DIES @ 96
FRANCOIS HENRI LaLANNE (SEPTEMBER 26, 1914-JANUARY 23, 2011)
He was an American fitness, exercise, and a nutritional expert who became a motivational speaker that turned his own life around after a lecture by Paul Bragg.
In 1936 LaLanne opened one of the nation’s first fitness gyms in Oakland, California at age 21. By 1951 he was the host of a fitness television show that lasted until 1985. LaLanne beat out all of the future fitness gurus who put out videos and lasted longer than most. Jane Fonda stepped into another chapter of her life when she released "Jane Fonda’s Workout Tape” which was inspired by her bestselling book, "Jane Fonda’s Workout Book." Richard Simmons opened "The Anatomy Asylum" but did not stop at exercising: Simmons also promoted healthy eating.
Exercise machines that are used today can find their own ancestry through the inventions conceived by Jack LaLanne. Pulley devices and leg-extensions are just a few of the machines that have been used the world over and are the basis for a lot of the new styles being developed today.
In 1954 LaLanne began a yearly swim feat that lasted until 1959. He swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco underwater in 1954, swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco while handcuffed in 1955, did 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on "You Asked For It" in 1956, swam the Golden Gate Channel which is one mile long but due to ocean currents he finished with 6.5 miles under his belt in 1957, rode a paddle board from Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore (30-mile trip ended after 9.5 hours) in 1958, and 1,000 star jumps and 1,000 chin ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes was a promotional stunt for "The Jack LaLanne Show" in 1959. Each activity would include an added restraint such as towing boats with his teeth while passengers were aboard.
His escapades began again in 1974 and lasted until 1984 at the age of 70 when he towed 70 rowboats while shackled, handcuffed and fighting currents and winds while guests were aboard one of the boats.
He appeared on several shows including Peter Gunn (1960), "Death Across the Board", Batman (1966) in an episode uncredited, The Addams Family (1966), "Fester Goes on a Diet" and Here's Lucy (1969), "Lucy and the Bogie Affair.". Talk shows were often a great stop for LaLanne as he was able to promote his motivational speaking and enlighten the audience with healthy living.
This was an emotional obituary to write as I used to watch Mr. LaLanne in the morning when I would be able to convince my mom to let me stay home from school. When I was really sick I would do a couple exercises with Jack, especially the ones using the chair, and I would begin to feel better. My mother was never to know this, and thankfully it was before video recording or she would have taped it and made me watch it every morning. I will begin this Saturday with a fast and begin my good eating and slowly incorporate a great regiment of exercise.
RUSTY
11/23/11