NathanStory Time
“Captain Kangaroo” had a popular segment where the Captain had a “Reading Stories” session. Stories such as Curious George, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Make Way for Ducklings, and the Sweet Pickles series would be read where children listened attentively. It aimed to encourage child literacy.
The Banana Man
The Banana Man was acted out by Sam Levine for both “Captain Kangaroo” and “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The comedic persona was initially Adolf Proper’s creation that would play clown-like character producing random props like a bunch of bananas from his ridiculous costumes.
Tom Terrific
“Captain Kangaroo” would also have a 5-minute long cartoon show. During the ’50s and ’60s, “Tom Terrific” was a young boy who had the ability of shapeshifting with the help of his funnel-shaped cap. The “Tom Terrific” show mostly involved Tom’s adventures with his buddy, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, and his rival, Crabby Appleton.
Ludwig
“Ludwig” was a British-made cartoon that involved a magical robot resembling an egg-shaped gemstone. The show was mainly about the issues faced by the forest animals which would ultimately be cleared off by Ludwig. Ludwig was an ode to Ludwig van Beethoven with the background music being his.
Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings
There was one more “Captain Kangaroo” cartoon that was a hit. A British cartoon, “Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings” was a show that was Edward McLachlan’s book based. The show was about a boy named Simon who possessed a magical chalk where his drawing could come to life and he himself could enter their world. Keeshan was the narrator for “Captain Kangaroo” but the British version had another person to narrate.
The Toothbrush Family
“The Toothbrush Family” also aired on “Captain Kangaroo” during the late ’70s. This was an Australian cartoon about a family that was all oral hygiene products who would come alive after night fell. This cartoon taught children about the importance of oral hygiene.