Bod (television)

Bod was a BBC children's television programme first shown in 1975, comprised of thirteen episodes, based on four original Bod books by Joanna and Michael Cole. It was an animated cartoon series narrated by John Le Mesurier with music by Derek Griffiths and produced by David Yates. The four books were published in 1966 in the United Kingdom and later in the United States and France. They were: Bod?s Apple, Bod?s Present, Bod?s Dream and Bod and the Cherry Tree. The French version of Bod's Apple was called La Pomme de Gus.

Related Topics:
BBC - 1975 - Joanna - Michael Cole - John Le Mesurier - Derek Griffiths - David Yates - 1966 - United Kingdom - United States - France - French

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Before the animated series was commissioned, the four books had been read on another BBC children's programme ? Playschool. In 1974, thriteen five-minute episodes were created for transmission on the BBC, and were also sold to Australia's ABC channel. Soon thereafter, it was shown in New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Poland and Israel.

Related Topics:
Playschool - 1974 - Australia - ABC - New Zealand - Netherlands - Sweden - Finland - Norway - Poland - Israel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The character of Bod is a boy who lives in a town with Aunt Flo, PC Copper, Frank the Postman and Farmer Barleymow. Each of the characters have their own theme music peformed by Griffiths which is heard when they appear. Regular features are animal identification and Bod Snap.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is also another set of characters who appear in each episode called Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band. This section featured short extracts from famous pieces of classical music as part of the story, and always ended with Alberto choosing a different flavour of milkshake as his reward for solving a problem.

Related Topics:
Classical music - Milkshake

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bod has appeared in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows and 100 Greatest Cartoons, and the creators of Homestar Runner have cited it as one of their inspirations. Bod is a fictional deity in the BBC Radio 4 science fiction comedy Nebulous, and the Bod theme music is heard in one episode.

Related Topics:
Channel 4 - 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows - 100 Greatest Cartoons - Homestar Runner - BBC Radio 4 - Nebulous

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~