James Wall, Captain Kangaroo's 'Mr. Baxter,' dies

[October 29, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- James Wall, Captain Kangaroo's neighbor "Mr. Baxter" on the children's show and longtime stage manager for CBS News, has died. He was 92.

CBS News says Wall died Wednesday in New York City after a short illness.

The former vaudevillian joined the popular children's show in 1962 as a stage manager before persuading the show's producers to create its first black character in 1968.

He played Baxter and another recurring role on the show until 1978.

Wall was a stage manager for many CBS broadcasts over the years, including "60 Minutes," "Face the Nation," and the US Open Tennis Championships.

In 1994, Wall was honored with an achievement award by the Director's Guild of America.

[Associated Press]

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