Interview by Christine Thompson
I was going to transcribe this interview with Joanne Rogers and insert my opinion of the movie, but instead have decided to just let you listen to her and Bill Isler talk about Fred Rogers, her husband of 50 years. Bill Isler was Mr. Roger’s right hand man and business partner. They both talk in-depth about what he was really like, and the comparison of the movie A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD to real-life. The film is rated at 96%/critics and 91%/audience on Rotten Tomatoes and is playing theaters now.
It’s a great movie for the Holidays, and very touching. Tom Hanks suspends belief and personifies Mr. Rogers in a very real way. The official synopsis is Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America’s most beloved neighbor.
Joanne Rogers talks candidly of Mr. Roger’s faith, plus the truth about Mr. Rogers being a tattoo covered marine sniper, and what Mr. Roger’s own favorite episode of his iconic television show Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.
