Bob Trow

Wednesday, November 4, 1998

Bob Trow

"Mister Rogers'" Troll
NEW ALEXANDRIA (AP) - Bob Trow, who portrayed Robert Troll, Bob Dog and himself for some 30 years on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," and who contributed countless sketches before that for morning radio in Pittsburgh, has died. He was 72.

Trow died Monday of a heart attack at his home in New Alexandria in Westmoreland County.
He taped appearances for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood just last week.
"He was such an integral part of the Pittsburgh broadcasting family," Fred Rogers said.
"And to have been able to work with him last Tuesday and Thursday. One of the last things he said to me was, 'Thank you for having me, Fred,"' Rogers said.
The episodes taped last week will air in February as part of a lesson on noisy and quiet.
"He was an enormous talent, and for him to have been able to offer that to children through the neighborhood all through these years was a great gift," Rogers said.
Rege Cordic gave Trow his start in broadcasting after hearing his musical group, which combined song and humor.
Cordic brought Trow into Cordic and Company, first on WWSW and then on KDKA, using invented characters to harass the host to the great amusement of morning commuters.
Popular characters included Carmen Monoxide, an incorrigible punster; Omicron, a bureaucrat from Venus; and Louie Adamchevitz, a Slav garbageman. Cordic's team even began a Monoxide for president campaign.
Trow "made wonderful election speeches: I never made a promise that I kept and I don't intend to start now," said Cordic, who is retired and living on the West Coast. "Those were the golden years. And Bob was part of the gold."
People still ask Trow's son Eric, who is creative director for the Brabender Cox advertising firm, if he is related to Bob.
"They remember riding in a car on the Parkway, they'd be laughing and turn and see the guy in the next car laughing," said Eric Trow, who has done voice-over work since he was a child.
Trow also wrote and produced television and radio commercials, and painted oil portraits of visitors to his home.
"He was an extremely talented man and one who had more facets to his creativity than anyone I know. And yet, he was very self-effacing," said David Crantz, a promotions director for WTAE-TV who is now retired.
Another son, Rob Trow, also works in broadcasting as a studio vocalist and voice-over talent in Chicago.
Trow also was survived by his wife of 18 years, Lois, and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be Wednesday and Thursday at the P. David Newhouse Funeral Home in New Alexandria.
Services were scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the Reformed Presbyterian Church in New Alexandria, followed by internment in Union Cemetery.