Slim Goodbody facts for kids

Slim Goodbody, also known as Mr. Goodbody, is a special character created by John Burstein in 1975. John Burstein performs as Slim Goodbody, wearing a unique suit that shows all the different parts of the human body, like organs and tissues, exactly where they are inside us. It's a fun way to learn about how our bodies work!

Meet John Burstein, Creator of Slim Goodbody

John Burstein was born on December 25, 1949. He grew up in a place called Lawrence, New York. John started his journey helping children at a hospital in New York City. He would write songs and short plays to make the kids laugh and to teach them about their bodies.

This is how the idea for Slim Goodbody began! John thought it would be even better if he had a special suit painted with all the body parts. That's when his character, "Slim Goodbody," was born.

Slim Goodbody's Amazing Career

Soon, Slim Goodbody became very popular outside the hospital. In the beginning, John would perform live and appear on TV shows like The Today Show and Good Morning America. His performances taught kids about important things like exercise, staying clean (hygiene), and eating healthy food (nutrition). From 1976 to 1981, he was a regular guest on the CBS show Captain Kangaroo.

In 1980, Slim Goodbody even got his own TV show called Inside Story on PBS. The show featured John's live performances, and sometimes other famous children's TV stars, like Captain Kangaroo, would visit. Inside Story quickly became one of the most-watched shows on PBS! Slim Goodbody then appeared on other channels, including Nickelodeon.

Over the years, Slim Goodbody has been in many other TV series. He also made short educational videos about different topics, like helping kids feel less scared about visiting a hospital. One of these videos even featured John Burstein's own son, Devin, learning about hospitals.

Starting in 1982, Slim Goodbody also appeared in many books published by companies like McGraw-Hill. In 1985, a series of educational videos called Well, Well, Well! with Slim Goodbody were made for younger school children.

In 2014, Slim Goodbody made a fun appearance in a commercial during the Super Bowl XLVIII.

Slim Goodbody has taught kids about many important topics, including:

• Helping kids stay at a healthy weight
• Dealing with bullying
• Staying safe
• Building self-esteem (feeling good about yourself)
• Learning to read (literacy)
• Caring for the environment

Today, John Burstein still travels around the United States and Canada, performing as Slim Goodbody in a show called Bodyology. Other actors also perform school shows like Musical Health Show and Lighten Up!.

John Burstein and his Slim Goodbody programs have won many awards, including the Parents' Choice Award.

Slim Goodbody on TV

Slim Goodbody has appeared in many television shows and specials over the years:

• Captain Kangaroo (1976-1980)
• The Adventures of Slim Goodbody in Nutri-City (1978)
• The Inside Story with Slim Goodbody (1980)
• Slim Goodbody's "Top 40 Health Hits" (1981-1982)
• Body Builders (1985)
• All Fit with Slim Goodbody (1985)
• Well, Well, Well! with Slim Goodbody (1985)
• The Outside Story with Slim Goodbody (1991)
• The Before Tour (1991)
• Step-By-Step (1994)
• Slim Goodbody's PSA National Dairy Board (1994)
• Get Ready to Read (1995)
• Music City Tonight, 1 episode (1995)
• Gun Safety (1998)
• Goodbodies (1999)
• U.S. That's Us! (2001)
• I'm Safe on Wheels (2002)
• Life Skills 101 (2003)
• X-Power (2003)
• Daily Deskercise (2006)
• Daily Almanac (2007)
• Health Tips (2008)
• Oddities, as customer (2013)
• RadioShack: "The '80s Called" (2014)
• Kids Guide To COVID-19 (2020)