Bob Keeshan, the friendly face of TV's Captain Kangaroo, died Friday aged 76.

The man with the bushy mustache and big pockets was a hit with children for 36 years as Captain Kangaroo. He produced and acted in the show, which ran from 1955 to 1993.

Wildly popular among children, the show won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards.

The name of the show was inspired by the kangaroo pouch-like pockets on the uniform coat Keeshan wore.

Upon his retirement, Keeshan became a lobbyist on behalf of children's issues, lecturing and writing books. He also favoured tighter controls on the tobacco industry.

Keeshan was critical of the elevated levels of violence found on many new TV shows aimed at kids.

In 1987, he teamed up with former Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander to found an organization that provided day-care programs to businesses around the U.S.

Keeshan believed children learn more in thei first six years of life that at any other time, and was a strong advocate of day cares.

He also urged parents to think of themselves as role models.

"Parents are the ultimate role models for children," he said. "Every word, movement and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent."

Born on Long Island, N.Y., on June 27, 1927, Keeshan served as a Marine in the Second World War and planned to become a lawyer. But after the war, he worked at NBC as an assistant to radio personality Bob Smith.

Smith had a radio program for adults at night and children during the day. With the advent of television, he was asked to adopt his children's program "Puppet Playhouse" to TV and Keeshan followed along.

The show was later renamed after the main character, Howdy Doody, which is where Keeshan began his on-screen career as Clarabell Hornblower, a silent clown. The show ran from 1947 to 1952.

Keeshan also appeared as Corny the Clown from 1953 to 1955, and Tinker the Toymaker from 1954 to 1955 before the debut of Captain Kangaroo on Oct. 3, 1955.

Keeshan married in 1950. His wife, Jeanne, died in 1990. The couple had three children.