Cosmo Allegretti, the puppeteer and actor who performed on CBS’s Captain Kangaroo, died in Phoenix on July 26 from emphysema, his attorney announced. Allegretti was 86.

Allegretti first worked on Captain Kangaroo — which aired in 1955 and stayed on for nearly 30 years — as a set painter. He soon began creating and voicing puppets, and became the man behind Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Moose.

In the 1980s, Allegretti was also in several films such as Prince of the City (1981) and Author! Author! (1982).

In 1985, Allegretti told the Miami Herald that he was glad Captain Kangaroo was calmer than most other children’s TV shows.

“Keeshan was looking to go against the grain, to do a quiet, gentle show when the others were loud,” he said. “‘Kangaroo’ was a visit, not a show.”

Emphysema, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, results from the deterioration of the alveoli, or air sacs, in the lungs, causing progressive breathing difficulties. Over time, emphysema causes lung air sacs to develop gaping holes, which reduce the lungs' surface area and diminish the amount of oxygen that can reach the bloodstream.

Emphysema symptoms can include a chronic cough, difficulty in catching your breath, or difficulty breathing during exercise.

According to MedlinePlus, the most common cause of emphysema is smoking cigarettes.