June 27

Robert James Keeshan's Birthday
 

Bob Keeshan and  publicist Andrea Foster
 

Bob Keeshan began his television career playing the silent Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody. Clarabell communicated by honking several horns attached to a belt around his waist. One horns meant "yes"; the other meant "no".  Keeshan gave up the role in 1952 for a k on the air in a speaking role as Corny the Clown on the WABC-TV (New York City) Time for Fun.  He then launched Captain Kangaroo on CBS on October 3, 1955  which he both produced and stared in, and which he geared for preschool children. Keeshan won four Emmys for this program which aired every weekday morning for thirty years.

With his red jacket, his bushy mustache, Keeshan lured children into learning about literature, science, and  music. He  read books, visited with animals, and worked with his sidekick, Mr. Green Jeans. and his menagerie of puppets,  incluuding with the poetry-creating Grandfather Clock, the greedy Bunny Rabbit, the punning trickster Mr. Moose, and the musically-inclined Dancing Bear, the Captain opened several generations of children to the pleasures of learning.  Many children were introduced to knock-knock jokes from Mr. Moose which always ended ended with ping-pong balls falling from the ceiling.

As his program's popularity grew, Keeshan took on an increasingly public role as an advocate for children, writing a regular column about children and television for McCall's and occasional articles for Good Housekeeping, Parade, and other publications. Keeshan wrote original children's books (as well as those tied to the Kangaroo program) and recorded a series of records designed to introduce children to classical and jazz music.

Any kangaroo recipe would be appropriate today. If you haven't tasted kangaroo, we recommend kangaroo soup as an introduction to Aussie cuisine. It is similar to but a little stronger than oxtail soup. Kangaroo tail is difficult to find in the United States, so we suggest kangaroo loin which can be ordered from Marx Foods in Atlantic Highlands, NJ (1-866-588-MARX (6279). They also have kangaroo burgers if you are more adventurous in celebrating the Captain's birthday.

Enjoy your soup with a DVD on any of Bob's Captain Kangaroo TV shows
 

Kangaroo  Soup
 

Ingredients
 
1 lb kangaroo filet, cut into small pieces
flour for coating
salt and pepper
2 TB oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery sticks, sliced
 
2 carrots, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
8 baby tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
5 cups beef stock

 
Instructions
 
  1. Coat the kangaroo pieces in seasoned flour. Set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the coated kangaroo tail pieces and seal on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Reheat the oil, add the onions, garlic, celery, zucchini, tomatoes. and carrots and sauté, stirring for 5 minutes.
  4. Return the meat to the pan together with the herbs and stock, bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce the heat,
    cover and simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming the surface from time to time.
Serves 4

© 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes