Fresh Air, Bob Dorough, Fred Rogers and Pascal Khoo Thew

De: Terry Gross

Narrado por: Terry Gross

Fresh Air continues its "Holiday Week of Songs from Broadway and Hollywood" by branching out a bit to include TV music for children. First, Terry Gross speaks with Bob Dorough was the musical director of the 1970s educational TV series, School House Rock and composer of the popular song "Three is a Magic Number". The CD, Schoolhouse Rock Rocks, was released with contemporary artists such as Blind Melon, Lemonheads and Pavement, playing the old songs. Also now available is School House Rock: The Official Guide, by the creators of the series, Tom Yohe and George Newall. Then, Barbara Bogaev talks with beloved children's TV host Fred Rogers. Rogers popular show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was the longest-running program on public television. Rogers was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the nation can bestow in 2001. Rogers died February 2003 at the age of 74. Finally, Burmese writer Pascal Khoo Thew talks about his autobiography From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey. Thwe grew up part of a tiny remote tribe in Burma which practiced a combination of ancient animist and Buddhist customs mixed with Catholicism. He was the first member of his community to study English at University. When a brutal military dictatorship took over Burma, Thwe became a guerrilla fighter in the movement for democracy. (Original Broadcast Dates: May 9, 1996 and November 13, 2002)

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