[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/captain_kangaroo_cast.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The cast circa 1961. Left to right: Dancing Bear, Bunny Rabbit, Captain Kangaroo, Grandfather Clock, Mister Moose, and Mister Green Jeans.]]

->''"Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all\\
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one\\
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo\\
Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do"''
-->-- '''Music/TheStatlerBrothers''', "Flowers on the Wall"

''Captain Kangaroo'' is a children's television series created and hosted by Bob Keeshan. It ran weekday mornings on Creator/{{CBS}} from 1955-1981, and on Saturday mornings from 1982-84. The name "Captain Kangaroo" came from the large pockets in Keeshan's signature red jacket. After the show left CBS, reruns ran from 1986-90 on Creator/{{PBS}}.

Keeshan's supporting cast included Dennis the painter, played by Cosmo Allegretti, and Mr. Green Jeans, a farmer played by Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum. Allegretti also operated the puppets Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit. Other recurring characters included the Town Clown, the Dancing Bear and Fred from Channel One. The show also had animated segments, including ''WesternAnimation/TomTerrific'' and ''Lariat Sam'' from Creator/{{Terrytoons}}, ''Crystal Tipps and Alistair'' from Creator/TheBBC, and ''WesternAnimation/CBBears'' from Creator/HannaBarbera.

A syndicated revival of ''Captain Kangaroo'' was attempted in 1997 by Creator/SabanEntertainment, with bearded actor John [=McDonough=] in a blue jacket, which later aired on [[Creator/ABCFamily Fox Family]].
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!!''Captain Kangaroo'' provides examples of:
* AnimatedCreditsOpening: Done with the "Good Morning, Captain" theme song, 1974–84.
* CoolOldGuy: Mr Green Jeans throughout the series, and the Captain himself in the 1970s.
* CouchGag: Beginning in the 1970s, various personalities -- including cast members of CBS shows (''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/MatchGame'', ''Series/TheCarolBurnettShow''), random celebs (Eli Wallach, Creator/BetteDavis, Creator/BobHope), and even rival children's show hosts ([[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood Mister Rogers]]) -- would start the show saying, "Good morning, Captain!"
* CrossOver: The Captain appeared on ''Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood'', and Fred Rogers appeared on the Captain's show.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Dancing Bear is a ... bear who dances.
* FunnyPhoneMisunderstanding: In an early-'70s episode, the Captain's sidekick, Mr. Green Jeans, is on the telephone. We hear him say, to whoever it was on the phone,
-->No, it's not "Mr. Cream Cheese", it's "Mr. Green Jeans"!
* LongRunners
* PortalPicture: ''Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings'', a series of British animated shorts featured on the show in the '70s.
* {{Revival}}
* RunningGag: Mr. Moose and the pingpong balls; Bunny Rabbit getting the carrots; the tiny marching band that only the Captain sees.
* SeniorSleepCycle: Once an episode the Captain has to wake up Grandfather Clock [[FakeInteractivity with the audience's help]]. "All together now. 1-2-3, WAKE UP GRANDFATHER!"
* ShoutOut:
** Music/FrankZappa wrote two compositions, ''Mr. Green Genes'' (from his album ''Uncle Meat'') and ''Son of Mr. Green Genes'' (from his album ''Music/HotRats''), which are shout-outs to the ''Captain Kangaroo'' character Mr. Green Jeans. This led to the UrbanLegend that Zappa was supposedly the real son of Hugh ''Lumpy'' Brannum, the actor who played this character. Zappa debunked this myth in his autobiography ''Literature/TheRealFrankZappaBook''.
** The country music group The Statler Brothers referred to the program in their hit song "Flowers on the Wall", quoted above.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Deborah Weems as Debbie was the only female cast member.
* SoulfulPlantStory: One segment focuses on a petunia with weepy eyes that sings "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch".
* SpeciesSurname: Dancing Bear, Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose
* TheSpeechless: Bunny Rabbit, Dancing Bear
* TalkingApplianceSidekick: Grandfather Clock.
* ThemeTune:
** The original, InstrumentalThemeTune was Edward White's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtGUaScpSbg Puffin' Billy]]", which [[UsefulNotes/ThePond Rightpondians]] of a certain age might better associate with [[Creator/TheBBC BBC Radio]]'s ''Children's Favourites'' program.
** This was replaced in 1974 with a vocal ThematicThemeTune called "Good Morning, Captain" (although the "Puffin' Billy" melody was subtly woven into the new tune's arrangement).
** Yet another theme, "Wake Up", was introduced in 1981 when the show changed to a half-hour format.
** Finally, a theme called "Here Comes Captain Kangaroo" (written by ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' composer Lynn Ahrens) was used beginning in 1983.
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