Episode 0043
Air Date: April 17, 1968
Previous Episode: 0042
Next Episode: 0044
Purchase/Stream: Amazon
As he arrives, Mister Rogers invites viewers outside to the porch as he sings Won't You Be My Neighbor. Sitting on the swing, he talks about some neighbors who had moved earlier in the morning. One of the neighbors had given Mister Rogers a harmonica and he uses it to show how music can express feelings. He continues this discussion inside as he plays music on the piano to express various feelings.
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Reardon is inside the castle performing a song from Mozart's "The Magic Flute" for King Friday. Impressed with Reardon's talent, King Friday commissions an opera about "someone missing someone" to be performed on Friday.
Seeking help throughout the Neighborhood, Reardon asks Mrs. Frogg to provide costumes for the opera. At Grandpere's trading tower, Reardon is able to trade a song for some paper for writing music. X the Owl and Henrietta Pussycat wonder if King Friday is requesting this opera because he is missing Sara Saturday. They decide to bring Sara Saturday to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe for the opera as a surprise for King Friday.
Back at the house, Mister Rogers uses a chalk board to write staff lines for writing music.
Notes
This episode marks the first appearance of John Reardon.
The Mozart piece performed by Reardon is titled "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" -- a song about a birdwatcher. Later, on Episode 1146, Officer Clemmons performs a song about birdwatching using his own lyrics but sung to the same tune.
Appearing In This Episode
Songs
Images
Episode Credits
Produced by WQED - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for National Educational Television
Neighbors: John Reardon
Producer: Fred Rogers
Director: David Fu-Ying Chen
Executive Producer: Paul K. Taff
Production funds for this series were provided by a grant from The Sears-Roebuck Foundation and a children's program fund established by N.E.T. affiliated stations.
© 1968 National Educational Television and Radio Center