Bod, 1975
As a kid I hated Why Don’t you? but as a younger kid I remember hating this even more!
Bod was a BBC children’s television programme. Originally screened in the afternoon ‘Watch With Mother Slot’. Bod made his BBC TV debut in 1975, with a series of thirteen episodes, based on four original Bod books, originally published in 1965 and written by Joanne and Michael Cole . Music for the series as provided by another Children’s TV legend: Derek Griffiths of playschool fame.
The four books originally published in 1965 in the United Kingdom, and later in the United States and Franc,. were: Bod’s Apple, Bod’s Present, Bod’s Dream and Bod and the Cherry Tree. The French version of Bod’s Apple is called La Pomme de Gus. Before making it to an animated series the animated series, the four books had been read on another BBC children’s programme: Play School.
In 1974, thirteen five-minute episodes were created for transmission on the BBC. These episodes were also sold to Australia’s ABC channel. Shortly after, it was shown in New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Poland and Israel. In the United States, Bod aired on Nickelodeon as a segment on it’s Pinwheel program.
It’s beyond my comprehension why, but Bod made into two of those Channel 4 countdown shows: 100 Greatest Kids TV shows and 100 Greatest Cartoons.
Summary
Bod is a boy who lives in a town with Aunt Flo, PC Copper, Frank the Postman and Farmer Barleymow. Each of the characters has their own theme music performed by Griffiths which is heard when they appear. Regular features are animal identification and Bod Snap. The story is narrated by John Le Messurier
There is also another set of characters who appear in each episode called Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band with artwork by original author Joanne Cole.
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 a reward for solving a problem. This section was narrated by Maggie Henderson.
Clips
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Narrated By
John Le Mesurier and Maggie Henderson
Details
Channel: BBC1
Created By: Joanne and Michael Cole
Produced By: David Yates
Original Transmission Dates:10th October – 27th December 1975