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.