Ok so there is no Mr. Rogers.
Pennsylvania Presbyterian Church Member Fred Rogers was about to go on tv and begin his Mr. Rogers's Neighborhood TV Show. As he got closer to the date Fred had a change of heart and chose to go away from tv and full on into the Presbyterian Church and became Ordained Reverend Fred Rogers.
PBS eventually picked up Sesame Street from NBC but had a hard time selling it to children since one of the stars who played Gordon was a former Blaxploitation Film Actor who played a Pimp.
How could they sell this kid and family friendly show with an actor who could easily be recognized as a former Big Screen Movie Pimp ? One of the young urban professional interns at PBS said at a executive board meeting "I personally believe that Sesame Street can mix both Public School Style Education with Pure Intelligent Gritty Street Smarts so that everyone can learn to be both very smart and extremely safe in life."
Sesame Street quickly becomes a monster of an institution on TV among Young Children, Teens and Adults equally and the ratings are beyond staggeringly high as PBS is the now most watched channel world wide.
PBS signs Sesame Street to a life contract which means Sesame Street will remain on the air indefinitely. When The Electric Company came on the air it was like Sesame Street for a more Hip Teen and Adult Crowd. And following in the same formula as Sesame Street with Public Education meets Gritty Street Smarts The Electric Company would go on to equally rival Sesame Street and both shows ruled the roost for Daytime Public TV.
Electric Company would go on to make megastars of both Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman. Freeman's baritone voice is considered like a warm glass of Cocoa.