The Neighborhood of Make-Believe is the fictional kingdom inhabited by hand puppet characters on the children's television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which originally aired on PBS (and its predecessor NET) from 1968 to 2001, and its predecessor Mister Rogers, which originally aired on CBC from 1963 to 1966. Principal puppeteer Fred Rogers developed many of the characters in the 1950s for Josie Carey's program, The Children's Corner. Both shows were shot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Overview
The adventures of the Make-Believe Neighborhood citizens appear in a short segment once in the middle of almost every episode. Rogers deliberately makes clear the distinction between the "real world" and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe by transitioning in and out of the Neighborhood segment via a distinctive red and yellow model electric trolley that enters and exits through small tunnels in the wall (or occasionally by setting up small tabletop models of the various Neighborhood of Make Believe buildings), and by discussing what had happened with his audience after the end of each segment. The same storyline continues for a week or more (similar to a soap opera), though Rogers is always sure to recap the plot for the audience.
Characters
Characters in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe were portrayed by both hand puppets operated by puppeteers, and on-screen actors. They would occasionally talk to the viewers in specific episodes.