Actor Michael Keaton is known for a pretty impressive body of comic and dramatic work in his career. The thing most people don’t know about his career, though, is it actually started on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
While he appeared on-screen in that show as one of The Flying Zookeeni Brothers, most of his work was backstage as a full-time production assistant.
(Michael Keaton as one of The Flying Zookeeni Brothers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.)
Among his many other tasks for that show were set-building, miniature work and puppeteering: three things you need to be pretty good at if Fred Rogers was your boss and The Neighborhood was your workplace.
So yeah, Michael Keaton has a great deal of eclectic skills, and put them to good use on a phenomenal program early in his career.
(Part of Keaton’s job was maintaining, repairing and building these puppets and sets, as well as filling in on puppeteer duties as needed.)
Keaton, by the way, loved working for Rogers.
In fact, when Rogers passed in 2003, PBS brought Keaton in to host the special, Fred Rogers: America’s Favorite Neighbor, it presented in his honor. PBS also brought Keaton back in 2018 to host a 50th Anniversary special for Rogers and the Neighborhood titled Mister Rogers: It’s You I like.