Jack LaLanne

I don't care how old I live; I just want to be LIVING while I am living!
Jack LaLanne


Jack LaLanne one of the first physical fitness instructors on television died yesterday at age ninety-six. I remember watching Jack as a child during summer vacations and whenever I was home sick from school. On the screen, in fuzzy black and white, would be a good looking man dressed in a one piece, short sleeved, jumpsuit wearing ballet slippers. He did his exercises on an almost bare studio set using only a kitchen chair or a broom. Music and sound effects were provided by an offstage organ. My favorite effect was the organ player's interpretation of what deep breathing sounds like.

As he made his way through the workout routine I could not keep my eyes off those slippers. Why was he wearing them and how did he keep them on? I can see now that the shoes had a strap on them but when I was young that was not so obvious to me. One of life's mysteries solved.

Below is the beginning of one of Jack LaLanne's shows. This would be sometime between 1959 and 1969 which makes Jack somewhere between 45 and 55 years old.



(His New York Times obituary is here.)