Fred Rogers, the gentle host of public television's "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" for more than 30 years, died of cancer on Feb. 27, 2003, at his home in Pittsburgh. He was 74. Rogers began his career as a puppeteer on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation show "The Children's Hour" in the early 1950s. In 1954, he created "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" for WQED in Pittsburgh. The show, which featured Rogers talking directly to his young viewers, was one of the first of its kind. Rogers won numerous awards over the years, including 14 Emmys and a Peabody. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2002. Rogers is survived by his wife, Joanne, and their two sons, James and John.