-
Birth
Fred Rogers was born on March 20, 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He was an only child until the age of eleven. -
First encounter with a television
During his senior year of college he visited his parents and was awed by the family's newest household addition: a television set. He could see a fantastic future for the medium and, as he'd later recall, Rogers immediately decided he wanted to be a part of it. -
Early Career
Rogers' first job in television came in 1953 when he was hired to work in programming by WQED in Pittsburgh, a recently launched community TV station that was the first of its kind in the country. -
The launch of the legend
Watch the intro theme song here! Soon, the Rogers family was back in Pittsburgh, where Rogers launched Misterogers' Neighborhood in 1966. Two years later, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood aired on PBS stations throughout much of the country. -
Chairman Duties
Bill that awarded Fred Rogers a gold medal Rogers' commitment to children, however, wasn't limited to the TV set. In 1968, he served as chairman of a White House forum on child development and the mass media, and was often consulted as an expert or witness on those issues. -
Death
After four decades of his show airing Mr. Rogers was considered a legend. With a handful of awards and recognitions under his belt he decided to retire due to heath issues. He passed on February 27, 2003.
