The actor, who created Dancing Bear on the classic children's show, passed away July 26 in Arizona at 86 years old.
- Aug 8, 2013
AceShowbiz - Cosmo Allegretti, the man behind some "Captain Kangaroo" characters, has passed away. The actor and puppeteer died July 26 in Arizona. His friend and attorney John Munzel told reporters on Wednesday, August 7 that Allegretti had emphysema. He was 86 years old.
Allegretti started working on "Captain Kangaroo" as a set painter. He got a chance to show his real talent when the children's TV series was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional and he volunteered to design a substitute.
He created Dancing Bear and was the man behind other characters on the show, including Mr. Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Moose, both of which he also created. He was the artist behind the Magic Drawing Board and was the voice of TV Fred, who appeared behind the blackboard in the Captain's Treasure House.
Allegretti also appeared in films such as "Prince of the City". He was briefly married during the 1950s to Broadway actress Carol Lawrence, who was featured on TV series such as "Saved by the Bell" and "Sex and the City".
