PRI's This American Life had an intersting glimpse of the real, off-camera Fred Rogers - who was exactly like the on-camera Mr. Rogers.

Use the links in the left-hand frame for the 2001 episodes, then scroll down in the right-hand frame to:

Neighbors
May 11, 2001
Episode 184

Act One. Mr. Rothbart's Neighborhood. When he was just a kid, Davy Rothbart and his family visited the most famous neighbor in America -- Mr. Rogers -- at his summer cottage on Nantucket. Two decades later, as an adult, Davy went back for another visit with Mr. Rogers. This time he brought stories from his own neighborhood, stories of neighborly conflict and distrust -- to see what kind of advice Mr. Rogers could give him. (20 minutes)

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Locally... Rogers was at Penn State a year ago to speak at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of a four-day seminar at the Nitanny Lion Inn which was the seed for Educational Television (there are those among us who recall that precursor to PBS...). Last evening, WPSU-FM replayed his speech; apparently, he was as moved by YoYo Ma's perfomance in the Neighborhood as we in the veiwing audience were (he also had fond words for Leonard Bernstein's "Young Peoples' Concerts", which were staple fare in my childhood home). Unfortunately, WPSU hasn't put the speech online.