Captain Kangaroo: James Wall aka Mr. Baxter Dead

In this undated photo released by CBS, James "Jimmy" Wall, Captain Kangaroo's neighbor "Mr. Baxter" on the children's show and longtime stage manager for CBS News, is shown at the Director’s Guild of America and N.Y. Headquarters in New York. Wall died at his New York City home on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010 after a short illness. He was 92. (AP Photo/CBS, Mark Mahaney)

Captain Kangaroo‘s Mr. Baxter, played by James Wall, died Wednesday night in his sleep.

Before joining Captain Kangaroo as Mr. Baxter, James Wall worked on the show as a stage manager. He convinced the show to add a black character, and the show turned around and gave him the part.

James Wall’s part on Captain Kangaroo ended in 1978. He continued to work in Manhattan as a stage manager for CBS until 2009.

Shows he worked on include NFL Today and 60 Minutes. He also managed numerous presidential inaugurations and political events, as well as the U.S. Open tennis tournament for 41 consecutive years.

Captain Kangaroo aired for nearly 30 years, from 1955 through 1984. At the time, it was the longest-running children’s show ever.