Captain Kangaroo (1955): cast, story & where to watch
1955 · Series · ★ 7.2
Released in 1955, Captain Kangaroo is a family and kids series.
What it’s about. Captain Kangaroo was an American children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program of its day. In 1986, the American Program Service integrated some newly produced segments into reruns of past episodes, distributing the newer version of the series until 1993. The show was conceived and the title character played by Bob Keeshan, who based the show on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children." Keeshan had portrayed the original Clarabell the Clown on The Howdy Doody Show when it aired on NBC. Captain Kangaroo had a loose structure, built around life in the "Treasure House" where the Captain would tell stories, meet guests, and indulge in silly stunts with regular characters, both humans and puppets. The show was telecast live to the East Coast and the Midwest for its first four years and broadcast on kinescope for the West Coast, as Keeshan would not perform the show live three times a day, and was in black-and-white until 1966. The May 17, 1971 episode saw two major changes on the show: The Treasure House was renovated and renamed "The Captain's Place" and the Captain replaced his navy blue coat with a red coat. In September 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long show to a half-hour, briefly retitled it Wake Up with the Captain, and moved it to an earlier time slot; it was later moved to weekends in September 1982, and returned to an hour-long format. It was canceled by CBS at the end of 1984.
Who’s in it. Captain Kangaroo stars Bob Keeshan as Captain Kangaroo.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, Captain Kangaroo has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Captain Kangaroo page.
If you liked it. Fans of Captain Kangaroo tend to enjoy Anne with an E, Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall and Big Time Rush.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Captain Kangaroo (1955)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Captain Kangaroo change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Captain Kangaroo worth watching?
- Captain Kangaroo holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy family and kids. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Captain Kangaroo?
- Captain Kangaroo stars Bob Keeshan.
- When was Captain Kangaroo released?
- Captain Kangaroo was released in 1955.