Darlings, It's High Time Bunny Rabbit Got A Mention!!!!

No, girls, I am not mentally deteriorating--not yet--resorting to baby talk. I am talking about my favorite character from "Captain Kangaroo," Bunny Rabbit!!!! Now, I am sure all my girls know and/or remember "Captain Kangaroo," but for those who don't. here is a glance!!!!

Long before "Sesame Street" defined children's television, "Captain Kangaroo" was one of the early ventures in interactive programming for kids. I can still hear the cheerful, jingly theme music in my head, see the lettered blocks spelling out the show's title, and picture the image of the Captain (brilliantly portrayed by Bob Keeshan) in his costume, white hair and moustache, at the Treasure House's divided door, open, and jangling his keys, welcoming us inside!!!!!!

Most of the action was conducted, center stage, from a table in the room. But often, the camera panned about the place, where we met with Grandfather Clock, who opened his eyes and talked, besides telling time, and were sometimes joined by Dancing Bear, who really could dance, and the Captain's constant sidekick, Mr. Greenjeans, who, even back before I knew anything, I always wondered about!!!!!!!

Table center featured Mister Moose, who was lovable in his own right. But the best moments on the show came when, with little notice, Bunny Rabbit would pop up from beneath the table, and interact with everyone in sight!!!! Like the line in "Fatal Attraction" went, this was one bunny who would NOT be ignored!!! Or boiled, for that matter. You see, Bunny Rabbit did not talk. He was cute, bespectacled, and very intellectual looking. He would stretch out his arms in supplication to communicate, or, more famously, bang himself down on the table, to emphasize his points, which the Captain would decipher for us!!!! He was SO cute, so tough, yet so vulnerable at the same time, that I just loved him!!!!! You wanted to hug Bunny Rabbit, yet there lurked the feeling that, if you did, he would squirm for independence. He was feisty!!!!!!

In later years, I would think of him humanisitically, because I wondered if his pounding himself on the table meant he had epilepsy!!!!! In fact, I STILL think Bunny Rabbit should be the mascot for the National Epilepsy Foundation!!!!! People would get the message that this oft maligned illness is not so bad, AND it would bring our missing Bunny Rabbit out of retirement!!!!!!!

Until then, though, "Kiss!Kiss!" to Bunny Rabbit!!!! He may not have been your favorite, darlings, but he WAS mine!!!!! And always will be. A friend of mine, who remembers this era, still owns what I am sure is a collector's item--a Lamb Chop (ie; Shari Lewis) doll!!!!! I don't know if Bunny Rabbit was marketed, but I wish he had been. He would have been mine to have and to hold. Not disregarding Monsieur!!!!!

Hon, the Easter Bunny, Buggs, even the boiled lapin in "Fatal Attraction," get more attention these days. So here is to the unsung star of "Captain Kangaroo"--the brilliant, charismatic, and cute as a button, Bunny Rabbit!!!!!!

Eat your carrots, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!