Remembering Mister Rogers

It was a beautiful day in our neighborhood Saturday as Pittsburgh paid tribute to our beloved treasure, Fred Rogers. From his PBS premiere at WQED in 1954 to his last public appearance on Jan. 1, 2003, as Grand Marshal of Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade, Mister Rogers was a TV friend to children everywhere. He created a safe, caring place for growing up until he died last February ... and won every industry award, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. To love Mr. Rogers, you have to get in line.

The exhilarating, spirit-lifting "Music of Fred Rogers" at Heinz Hall was a kilowatt glow on the talented composer and his music. Every seat in Heinz Hall was filled for the concert with our world-class Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lucas Richman and Michael Moricz . Fred must've been whispering in their ears because the stage was banked with colossal cutouts of his puppets Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Daniel Striped Tiger, X the Owl, Henrietta Pussycat and King Friday XIII.

CNN's stunning anchor Paula Zahn hosted the first half of the concert. An acclaimed cellist who debuted in Carnegie Hall in '92, she accompanied the Children's Festival Chorus and PSO in an enchanting version of "Peace and Quiet." Pat Sajak stepped in after the intermission with delicious asides from "The Wheel of Fortune."

Here's an idea of the outsized entertainment that passes this way once in a big fat blue moon: Broadway legend Tommy Tune singing and tapping to "This Is Just the Day"; Metropolitan Opera diva Renee Fleming and baritone Thomas Hampson beaming in on video, as did cellist Yo-Yo Ma; actor John Lithgow; Cook, Dixon and Young (formerly the Three Mo' Tenors); NYPD tenor Daniel Rodriguez, who rallied the nation on 9/11; pianist Jeannine Morrison ; Broadway Billy Hartung ; from a Neighborhood medley came Chuck "Neighbor" Aber, Joe "Handyman" Negri, David "Mr. McFeeley" Newell, Michael Horton and Frank Capelli ; the North Star Kids; and on and on to the finale sing-along of "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." Masterfully directed by the Public Theater's Ted Pappas . And presented by community champions PNC and Eat'n Park.

With an impish sense of fun, Youngstown florist Joe Mineo of Something New brought it back to the Neighborhood at the Duquesne Club. And stopped the perfumed pack in their tracks. Er, trolley tracks. There, in the Reading Room, a red trolley circled a field of wheat grass that was spiked with daffodils under a prop of Mister Rogers' piano. Red cardigan cut-outs playfully leaned against fireplaces and marked dining rooms. Centerpieces of blue delphiniums, red roses and yellow gerber daisies filled tall glass vases that were screened with a piano keyboard and quotations from "The World According to Mister Rogers." Which explains why the dress code was cardigans optional. And the eve's special gift was a copy of his best seller. Love it.

While cocktails were served in the main dining and adjoining red rooms, the delightful dine for 500 deep-pockets at $500/tix took over every private space in the club. A convoy of school busses transported guests to Heinz Hall, where yet another group of VIPs were feted to a bountiful buffet donated by Downtown's trendiest restaurants and caterers. To benefit PSO's educational and community outreach programs.

Floating along with the bubbles, champagne, desserts and a sundae bar apres-curtain in the Bubbleland Lounge (inspired by Mister Rogers' opera, "Windstorm in Bubbleland"), were such as Fred's bride of 50 years, ever-grand Joanne with sons Jim and John and daughter-in-law Genie Rogers; Suzy and Jim Broadhurst with Penn State prez Graham Spanier and Sandy; Elsie and Henry Hillman; Mardi and Bill Isler ; Bishop Donald Wuerl ; Archabbot Douglas Nowicki ; county exec Dan Onorato and Shelly ; PSO's new director and native son Larry Tamburri; Holly Buffinton and Victor Bove; Carol Word and Bill Trueheart; Chuck Cohen; Jan and Don Moritz; Jayne Adair and Basil Cox; Kathie and Dr. Ed Nicholson; Ann and Chris Donahue; Carol Brown; Lou and beautiful Jean Astorino; Susie and Roy Dorrance ; Dr. Esther Barrazone; Toto and Jim Fisher; Sydelle Kessler , a knockout in a red/black Issey Miyake; Nancy and Jeff Leininger ; stunning Sally Wiggin; Peggy and Maxwell King; Bill Boyd; Rose and Bill Strickland ; and event producer Nancy Byrnes, who deftly masterminded the benefit.

As well as beautiful couple Teri and Damian Soffer; Diane and Glen Meakem; Carol and Joe Massaro; Judy Grauer; Mary Lou and Ish McLaughlin , in a varsity cardigan; Audrey and Tim Fisher with daughter Nina; Wes and Ruth Parry; Debbie and Mike Barbarita; Elizabeth and Denis McCarthy; Val and Rick Johnson; Liz and Dan Wilson; Eva Blum and Sam Zacharias; Jean and Brooks Robinson; Connie and Benno Bernt; Margaret and Tom Whitford; Anne Morgan and Jim Kelley , in from Atlanta; Drs. Doreen Boyce and Edward Sell; Millie Posvar; Betsy Hurtt and Doug Branson; Janet and George Miles; Susie Weiler and Larry Rhoades; Susanne and Jim Wilkinson; B.J. Leber and Leo Castagnari; Lou Astorino with Steve and his gorgeous Christine Astorino Del Sole; Jacqui and Jeff Morby; Tammy and Dr. Bob Yakovac; Jan and Leslie Swensen; Cary and Richard Reed; Mary Beth and Chris Leech; Joan and Jerry Apt; Jane Treherne-Thomas; Dolly and Curt Ellenberg; Georgia and Bob Hernandez; Andrea Mahone; Nancy and Bruce McGough ; and Carol Savage and Bob DiBella .

He was special.

Saturday night and headliners strolled about town as if the city's streets were the world's longest red carpet. While the Fred Rogers tribute played at Heinz Hall, the Pittsburgh Hilton hosted a galaxy of localites for the 10th annual Point Park University Starmakers Gala , where Carloyn and Dr. Bill Byham took center stage as the soiree's honorees for their many contributions to the area's cultural scene.

Of course, that's Bill's calling card that lights up the marquee of Sixth Street's Byham Theater, while Carolyn's name graces the new WQED-FM broadcast booth around the corner at Theater Square. But the Byhams earned the PPU's Performing Arts Partnership and Achievement Award for their behind-the-scenes volunteerism that includes the Pittsburgh International Children's Festival, which she founded in 1985; the Cultural Trust; Manchester Craftsmen's Guild; Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre; Pittsburgh Opera Center; and many more.

Celebrating Starmakers' 10th year, PPU prez Dr. Katherine Henderson announced that the benefit has added $1 million to the school's Conservatory of Performing Arts and the Pittsburgh Playhouse, where aspiring actors, singers and dancers hone their craft. Now that's a box-office smash.

Let's roll the credits for a night of boffo performances chaired by Ellen Golonski (with Nat City's

Tom ) and PPU alum Jimmy Miller , a Hollywood power broker whose clients include Jim Carrey and Will Ferrell. And, yes, he is the brother of funnyman Dennis, another PPU grad. Proving that it was indeed "Miller Time," screenwriter Bob Miller , son of playwright Arthur, chatted with guests during the VIP reception.

Plenty of curtain calls were in order for COPA's young talents who made it a grand night for singing and dancing as they entertained with medleys from "Jekyll and Hyde," "Red" and "City of Angels." Enjoying the show were COPA dean Ron Allan-Lindblom and Penny ; honorary chairs Dee Bold and Marsetta Schweiger ; Nancy and Richard Zelonka ; Chuck and Connie Gregory ; Richard Rauh ; Joan and John Mazur ; Cynthia and Paul Liefled; Chuck and Debbie Gomulka ; PR guru Micheal Brunner ; Ellen Henderson and Tom Hubbell ; George and Kathy White ; Kim and Dave Slack ; and Cheryl and Marty Schiff .

Thank our lucky Starmakers.

-- John Altdorfer

Being a National Honors Society student or a gifted musician with an awesome GPA isn't always a ticket to a first-rate college or university. Books, dorm fees and pizza aren't covered by a scholarship or grant. That's where NEED (Negro Educational Emergency Drive) enters the picture, with "last dollar" funding for African-American scholars who have been accepted, but need the extra bucks to make college happen. And NEED reached out to 700 in the class of 2004.

Harvard grad Cedric Jennings , keynoter of Monday's splendid 41st annual NEED benefit dinner at the Hilton, took the path from inner city to the Ivy League (he's the centerpiece of Ron Suskind's best seller, "A Hope in the Unseen,") and inspired 1,000 guests with the story of his odyssey.

Here and there, we spotted such as benefit chair Dr. Christine White Taylor ; NEED director Sylvester Pace and board chair Aaron Walton; Esther Bush ; Citizens Bank's Ralph Papa , who's leading NEED's corporate fund drive; Dr. Barbara Bazron ; emcee Harold Hayes of KDKA-TV; Steelers legend L.C. Greenwood; Howard Slaughter ; the Rev. Eugene Downing ; County Council's Bill Robinson; Tim Stevens; Veronica Blaine; Greg Spencer; Reginald Irvis; Evan Frazier; Debbie Norrell; Eric Mann; Jackie Dixon ; and Dr. Betsy Porter .

Friends in NEED.

You could call North Catholic the little school that could. Perched atop Troy Hill, the institution looms large academically, athletically and charitably -- especially during Saturday's Trojan Triumph auction in the Heinz Field East Club Lounge. On a night when everyone seemed out on the town, 250 guests stayed true to their school to raise well over $80,000. That's some lunch money.

Co-chaired by Kathy and Dr. Tim Kross , with an assist from NC alum and financial whiz, author and TV commentator Dr. Bob Froelich (with Cheryl ), the fund-raiser honored Steelers boss Dan Rooney with the "Forever True" award, which son Jim accepted while dad attended NFL meetings. Doing their bidding were principal Dr. Ed Scheid with Rose Marie ; UPMC's Bill O'Connor and Connie ; Giant Eagle's Mark Minnaugh and Diane ; Joanna and John Meyers ; NC board chair Mary Ryan and Bill ; North Catholic schools superintendent Rob Passerba and Henrietta ; Nancy and Ray Huckestein (class of '46); Cookie and Bud Beatty ; and Molly Larkin .

-- J.A.

Those PCNC guys ... they know how to talk, and they know how to party. We stashed the remote control and broke out the party hats Wednesday night for PCNC's 10th birthday basheroo. Ground zero was Club Cafe on the Southside, and it played to a packed house of pols, talking heads and media celebs fueling up at the open bar and comfort food graze.

The local cable station has grown to 850,000 subscribers from a base of 100,000 in '94, when the format was a constant rerun of newscasts. Today, it's all about local programming, 24-7, with five hours of caller-driven talk shows a day. Pittsburghers tune in for the bare-knuckle interviews that cut through the smoke and mirrors of Grant Street politics.

Truth is, everyone who had a PCNC cameo in the year that was made the cut. And the station aired the happening live on "Night Talk" with hosts Ann Devlin, John Fedko and Dave Johnson . Cueing up the guest list: PCNC station manager Mark Barash ; WPXI-TV GM Ray Carter ; ex-mayor Sophie Masloff; Jim Ecker ; U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan; Dimitri Vassilaros; Teri Russo; Bob O'Connor; Alan Hertzberg; Carl Prine ; Whirl's Christine Tumpson; Bonnie DiCarlo ; young chef Justin Miller; Sharon and Burton Patrick; Carrie Coghill; Richard Applegate; Connie McDowell; Bill Day and daughter Valerie Wilden; Bob DeLucia ; and UFO expert Stan Gordon .

Good reception.