Jack LaLanne died in California today at age 96, of pneumonia.

To describe him as a 'body builder' would be unfair. He was a health enthusiast. I remember watching him on our B&W TV when I was a kid in the 1950s, and wondering about how many girlfriends he must have.

He worked out with a CHAIR, of all things, and it worked! Even into his 90s, Jack had a perfect physique from working out every day of his life after he turned 12.

I remember seeing a gym with Jack LaLanne weight bars in it, but he didn't use weights on his very popular TV show. He was more well known for doing handstands on the arms of desk chairs, or ripping phonebooks apart on TV, or doing 1,000 pushups on live TV. He swam several miles each day, and once swam from AlcatraZ Island to California mainland handcuffed.

He once joked, "I can't afford to die, it would ruin my image".

So long Jack ~ see ya in the Big Gym.

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1970 240Z

He was way ahead of his time. He probably did more for physical fitness in this country than anyone else ever. I remember his TV show and all the ads on the back of comic books when I was a kid.
It's the end of yet another era.

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Bill James
Western Nebraska
1979 280zx coupe parts car
1980 280 zx coupe
2005 Pathfinder
1971 240 z
1982 280zx, 1977 &1974 corvettes