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Mister Rogers’ beloved neighbor Jeff Erlanger inspires new ‘Donkey Hodie’ character
April 14, 2025 Leave a Comment
In 1981, Madison resident Jeff Erlanger and his electric wheelchair appeared on an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, helping create one of the series’ most memorable segments and making Erlanger one of the most iconic and beloved neighbors of the late Fred Rogers.
In the unscripted and unrehearsed segment, the 10-year-old Erlanger talks with Mister Rogers about his wheelchair and why he needs it, culminating in the pair singing “It’s You I Like” together. Rogers would later recall the visit as his “most treasured time on the set.”
Nearly 45 years later, Erlanger, an advocate and activist for disability rights until his death in 2007, has inspired another groundbreaking moment in the world of Fred Rogers Productions when the character Jeff Mouse joins the puppets of the PBS KIDS series, Donkey Hodie, in the whimsical land of Someplace Else.
In an episode premiering Monday, April 14, viewers will meet Jeff Mouse – an intrepid explorer and lover of nature who is always resourceful and prepared for an adventure. The blue mouse uses an electric wheelchair, just like his namesake, and in his first episode, joins his friends to search for a hard-to-find moth.
Donkey Hodie is a puppet series for preschoolers inspired by the quirky, funny side of Rogers, as well as his mission to help young viewers navigate the frustrations and challenges of childhood. It follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie character from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (now known as “Grampy Hodie”).
In an early 2000s interview with PBS Wisconsin two decades after his appearance on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Erlanger described what inspired his meeting with Mister Rogers and his experience filming, singing and spending time alongside him.
In 1999, during Mister Rogers’ induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame, Erlanger surprised the honoree by appearing on stage to introduce him to the audience – a moment the beloved television host met by leaping onto the stage to greet his friend.
“It’s an honor to be here tonight to be part of this proud moment,” Erlanger told Mister Rogers. “When you tell people that it’s you I like, we know that you really mean it, and I want to let you know that on behalf of millions of children and grownups, it is you that I like.”
