For more than thirty years, Bob Keeshan (1927–), also known as Captain Kangaroo, opened the doors to an imaginative "Treasure House" every weekday morning (and for a few years, on Saturday mornings as well) on CBS. The gentle children's TV program ran for nearly ten thousand episodes, making it the longest running children's series in network history. The Captain remains a treasured memory for millions of American children. The show has since been revived in a slightly altered form for a new generation of viewers.

Captain Kangaroo debuted on October 3, 1955. Its host was a one-time Howdy Doody Show (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) regular and the creator of Clarabell the Clown. His soft speaking voice, grandfatherly manner, and push-broom moustache instantly endeared him to the show's pint-sized audience. Keeshan was more than just a hired gun, however. He took an active role in...