About Me
Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S., 20 March 1928. Educated at Dartmouth College, 1946; Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, B.A. in music, 1951; Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Bachelor of Divinity, 1962. Married Sara Joanne Byrd, 1952, children: James Byrd and John Frederick. Assistant television producer and network floor director at NBC, 1951-53; program planner, producer, writer, and performer at noncommercial station WQED in Pittsburgh, 1953-62; producer and television host for the Canadian Broadcasting Company in Toronto, Ontario, 1962-64; producer and host of PBS show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood since 1967; produced and hosted Old Friends, New Friends, 1979-81; producer of videocassettes for CBS, 1987-88; hosted Fred Rogers' Heroes, 1994; president of Family Communications, Inc. Member of the Esther Island Preserve Association; Luxor Ministerial Association; board of directors of the McFeely Rogers' Foundation; honorary chairman of the National PTA, 1992-94. Honorary degrees: DHL from Thiel College, 1969; HHD from Eastern Michigan University, 1973; LittD from St. Vincent College, 1973; DD from Christian Theological Seminary, 1973, Washington and Jefferson College, 1984, Westminster College, 1987; LHD from Yale University, 1974, Lafayette College, 1977, Washington and Jefferson College, 1984, Linfield College, 1982, Duquesne University, 1982, Slippery Rock College, 1982, University of Southern California, 1985, MacMurray College, 1986, Drury College, 1986, Bowling Green State University, 1987; DFA from Carnegie-Mellon University, 1976; MusD from Waynesburg College, 1978, University of Indiana, 1988; LLD from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 1985, University of Connecticut, 1991, Boston University, 1992, Moravian College, 1992, DHL from University of West Virginia, 1995. Recipient: Peabody Awards, 1969, 1993; Emmy Awards, 1980, 1985; Ohio State awards, 1983, 1986; ACT Award, 1984; Christopher award, 1984; Educational Press Association of America's Lamplighter award, 1985; Children's Book Council Award, 1985; Gold medal at the International Film and TV Festival, 1986; Parent's Choice Award, 1987-88, PBS award in recognition of 35 years in public television, 1989; Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill medal, 1994; Joseph F. Mulach, Jr. award, 1995. Address: 4802 5th Ave., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
