This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/19/unpublished-bod-books-portray-even-more-absurd-character-and-stories
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Unpublished Bod books portray even more absurd character and stories | Unpublished Bod books portray even more absurd character and stories |
(about 9 hours later) | |
He still looks like a weird elderly bald boy, or girl, in a yellow dress, or smock, but life for Bod is far more complicated in these unseen extracts – in one story he’s even bankrupted by his Aunt Flo, forced to wash dishes and wait tables to pay an extortionate hotel bill. | He still looks like a weird elderly bald boy, or girl, in a yellow dress, or smock, but life for Bod is far more complicated in these unseen extracts – in one story he’s even bankrupted by his Aunt Flo, forced to wash dishes and wait tables to pay an extortionate hotel bill. |
Bod became known to a generation of a certain age because of a 1975 BBC TV series which featured simple stories, jaunty music and the reassuring narration of John Le Mesurier. | Bod became known to a generation of a certain age because of a 1975 BBC TV series which featured simple stories, jaunty music and the reassuring narration of John Le Mesurier. |
The original Bod books, by husband and wife Michael and Joanne Cole, were published in 1965 and, to coincide with the 50th anniversary on 7 September, have been republished for the first time. | The original Bod books, by husband and wife Michael and Joanne Cole, were published in 1965 and, to coincide with the 50th anniversary on 7 September, have been republished for the first time. |
Related: How to draw… Bod | |
To mark the occasion the Cole family have revealed to the Guardian some unseen Bod. | To mark the occasion the Cole family have revealed to the Guardian some unseen Bod. |
The Coles’s daughter Alison recalled coming across unpublished Bod books after her father’s death in 2001. “We were genuinely surprised,” she said. “I thought I knew everything about Bod, because the Bod books were written for me and my brother Lo when we were little.” | The Coles’s daughter Alison recalled coming across unpublished Bod books after her father’s death in 2001. “We were genuinely surprised,” she said. “I thought I knew everything about Bod, because the Bod books were written for me and my brother Lo when we were little.” |
Bod became famous with the BBC series, which featured Bod in a series of gently philosophical situations. Each character – Bod, Aunt Flo, Frank the postman and Farmer Barleymow – had their own music, and it is the music that is sometimes best remembered. | Bod became famous with the BBC series, which featured Bod in a series of gently philosophical situations. Each character – Bod, Aunt Flo, Frank the postman and Farmer Barleymow – had their own music, and it is the music that is sometimes best remembered. |
The unseen books reveal a sometimes more absurd and bigger Bod world with more characters, including Major Doodah, Ginger, Mr Gent and Sam the newspaper boy. | The unseen books reveal a sometimes more absurd and bigger Bod world with more characters, including Major Doodah, Ginger, Mr Gent and Sam the newspaper boy. |
Aunt Flo, in the unseen Bod, is very rich and fussily dressed. In Tea With Bod, she gorges on meringues and cakes at Hotel Posh, which forces a bankrupt Bod to wash dishes and wait tables to pay off the bill. | Aunt Flo, in the unseen Bod, is very rich and fussily dressed. In Tea With Bod, she gorges on meringues and cakes at Hotel Posh, which forces a bankrupt Bod to wash dishes and wait tables to pay off the bill. |
In Bod’s Grumpy Book, Bod does everything he can to stop readers turning the pages including driving a nail on to the page. | In Bod’s Grumpy Book, Bod does everything he can to stop readers turning the pages including driving a nail on to the page. |
The unseen books were probably produced in 1962-63 and went to a publisher, although they were never published or discussed, said Alison. | The unseen books were probably produced in 1962-63 and went to a publisher, although they were never published or discussed, said Alison. |
The books that were published in 1965 were noticeably different. “My dad was obsessed with simplicity, he really wanted to get to the essence of something. He hated books that were too complicated.” | The books that were published in 1965 were noticeably different. “My dad was obsessed with simplicity, he really wanted to get to the essence of something. He hated books that were too complicated.” |
Bod was a family affair, with Joanne illustrating and Michael writing, and Alison involved when the books became the BBC series. | Bod was a family affair, with Joanne illustrating and Michael writing, and Alison involved when the books became the BBC series. |
“My first holiday job when I was a student was colouring the cartoons [and] painting all the cells in a shed in Acton. It was great fun, but I can still see where I went over the lines.” | “My first holiday job when I was a student was colouring the cartoons [and] painting all the cells in a shed in Acton. It was great fun, but I can still see where I went over the lines.” |
Bod later became something of cult figure among students and there has, over the years, been speculation over Bod’s gender – although it scarcely matters. “Mum and Dad used to say he was an anybod, he was before his time in that sense,” remarked Alison. | Bod later became something of cult figure among students and there has, over the years, been speculation over Bod’s gender – although it scarcely matters. “Mum and Dad used to say he was an anybod, he was before his time in that sense,” remarked Alison. |
She added that, in a way, Bod closely resembles her father, in that both were small with an absurdist sense of humour. | She added that, in a way, Bod closely resembles her father, in that both were small with an absurdist sense of humour. |
“Dad would pretend to pour coffee into his ear and then he would really pour coffee into his ear,” she said. “He was incredibly well read and wise and steeped into different philosophies. Bod is very Taoist in its view of the world, always looking for something more profound.” | “Dad would pretend to pour coffee into his ear and then he would really pour coffee into his ear,” she said. “He was incredibly well read and wise and steeped into different philosophies. Bod is very Taoist in its view of the world, always looking for something more profound.” |
Michael and Joanne were also responsible for other children’s TV characters which became institutions, not least Fingerbobs and, in the 1980s, Gran. | Michael and Joanne were also responsible for other children’s TV characters which became institutions, not least Fingerbobs and, in the 1980s, Gran. |
Related: How to draw… Bod | Related: How to draw… Bod |
Bod also featured a section called Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band, which culminated in a scene of almost unbearable suspense when he chose an inevitable milkshake. Could it be lemon? Raspberry? “Blackcurrant I think!” says Alberto. | Bod also featured a section called Alberto Frog and his Amazing Animal Band, which culminated in a scene of almost unbearable suspense when he chose an inevitable milkshake. Could it be lemon? Raspberry? “Blackcurrant I think!” says Alberto. |
Egmont is republishing four original Bod books this year and a further four in 2016. There are no plans as yet to publish the unseen Bod, although Alison said they were always hopeful Bod might return to TV. | Egmont is republishing four original Bod books this year and a further four in 2016. There are no plans as yet to publish the unseen Bod, although Alison said they were always hopeful Bod might return to TV. |
“We would love Bod to come back, I think it is the right time. There was a stage in children’s television where things got more complex but I think people are ready for something a bit simpler, something that stimulates your imagination.” | “We would love Bod to come back, I think it is the right time. There was a stage in children’s television where things got more complex but I think people are ready for something a bit simpler, something that stimulates your imagination.” |