America's Favorite Neighbor changed millions of lives. Watch real-life neighbor Benjamin Wagner, a journalist, and his brother Christofer come to know more than just the man and his luminous legacy. Their personal journey unearths the roots of Mister Rogers' values, unmasks the forces acting against depth and simplicity, and helps them to develop the means to lead deeper, simpler lives.
Mister Rogers & Me - America's Favorite Neighbor changed millions of lives. This is one man's story.
Nantucket Film Festival Official Selection
Heartland Film Festival Crystal Heart Award Winner
Flagstaff Film Festival Best Documentary Winner
Paley Center DocFest Official Selection
Mister Rogers summered in a modest house on a quiet corner of Nantucket Island. MTV producer Benjamin Wagner's mother rented the cottage next door. Mister Rogers really was his neighbor. On the afternoon of their first meeting, "America's Favorite Neighbor" asked the young journalist about his job. Wagner--a PBS mind in a jump-cut, sound-bit MTV world - expressed enthusiasm tempered with an iota of ambivalence.
Mister Rogers said warmly, ""I feel so strongly that deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex. "One year and many" "deep and simple" conversations later, Rogers whispered, "Spread the message, Benjamin!"
After Rogers' death in 2003, Wagner and his brother, Christofer, set out to learn more about the man himself and discover what he meant by ""deep and simple."" The brothers' travels led them to conversations with Meet the Press anchor (and Nantucket neighbor) Tim Russert; Arthur creator Marc Brown; NPR correspondent (and sometimes Neighbohood co-host) Susan Stamberg; Neighborhood puppeteer and Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood founder, Dr. Susan Linn; and many other neighbors and friends of Mister Rogers.
The brothers come to know more than just the man and his luminous legacy. Their personal journey unearths the roots of Mister Rogers' values, unmasks the forces acting against depth and simplicity, and helps them to develop the means to lead deeper, simpler lives.
Special Features include…
- Director's Commentary with Benjamin and Christofer Wagner
- Q & A session with David Newell, (Mr. McFeely) and Angela Santomero (Creator, Blue's Clues and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood).
- Bonus interviews with Tim Russert and Susan Stamberg
Producer: Benjamin Wagner
Executive Producer: William M. Bolster, David Wagner, Benjamin Wagner, Christofer Wagner
Production Year: 2012
Copyright Year: 2011
Rating: TV-Y
Actors: Fred Rogers, Tim Russert, Susan Stamberg, Marc Brown
Talent: Fred Rogers
Writers: Benjamin Wagner
Number of Discs: 1
Length: 80 minutes
Subtitled: Y
Subtitle Languages: English (SDH)
Audio Format: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen
VIDEO USAGE RIGHTS
Why the AV version? Because it provides additional usage options for PBS videos. AV versions come with limited performance rights so they can be shown in classrooms, at PTA meetings, during after school programs, and transmitted on a closed-circuit system within a building or on a single campus. They also can be enjoyed in admission-free public screenings, which also makes them ideal for use by library patrons and businesses involved in community clubs and organizations.