Bod (TV series) facts for kids

Bod is a classic children's television show from the United Kingdom. It first appeared on BBC1 in 1975. The show has thirteen episodes and is based on four original Bod books. These books were written by Joanne Cole and Michael Cole.

Bod is a cel animated cartoon series. This means each picture was drawn on clear plastic sheets called "cels." The stories were told by John Le Mesurier and Maggie Henderson. Derek Griffiths created all the music for the show. The four books that inspired the series were published in 1965. They were called Bod's Apple, Bod's Present, Bod's Dream, and Bod and the Cherry Tree.

Before becoming a TV show, the Bod books were read on another BBC children's programme. This show was called Play School. In 1974, thirteen short episodes were made for the BBC. They were part of the Watch with Mother series. Bod was also shown in many other countries. These included Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States. In the US, it was part of the Pinwheel program on Nickelodeon.

The main character, Bod, is a young boy. He lives in a town with his friends and neighbours. These include Aunt Flo, PC Copper, Frank the Postman, and Farmer Barleymow. Each character has their own special theme music. You hear their music when they appear in an episode. The show also had fun segments like animal identification and a game called Bod Snap.

Alberto Frog and His Amazing Animal Band

Each episode of Bod also featured another set of characters. These were Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band. Joanne Cole created the artwork for this part of the show.

This section often included short pieces of famous classical music. The music was part of the story. At the end, Alberto Frog would always choose a different flavour of milkshake. This was his reward for solving a problem. Maggie Henderson also narrated these fun segments.

Bod has been recognized as a great children's show. It appeared on Channel 4's lists of 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows and 100 Greatest Cartoons.

Bod Episode List

All thirteen Bod episodes are available to watch on DVD.

• Bod's Present*
• Bod And The Dog
• Bod And The Apple
• Bod And The Kite
• Bod And The Cherry Tree
• Bod And The Rain
• Bod's Dream*
• Bod On The Beach
• Bod And The Birds
• Bod And The Cake
• Bod And The Grasshopper
• Bod In The Park
• Bod And Breakfast

Lost Episodes and Discoveries

The Alberto Frog segments were made separately by the BBC. They were shown along with the Bod episodes. Sadly, many old TV shows from the 1970s were erased to save space. Because of this, only five of the thirteen Alberto Frog segments are still known to exist.

The five surviving segments are marked with an asterisk (*) in the list above. They are included on the Bod DVD. Another segment was found on an old video tape. It can now be seen online. A full episode called "Bod and the Grasshopper" was also found in 2020.

Books and Ideas Behind Bod

Besides the books for each TV episode, there are other Bod books. These were written by Alison and Lo Cole. They are the children of the original creators, Joanne and Michael Cole. One book, Bod's Way: The Meaning of Life, was finished by Alison after her father Michael passed away.

These books share some of the ideas that inspired Bod's creators. These ideas come from a way of thinking called Taoism. It's about living simply and in harmony with nature.