Mister Rogers: It’s him we like

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” turns 50 Monday, but PBS will air its prime-time celebration March 6.

The hour special, “Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like,” is a touching tribute that merits early attention and a warning: If you love and admire Fred Rogers, who died in 2003 at 74, be prepared to tear up.

A look back at “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” reminds us of the civility, kindness and empathy the program fostered and the host embodied from 1968 to 2001. The clips underscore how Rogers, a music major at Rollins College in Winter Park, inspired younger generations by showcasing the greatest talents.

Tony Bennett sings “It’s You I Like.” A young Wynton Marsalis plays the trumpet. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma recalls how his son liked the show, which became a bonding moment for the family.

Rogers’ love of jazz made a deep impression on singer-bassist Esperanza Spalding. “Fred Rogers was a model and mentor to all us young kids,” she says.

Violinist Itzhak Perlman marvels, “Mister Rogers is really Mister Rogers. He doesn’t change.”

That authenticity still registers as actor John Lithgow, director Judd Apatow and comedian Sarah Silverman speak fondly of what Rogers means to them. Whoopi Goldberg praises Rogers as hip cat and civil-rights activist.

“It’s what’s inside us that matters most,” Rogers told viewers.

The special salutes his sense of humor, his love of learning, his willingness to be vulnerable and make mistakes on the air. He explored difficult topics: death, divorce, anger. He was a showman with his puppets, and he was an insightful interviewer. “Wizard of Oz” fans will enjoy his delightful chat with Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West.

Rogers’ loving style comes through in an endearing interview with Jeff Erlanger, a boy in a wheelchair. The program is from the Fred Rogers Company, which carries on his legacy with the spinoff “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.”

Host Michael Keaton, who worked on “Neighborhood,” said Rogers inspires people to do better. “Love and success, always in that order. It’s that simple and that difficult,” Rogers said.

You can still learn a lot by watching Mister Rogers. Monday, 9 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Friday, 9 p.m.