The Body Works

From Left to Right - Top: Helen Yu, Jeff Walker, Gary Eisler, Angela Fletcher. Bottom: Tiffany Welch and Mike Kim

This was an exercise program geared towards children. As I recall there were six people on the show. Each show would be hosted by one older boy and one older girl. There were three boys and three girls in all. Four older kids and two younger ones. Each show would feature exercises conducted by one of the older boys and one of the older girls. The younger boy or girl - would come out with towels and clipboards - but they did not partake in the exercises. The show would also end with the younger boy or girl coming out and providing towels to the instructors. They would also chart stuff on a clipboard - such as heart rate. I think there were 12 episodes (wrong - see info at bottom of page from TVO press release) in the series - two of them - were sort of fun ones - where there was humour (ala Laugh In) and educational facts about nutrition.

Looks like this is the intro to Episode 11

Bring in some towels - we are going to have a sweaty workout!

Hmmm...this Hippo looks like some sort of mascot

Warm up a bit more....dance to that music

The hippo is leaving...might be time to start the real exercises.

Check your heart rate.

Take away our towels....

LET'S GO! It's show time - time to go into the exercises

Start of with the headroll....

Alright....exercising is over. Check your pulse rate again and make sure it is at a healthy rate!

Some more images from various episodes:

The Body Works Hippo Mascot

Above images from the non-Exercise episodes. Person on the street interviews, jokes, etc.

Teaching you various exercises.

Teaching you about healthy foods

More non-exercise show images

As described in promo material from TVO: The Body Works is the first health show for public-school kids. The 10-minute programs are devoted to exercises, done to music, and develop proper attitudes towards fitnss and nutrition. Airs Weekdays at 11:45 am. 18 10-minute programs.

A second promo goes on to say: The Body Works, a series offering kids a chance to jump, dance and run their way to a fitter future, has proved a smash hit with youngsters. The new productions shot entirely in Edmonton have equalled, if not surpassed, such orginal gems as the heel rock with new exercises like the Alberta rag. The format includes pulse taking and warm-up exercises as well as magazine shows that develop proper attitudes to fitness and nutrition. The program is broadcast during the day, so kids can watch and exercise in the classroom. Monday to Friday at 10:20 am and 2:15 pm. 22 10 minute episodes.

According to the "Canadian Children's Film & Video Directory" from "The Children's Broadcast Institute"

The Body Works 40 episodes: 10 minutes: 1980 live action: information: english 6-12 year olds. 24 shows focus on exercise and 16 shows focus on fitness & nutrition.

Production Company: ACCESS Network & TVOntario Distribution: TVOntario

Did you know That the series "The Body Works" released an exercise record for children?

It was a single record but the album opened up like a double record. Inside the album were about 50 full colour instructional photos for the exercises.
The sleeve the record was in was actually a progress chart.

The Body Works Release Year: 1980 Label: Apex Records

Record Distributor: MCA Records (Canada) (located in Willowdale, Ontario)

Record Manufacturer: MCA Records (Canada) (located in Willowdale, Ontario)

Catalog No: APL 1901

Produced & Composed: William Skolnik

Lyrics to "The Body Works" by: Milton van der Veen

Lyrics to "One Step" by: William Skolnik

All tunes except "Alberta Rag" and "One Step" arranged by William Skolnik and Ray Parker with special keyboard arrangements by Ray Parker

"Alberta Rag" and "One Step" arranged by: William Skolnik

Recorded at: TVOntario (Toronto, Ontario) by George Claridge

Recorded and mixed at: Sounds Interchange (Toronto, Ontario) by Jim Morgan

Disc Mastering supervised by: Jim Morgan

Exercise Routines by: Maureen Bird-Graper (Physical Education Consultant, Scarborough Board of Education)

Exercises demonstrated by: Angela Fletcher and Mike Kim

Album Design: Interchange Art Department (J. Edwards/ A. Cundari)

Liner Notes: Milton van der Veen

Photography by: Warren Fisher

Special Thanks to: Milton van der Veen, Scott Richards and Bailey Bird

The Muscle Tones are: Ray Parker acoustic piano, electric piano, tacked piano, organ, clavinet, prophet 5 synthesizer
William Skolnik acoustic piano (on "One Step", "Alberta Rag" & "Song For Rosie"), celeste, vocal (on "One Step")
Charlie Gray trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet
Neil Swainson bass
Lorne Grossman drums
Dick Smith percussion
Bill Bridges guitar
Terry Lukiwski trombone
Deborah Fleming vocal (on "The Body Works")

Music from "The Body Works" television series produced by TVOntario

Side One: The Body Works, The Body Works Warm-Up,Waterfall March, Stop and Look Around, Health Hustle, One Step, The Body Works Warm-Down

Side Two: The Body Works, The Body Works Warm-Up, Alberta Rag, Song For Rosie, Growing Old, Gotta Keep Movin', The Body Works Warm-Down

All selections by: William Skolnik

This program appears to be a joint venture between the Alberta Access Network and TVO, TV Onatrio, TVOntario

The people who helped make it happen:
Cast: Gary Eisler, Angela Fletcher, Mike Kim, Jeff Walker, Tiffany Welch, Helen Yu, Damian Bagdan, Brian Chai, Nancy Heller, Trevor Lundy, Tracy Nicholson, Gina Shimizu
Music: William (Bill) Skolnik
Music Recording: George Claridge, Jeff Stobbs
Writer: Susan Marcus, Gerri Cook, Kabelle Foord, Donaleen Saul
Unit Manager: Dee Nadea
Set Design: Chris Adeney
Videotape Editor: Doug Beavan
Graphic Design: Joyce Cosby
Exercises: Maureen Bird aka Maureen Bird-Graper
Research: Kathleen Simo Production Assistant: Ellie Joliat, George Darling, Barbara Varrin
VTR Editor: Ward Baskett
Technical Producer: Brian Hunt, Andy Stanton
Project Coordinator: Michele Spak
Director: Claudia Page
Producer / Director: Milton Van Der Veen

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