgow. 91裸聊视频淗e had such a sense of children91裸聊视频檚91裸聊视频� developmental needs. And I think that91裸聊视频檚 under assault these days.91裸聊视频�

Lithgow, whose kids were enchanted by Rogers growing up, is joining Silverman and celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, Yo-Yo Ma, Esperanza Spalding, Judd Apatow and hosted by Michael Keaton for the public television pledge special 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 You I Like91裸聊视频� set for March 6.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e thought about him more and more over the years because there91裸聊视频檚 no one like him,91裸聊视频� said Lithgow, who met Rogers while touring with his own concert series. 91裸聊视频淭here is no one who so completely talked on the level of children 91裸聊视频� not talking down to them, not talking up to them 91裸聊视频� just talking right to them.91裸聊视频�

One of those kids was Angela Santomero, who would go on to focus on child development and create 91裸聊视频淒aniel Tiger91裸聊视频檚 Neighborhood91裸聊视频� and co-create 91裸聊视频淏lue91裸聊视频檚 Clues.91裸聊视频� If Rogers91裸聊视频� baton has been picked up by anyone, it91裸聊视频檚 Santomero.

91裸聊视频淚 was his No. 1 fan. Like I literally could not sit any closer to the TV set when he was on,91裸聊视频� she says, laughing. 91裸聊视频淲hen someone looks you in the eye 91裸聊视频� I don91裸聊视频檛 care if it91裸聊视频檚 through the TV screen 91裸聊视频� and tells you that 91裸聊视频業 like you just the way you are,91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 very powerful.91裸聊视频�

Homage to Rogers is baked into 91裸聊视频淒aniel Tiger91裸聊视频檚 Neighborhood,91裸聊视频� which features children of characters from 91裸聊视频淢ister Rogers91裸聊视频� Neighborhood,91裸聊视频� including Prince Wednesday, the child of King Friday XIII, and Katerina Kittycat, the daughter of Henrietta Pussycat.

Rogers91裸聊视频� effect on popular culture was profound: Eddie Murphy parodied him on 91裸聊视频淪aturday Night Live91裸聊视频� in the 1980s and one of Rogers91裸聊视频� trademark zip-up sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian91裸聊视频檚 National Museum of American History. He91裸聊视频檚 had a category dedicated to him on 91裸聊视频淛eopardy.91裸聊视频�

PBS stations around the country still air 91裸聊视频淢ister Rogers91裸聊视频� Neighborhood91裸聊视频� and some can be found on the PBS Kids video app. There are DVD collections on Amazon and episodes are streamable on Amazon Prime.

Rogers has remained relevant in this high-tech and ironic age despite a lack of new episodes. Generations of kids 91裸聊视频� and those who became parents themselves 91裸聊视频� have found in Rogers91裸聊视频� heartfelt, simple lessons a comfort blanket in times of stress. At a time when media icons have been tarnished or pulled down, Rogers endures.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 essential right now. His teachings and his beauty and love and patience and care and empathy and compassion are our only salvation right now,91裸聊视频� said Silverman.

Last year, amid proposed slashes to PBS funding, Rogers91裸聊视频� 1969 Senate testimony defending public TV from budget cuts went viral. And when a shaken Jimmy Kimmel addressed his viewers following the Las Vegas mass shooting, he quoted Rogers91裸聊视频� dictum to 91裸聊视频渓ook for the helpers.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 think of a time when we91裸聊视频檝e needed him so much,91裸聊视频� says Joanne Rogers, 89, an accomplished pianist who still lives in Pittsburgh. 91裸聊视频淚 think his work is just as timely now as it was when it came out, frankly.91裸聊视频�

The celebration of Rogers also includes a new feature-length Rogers91裸聊视频� documentary called 91裸聊视频淲on91裸聊视频檛 You Be My Neighbour?91裸聊视频� to be released by Focus Features on June 8. It includes behind-the-scenes footage of the TV show and never-before-seen clips.

And the U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new stamp featuring Rogers on March 23 in the same Pittsburgh TV station where 91裸聊视频淢ister Rogers91裸聊视频� Neighborhood91裸聊视频� was produced. The Forever stamp features an image of Rogers and the royal puppet King Friday XIII.

Bill Gicker, creative director of stamp development, said the decision to honour Rogers was a 91裸聊视频渘o brainer.91裸聊视频� Gicker was born the year the show went national and grew up watching 91裸聊视频淢ister Rogers91裸聊视频� Neighborhood.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭here are certain people that come up that you just know it91裸聊视频檚 not going to be a conversation. It91裸聊视频檚 just going to be, 91裸聊视频榊ep!91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said Gicker. 91裸聊视频淗is calm demeanour really made him stand out, especially at time when a lot of television wasn91裸聊视频檛 for kids at all.91裸聊视频�

The 50th anniversary celebrations are somewhat bittersweet for Joanne Rogers. While fans cheer Rogers91裸聊视频� pacifism and kindness, she joins them, of course, but she also misses her husband.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know how he would have liked growing older,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 think he would have just tackled it the way he tackled everything else. But he wasn91裸聊视频檛 given that opportunity and I regret that.91裸聊视频�

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Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

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