Sunday, June 10, 2018

Mister Rogers: His Double Birth Order Tells His Story!


 
When you hear the name “Mister Rogers” up pops an image 
of a really nice adult that talks to children.  His show “Mister 
Rogers Neighborhood” ran for 33years on public television. It’s 
theme of music, stories, guests, and characters all designed to 
deliver a message to both adults and children was his gift to 
many. His message was one of universal. What can his birth 
order tell us about the man, Fred Rogers.
Childhood
Fred was born March 20, 1928 in Latrobe Pennsylvania to 
James and Nancy Rodgers. James was an accountant- banker 
and Nancy a stay at home mom. He was their firstborn and 
Only child until they adopted a daughter 11 years later.  Her 
name was Elaine Crozier and he loved her dearly. Fred 
recounts that he was a sickly child and spent a lot of time at 
home. His maternal grandfather also lived with the family 
and like his mother, played the piano.  They taught Fred to 
play the piano at an early age.  While recuperating from his 
many illnesses, Fred found entertainment in music and the 
use of puppets to make up stories. Only children can be 
their own best friend.
The Only Child
All firstborns are Only children until the next sibling arrives.  
The Only child grows up in an adult world.  Adults are his 
peers. He tends to follow in the footsteps of adults not his 
own generation.  In Fred’s case it was his grandfather that 
had an enormous influence on his life. Retired from the 
railroad but living in the same house he became Fred’s 
friend and teacher. Parents of Only children are very 
protective.  As an adult his mother made all of his cardigan 
sweaters that he wore on the show. Only children are also 
an amalgam of their parent’s birth orders and that is why no 
two Only children are alike.  In the movie “Willy Wonka: 
The Chocolate Factory,” we saw two types of Only children.  
 One, very adult like and responsible and the others spoiled 
children. Fred was the responsible type who felt no fear of 
being dethroned by his younger sibling. His adult role as a 
father figure to millions fits right in with his birth order.
The Only/One Birth Order
Raised as an Only child for 11 years before the family adopted 
his sister makes Fred an Only/One Double birth order.  He is 
more an Only child than a Firstborn as the eleven years makes 
a difference.  He never felt threatened by his younger sister 
and instead was supportive of her, more like a parent.  With 
such a secure position in the family he could be gentle and 
caring and not feel threatened.  In real life, it is said, he was 
the same person that the kids saw on screen.
Education/Career
After high school Fred got his Bachelor’s degree in music 
composition from Rollins College in 1951 and a divinity 
degree from the Pittsburgh theological Seminary in 1962. 
His special mission was to keep doing what he was doing 
on television to reach as many children as possible with his 
message of tolerance and love. His show premiered on 
February 19, 1968 and ran until August 31, 2001.  He had 
been displeased at the way television addressed children and 
wanted to make a change. This was his calling as a 
Presbyterian minister. He was a progressive pacifist all his 
life and it showed.
Married
Fred and Joanne Byrd married in 1952.  They met at 
college where she was a music major and became a 
professional pianist. They had two sons James and 
John and three grandsons. They were married 50 years 
until his death in 2003.
Controversy
There have been only a few times that Mr. Rogers had 
to speak up about his image. In 1985 Burger King used 
an actor to impersonate Mister Rogers calling him Mister 
Rodney. Fred contacted the Senior Vice President and 
he pulled the ad. Johnny Carson did a parody skit called, 
“Mister Rambo’s Neighborhood.” Fred complained and 
Johnny publicly apologized. He had no trouble with the 
parody done by Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live 
“Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood”. He found it funny 
and affectionate. The fact that it was aired around midnight 
when his viewers would be in bed was another reason he 
ok’d it.  In 1998 he filled suit against a Texas store using 
his likeness on T-shirts which contained a handgun and the 
slogan Welcome to my “hood”. He got the Tee Shirts 
removed and destroyed. He is also credited with saving the 
VCR in his testimony for the Supreme Court that he 
thought it beneficial that children could tape his program. 
Last, the rumor that he was a Navy Seal or Marine sniper 
is false.  He never served in the military.  
 His Legacy
Fred died of stomach cancer February 27, 2003. He leaves 
behind several generations of children that learned so much 
from his program. He was truly the parental figure that 
portrayed the best in parenting.
We will all remember that, “It’s a Beautiful Day in the 
Neighborhood”
and “You made this a special day just by being Yourself.”

For more information about birth orders and double birth 
orders you can find it in my book Life’s Fingerprint: How 
Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout Life by Dr. 
Robert V. V. Hurst.  Visit my website
 @ www.mybirthorder.com and contact me for a free 
audio version of the book.