“Captain Kangaroo:” Why Everyone Was Enchanted By This Show

Keeshan Served in the Military

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Source: Biography

For a long time, a story has circulated that Bob Keeshan fought alongside Lee Marvin in the military during WWII. It is thought that Marvin told Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show” that the two fought in Iwo Jima. Though we do know that Keeshan was in the military for a time, he never fought in Japan as he had enlisted too late.

Keeshan Started as a Page

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Source: Retro Land

Evidently, before the producers of the show “Howdy Doody” gave Bob Keeshan his first role as Clarabell the Clown, he was a page for the studios. He would run around doing odd jobs as requested, but it was decided that it looked bad so they promoted him. He actually made so little as a page that Buffalo Bob Smith would give him $5 after every show.