For those who were either children or parents from 1955 through 1991, the perky theme music of Captain Kangaroo, accompanied by the jingling of the Captain's keys as he unlocked the door to the Treasure House, arouses immediate feelings of nostalgia. The longest running children's television show in history, Captain Kangaroo dominated the early morning airwaves for over 30 years, offering a simple and gently educational format for very young children.

The central focus of the show was always the Captain himself, a plump, teddy bear-like figure with Buster Brown bangs and a mustache to match. Much like another children's television icon, Mister Rogers, the Captain welcomed children to the show with a soft-voiced sweetness that was never condescending, and guided viewers from segment to segment chatting with the other inhabitants of the Treasure House. Bob Keeshan created the comforting role of Captain Kangaroo, so named because of his...