- 1 day ago
Season 28 (1997-1998)
Featured Book: The Daddy Book by Ann Morris, photographs by Ken Heyman (published in 1995 by Lothrop Lee and Shepard Books, a division of William Morrow and Company)
Series funding for Reading Rainbow provided by: Kellogg’s Cereal Company
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
PBS Viewers Like You
National Science Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
Featured Book: The Daddy Book by Ann Morris, photographs by Ken Heyman (published in 1995 by Lothrop Lee and Shepard Books, a division of William Morrow and Company)
Series funding for Reading Rainbow provided by: Kellogg’s Cereal Company
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
PBS Viewers Like You
National Science Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
Category
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TVTranscript
00:00Broadcasting.
00:30Broadcasting.
01:00I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you, so let's make the most of this beautiful day. Since we're together, we might as well say, would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor? Won't you please? Won't you please? Please, won't you be my neighbor?
01:28Hi, neighbor. Welcome to this neighborhood. I brought some pictures of a friend of mine that I'd like you to see. His name is LeVar Burton. There he is, holding a book. He likes books.
01:46And here he is, as a younger person, in Roots.
01:57And here he is, acting in Star Trek. That's part of his costume, those fancy glasses.
02:11And here he is, painting in a program that he likes to do very much called Reading Rainbow. Have you ever seen LeVar on television? Well, he and I got to be friends because we're both interested in making programs for children.
02:29In fact, LeVar loves reading so much, he said that he'd come over and read something to us later today.
02:36That sounds like the telephone. Let me see.
02:41Hello? Hi, Mr. McFeely. Yes, sure. Oh, the book. Oh, fine. Yeah, that's great. Oh, I'll look forward to seeing you. Thanks. Bye-bye.
02:55Mr. McFeely says he will deliver a book which LeVar wants to read, and he'll bring it over in a few minutes.
03:04You know, Mr. McFeely is one of the kindest, most helpful people. He's always doing something for someone.
03:12I think I'd like to make something for him. Maybe I'll get an idea if I get out the craft box.
03:20Just some little something to give him when he comes.
03:29Piece of paper. Maybe we'll make him a card.
03:35Here's some tape. Some tissue paper. Some markers. That's enough. Let's see now.
03:48He wears a certain kind of tie. It's called a bow tie. Maybe I could make a bow tie out of paper like this. Let's see.
04:09I think if I just twist that. Pretty good. Okay, let's just put that on there. That'll keep it down.
04:32I think if I just outline it. There. Use this marker to write. I think I'll write thank you on here. T.
05:00T. H. A. N. K. Y. O. U.
05:15Thank you. Two of the best words we can ever learn. Thank you. In fact, thank you is a way of saying I love you.
05:25There are many ways to say I love you. There are many ways to say I care about you. Many ways, many ways, many ways to say I love you.
05:44There's the singing way to say I love you. There's the singing something someone really likes to hear. The singing way. The singing way. The singing way. The singing way to say I love you.
06:06Cleaning up you.
06:08Cleaning up a room. Cleaning up a room can say I love you.
06:11Cleaning up a room can say I love you. Hanging up your coat before you're asked to do it.
06:12your coat before you're asked to do it, drawing special things for a special friend and making
06:21plays. You'll find many ways to say I love you. You'll find many ways to understand what love is.
06:33Many ways, many ways, many ways to say I love you. You will. You'll find many ways as you grow to say
06:50I love you. In fact, that's one of the most important things you will be finding. I put Mr. McFeely on the
06:55outside. And then inside, thank you. Now, I'll put all of these things away. And when he comes,
07:09maybe that's Mr. McFeely now. Let's see.
07:16It is.
07:17Come in, Mr. McFeely.
07:22LeVar Burton will be over soon. But here's the book he's going to read for you.
07:27Oh, it looks like a good book.
07:29It is. It's about fathers and children.
07:32Well, you're a father and a grandfather.
07:35I am and glad of it.
07:36And you're a great helper, too, Mr. McFeely.
07:39Well, I hope so.
07:41I know so. In fact, I have a delivery for you.
07:44Well, that's my business.
07:46Well, this happens to be a delivery for...
07:49Mr. McFeely, it says.
07:52Let me see what this could be.
07:53I made it.
07:55Thank you. And there's my bow tie.
07:58That's it.
07:58Well, that was very thoughtful of you. You made it yourself.
08:02I did. Just for you.
08:04Just for me. Well, that means all the more to me.
08:07Thank you for the thank you.
08:09You're welcome, Mr. McFeely.
08:11In fact, I feel a song coming on.
08:14If there's anything you want, if there's anything you need,
08:19McFeely's delivery brings it to you here with speed.
08:23Yes, our speedy delivery is a speedy delivery.
08:28Speedy delivery to you.
08:31Oh, you're welcome, Mr. McFeely.
08:33See you around the neighborhood.
08:34Thank you for this.
08:35You're welcome. Bye-bye.
08:36He really seemed to like that card.
08:42I'm glad.
08:43Because when you make something for somebody,
08:46you hope that person will like it.
08:50Just as you hope that person likes you.
08:53I'll put this book over here for when LeVar comes.
08:59Let's just have some make-believe.
09:01I think I'll set up the model.
09:05Yep.
09:09The castle.
09:11Who lives in the castle?
09:12And the factory?
09:19Who works in the factory?
09:22Corny.
09:27And the tree?
09:28Henrietta Pussycat and X the owl.
09:35Live in the tree.
09:41And what about the museum go round?
09:44Go round and round.
09:55And there's the platypus mound.
09:58And Daniel Tiger's clock.
10:05Get the trolley.
10:08Now, last time, X the owl gave neighbor Eber some finder balloons.
10:16You know, those are magic balloons that fly around
10:19and help find people and things.
10:24And since Lady Elaine and the fortune cookie man have been missing,
10:28let's just pretend that those finder balloons find where they are
10:33in the neighborhood of make-believe.
10:37Okay, trolley?
10:38Are you ready for make-believe?
10:41Here we go.
10:47Hi, trolley.
10:49Oh, yes.
10:50The finder balloon is still working.
10:52Thanks, trolley.
10:53Neighbor Eber, I presume?
11:05Correct, as usual, King Friday.
11:07And the purpose of your visit?
11:09I'm following this finder balloon, hoping to locate Lady Elaine, Your Majesty.
11:13You mean, that balloon can find Fairchild?
11:17We think it can, yes.
11:19Oh, fortune cookies, pitching bucket balls, following balloons.
11:25What are these neighborhoods coming to?
11:28Farewell, Mr. Eber.
11:29But we have to try everything, don't we?
11:34I mean, Lady Elaine, fortune cookie man are still missing, so...
11:40Come on, finder balloon.
11:42Where's Lady Elaine?
11:44Hi.
11:44Hi.
11:44Robert, trolley, is that you?
11:48Well, of course it's me.
11:49Do it.
11:50I didn't recognize you.
11:52What big glasses you're wearing.
11:53Oh, yeah, well, better to find people with.
11:56I could see how.
11:57Sure.
11:57Have you found anybody yet?
11:58Yeah, well, you can see.
11:59I finally found the fortune cookie man.
12:02You did?
12:02Yep.
12:03Where was he?
12:04He was in the FC room.
12:05He was taking a rest there.
12:07So his finder balloon was right.
12:09He was in the museum go around, huh?
12:10Sure, yeah.
12:11Yeah, he was.
12:13But now what about Lady Elaine?
12:14Oh, well, this is the finder balloon with her name.
12:16Oh, is it?
12:16Oh, yeah, we'll just see what happens.
12:18Uh-oh.
12:19Looks like we have some action here.
12:21Ah, finder balloon.
12:21That's what I want, some action.
12:24Find Lady Elaine, finder balloon.
12:44Do you think?
12:56Oh, my God.
12:58Bye.
13:02Bye.
13:03So, Lady Elaine must be in here, too.
13:25Oh, hello there, dears.
13:27Have you heard?
13:27We found the fortune cookie man.
13:29My, that was exciting, knocking on the F.C. room door and actually having an answer from
13:35him inside.
13:36You know what I mean?
13:37It's enough to make your heart pound and...
13:39And have you heard anything from Lady Elaine?
13:42No, not yet.
13:43What's the founder balloon say?
13:45Oh, it brought us back here, didn't it, Robert?
13:47Yeah, but it's a long way.
13:49So, what you and the balloon are saying is that Laney is somewhere in here, too.
13:54Well, the fortune cookie man is looking in the J. room as we speak, so I'll go look in
13:59the K. room, and then he can look in the L. room, and you know how the alphabet goes,
14:03one after another.
14:04Sorry, I have to run.
14:06See you boys later.
14:07Okay.
14:07La caña de Elaine no está en el cuarto de la letra J.
14:10Oh, hola, vecinos.
14:12Hello, we're glad you're found.
14:13Oh, gracias, sí.
14:15Solo estaba tomando una siesta.
14:17Ah, we're quite sure Lady Elaine is inside.
14:20Betty Okanak Templeton's checking in the K. room right now.
14:23Muy bien.
14:24Iré al cuarto de la letra L.
14:26Hasta luego.
14:27Hasta luego.
14:28What did he say?
14:30He said that he went to the L. room.
14:33The L. room, he's going to check in the L. room?
14:35He's going to check in the L. room.
14:35Oh, okay.
14:36I hope he finds her.
14:38Well, she's not in the K. room.
14:40I thought she might, because you know how she likes kangaroos and kilts and kayaks and
14:45kettle drums and kidney beans.
14:46And she wasn't in the K. room?
14:48No.
14:49Betty Okanak Templeton, señora Templeton, venga aquí, por favor.
14:53Sounds like he's found something.
14:55Now, this is the kind of drama that would make a great picture show, don't you think?
14:59I mean, someone missing and señora Templeton, venga rápido.
15:04Guess I better go.
15:07Wow.
15:08Hope she's all right.
15:09I hope she's all right, too.
15:10I hope she feels well.
15:11Hmm.
15:11Does either of you boys have a key?
15:14A key?
15:16Laney's got herself locked in the L. room, and I don't have a key.
15:20You were in a K. room, weren't you?
15:23Oh.
15:24K. for key.
15:25Good idea, Robert Troll.
15:27You're always thinking.
15:28That's what I like about you.
15:30Always thinking helpful things.
15:32K. for key.
15:33Now, look.
15:34Good idea.
15:35Well, I like that.
15:36Oh.
15:36It would be worth a try.
15:37Hey, Andy.
15:38Oh, I am so glad to marry you.
15:40Oh, well, well, well, thanks for the rescue squad.
15:47What happened, Lady Lane?
15:48Oh, I forgot that the L. room had a big lock on it, and I got locked in there.
15:54But I knew you'd find me.
15:56You mustn't go in there anymore.
16:00Oh, okay.
16:01I'll never go in an L. room without a key.
16:06Uh-oh.
16:07Uh-oh.
16:08Uh-oh.
16:10Assembled throng, I presume?
16:18Correct.
16:18Correct as usual, King Friday.
16:21I see the lost have been found.
16:25Don't go giving me a lecture, Friday.
16:28I have come not to condemn, but to appreciate.
16:34Oh, really, sire?
16:35I have come to apologize, neighbor Abur.
16:39Your finder balloons did their job.
16:44My son's pitching bucket balls is strengthening his character.
16:49And fortune cookies have brought pleasure to this neighborhood.
16:55The king gives a happy ending to the story.
17:06Yes, yes, you see, the pleasure continues.
17:11Yes, yes.
17:12Well, I think the happiest thing about it is that it got us all together in a common cause,
17:18a mutually satisfying enterprise.
17:21And you know that isn't always the case in our society.
17:31Well, there were lots of surprises in make-believe and lots of helpers giving and receiving what they could.
17:39And King Friday even gave an apology.
17:44He had learned to appreciate other people's gifts, even though they didn't seem very important to him at first.
17:50And the finder balloon finally found Lady Elaine locked in the museum go-round in the L room.
18:04Well, that's all make-believe.
18:09All make-believe.
18:11But it's still something to think about, isn't it?
18:16Lots to think about in this life.
18:20And your imagination helps so much.
18:29Now we can think about the fish.
18:33Hello, fish.
18:36I wonder what fish are thinking.
18:46Oh, maybe that's my friend.
18:50It is.
18:55Come in.
18:56Hi.
18:56How are you?
18:59So good to see you.
19:00Is now a good time for a visit?
19:02It's a perfect time.
19:03I'd like you to know my television neighbor, Mr. LeVar Burton.
19:06Hi.
19:07Please come in.
19:08I showed my friends some pictures.
19:10Why don't we sit over on the couch?
19:12Right.
19:12Oh, I see Mr. McFeely made the delivery.
19:14He did.
19:15There's your book.
19:16Okay.
19:17I was showing them.
19:19Well, this picture of you with a book.
19:21Uh-huh.
19:22That's me.
19:23You love the books, don't you?
19:24I do, I do.
19:26Wow, this one is old.
19:27This one was taken over 20 years ago.
19:29That's me a long time ago.
19:31And this is my friend, Lewis Gossett, Jr.
19:33This is from a television miniseries called Roots.
19:36Oh, yes.
19:37And how well I remember that.
19:39All of you acting on that.
19:41Ah, this is me as Geordi LaForge on Star Trek The Next Generation.
19:44And the character that I play, Geordi, is blind.
19:46And that's why he wears this visor.
19:49When he puts it on, he can see more than everybody else around him.
19:52He sees sound, Geordi does.
19:56So that's sort of magic, isn't it?
19:59It is.
19:59Yeah, yeah.
20:01And there you are.
20:02And that's me acting really as myself, as LaVar, as the host of Reading Rainbow.
20:07Yeah.
20:07You like to act, don't you?
20:08Oh, I love my job for a lot of reasons.
20:11Mostly because, you know, in my job, Fred, I get to use my imagination every day.
20:16And it's also an important part of my job to be in touch with my feelings and to share those with the audience.
20:21But I think the reason I like acting most of all is because it always requires that I read scripts and magazine articles and books.
20:31But when you're acting, for instance, if you're acting about somebody who's feeling sad, how would you do that?
20:42Well, for me, it all begins with a feeling, right?
20:45And the feeling starts here, and I connect it in here, and it comes out on my face.
20:49So it begins with a thought.
20:51So if I'm acting, if what's required is a sad feeling, then it starts in there, and then it goes there, and soon.
21:03Soon you look sad.
21:04It comes out on my face.
21:06And what if you're supposed to be feeling very happy?
21:11Well, it's the same process, just in reverse.
21:14Again, it starts with the happy feeling inside, and then it connects, and it comes out on the face.
21:19But you think of something that has made you happy?
21:21Oh, sure.
21:21For me, I like to think about, well, like my daughter, Michaela.
21:25She makes me smile all the time.
21:27She's three years old.
21:28She's three years old.
21:29So she lives in a constant state of happy.
21:31Well, you're a daddy, and that's a daddy book.
21:33Well, that's the book that I brought to share with you.
21:36It's called The Daddy Book.
21:38Shall we read it?
21:38Sure, please.
21:41The Daddy Book, and it's by Ann Morris, and the photographs are by Ken Heyman.
21:50This is my daddy.
21:54There's the daddy.
21:54Right.
21:55And that's his little boy.
22:01And this is my daddy.
22:05This is the daddy of this child.
22:07And they live in northern India, in the mountains there.
22:12And this is my daddy.
22:18Do these people live in Japan?
22:20They do.
22:21They do.
22:22So they're daddies all over the world.
22:28Daddies love you in many ways.
22:31Isn't that a wonderful picture?
22:33Mm-hmm.
22:33There are many ways to say I love you.
22:36They tell you stories.
22:44Look at that cello bow.
22:46That child touching the cello bow.
22:48Reaching out.
22:49Mm-hmm.
22:50It says, they play songs for you.
22:56That child listening to that cello music.
22:58Mm-hmm.
22:59Is that a kitty there?
23:00That's a kitty asleep on the chair there.
23:05And teach you many things.
23:07To read, here's a daddy sharing a story with his daughters.
23:14Here's a daddy that's teaching his daughter how to write.
23:18To ride a bike.
23:30Oh, that must feel good to ride behind your daddy like that.
23:33If you look closely, Fred, you can see that the boy in this picture is blind.
23:37Oh, so he's learning to ride a bike first with his daddy.
23:41Right.
23:41And probably later he'll learn many things, even riding bikes by himself.
23:45By himself.
23:46Absolutely.
23:47And to feed chickens.
23:52They're feeding the chickens together.
23:57Daddies play with their children.
23:59Don't they?
24:01Yeah, and someday maybe this daddy and this child will watch you right on that television.
24:11And talk with them about many things.
24:15I love this photograph.
24:17Are these people in Egypt?
24:19They are.
24:20They live just outside of Cairo, in Egypt.
24:26Daddies have daddies too.
24:29Is this a grandfather?
24:30Yes, that would be the grandfather of this little person right here.
24:35Sometimes they are called grandpa or gramps.
24:38We call ours opa.
24:40Opa.
24:41You know what my grandsons call me?
24:43What?
24:44Baba.
24:44Baba.
24:45Baba.
24:46We called my grandfather.
24:47In our family, we called him a papi.
24:49A papi.
24:49A papi.
24:50Yeah.
24:51Lots of names.
24:54Daddies help you feel good.
24:57Look at that smile.
24:58Mm-hmm.
24:59Do you think maybe they'll have a pizza later on?
25:01I bet they will.
25:02Sure.
25:03For lunch.
25:04Daddies can help you to feel good.
25:06I bet you help Michaela to feel good.
25:08Oh, and she helps me too.
25:10She is such a joy.
25:12So much fun to be with and hang out with.
25:14You play together?
25:15We play together.
25:16We read together, of course, every night.
25:19Just like your mother read to you.
25:20My mother read to me.
25:22Absolutely.
25:23And her mother read to her when she was a little girl.
25:26Yeah.
25:27There are wonderful things about growing up with people who care about you, aren't they?
25:34Mm-hmm.
25:34And you have shown so much care to so many people in this life.
25:38Thank you, friend.
25:40And I am grateful to be able to call you my friend.
25:44Good things work both ways.
25:46You know, I promised to read this book over at the library, so I better get going.
25:49Okay.
25:49Thanks for coming.
25:52You're always welcome here.
25:53I'd like to come back.
25:55Bye-bye.
25:55Isn't it great to have good friends?
26:04What a wonderful gift.
26:05I'm glad you and I are friends.
26:10It's such a good feeling to know you're alive.
26:15It's such a happy feeling.
26:17You're growing inside, and when you wake up, ready to say, I think I'll make a snappy new day.
26:27It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling, the feeling you know that I'll be back when the day is new, and I'll have more ideas for you.
26:42And you'll have things you'll want to talk about.
26:47I will, too.
26:51We always have things to talk about, people to meet, feelings to feel.
27:00It's so good to know that we can give and receive each other's love.
27:08I like that, and I like being with you.
27:11I'll be back next time.
27:14Bye-bye.
28:14The people who give the money to make Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood are the people who contribute to this and other public television stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.