David Newell, Mr Mcfeely

When David Newell appears on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, he plays Mr. McFeely, the elderly Neighbor who runs a speedy delivery service. Even though Mr. McFeely’s busy schedule may include a delivery by kayak or returning a llama to the zoo, he always has time for his familiar “Speedy Delivery” greeting! Visiting Mr. McFeely often leads to viewing a movie from his extensive film collection—you might see anything from a hot-air balloon ride to a flashback to when he was young. Away from the character make-up, David Newell assumes many behind the scenes responsibilities for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Having been with the series since its inception in 1967, he has been Properties Manager, Associate Producer and Director of Public Relations for Family Communications, producers of the Neighborhood series. Family Communications changed its name in 2010 to The Fred Rogers Company to honor Fred as it builds on his legacy working in innovation ways to engage new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. David continues to make personal Mr. McFeely appearances as an ambassador for the Neighborhood series. His background includes a wide-ranging involvement in theater arts as an actor, technician, stage manager and administrator. A native of Pittsburgh, he has worked with the Pittsburgh Playhouse, The Civic Light Opera Company and The Little Lake Arena Theater. He has also been involved in theater productions in Los Angeles and Honolulu.

David received his certification in Theater Arts from the Pittsburgh Playhouse and a B.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Nan. They have three children, Carrie, Taylor and Alexander and three grandchildren.