The Only Kid on the Carnival

About the Book

During that wonderful golden age of local children's television, many talented people pooled their skills to enthrall and edify the impressionable, appreciative viewers. Yet with no disrespect intended toward any of the others, one person stood out in his ability to spin gold out of straw: Bill Jackson.

Bill's legion of fans still cherish his amazing adventures with the memorable puppet characters that sprung from his fertile imagination on programs such as Cartoon Town, The BJ and Dirty Dragon Show, and Gigglesnort Hotel. These programs remain as fresh and entertaining today as they did when they were first broadcast, and belie their meager budgets and restrictive production schedules, thanks to Bill's artistic integrity and his coterie of hard-working crew members.

Now, Bill steps out from behind his familiar TV persona to reveal a poignant personal journey filled with struggles, heartaches, and triumphs. The Only Kid on the Carnival chronicles the indomitable spirit of a young man who became one of television's most creative and gifted talents, and does so in a boldly engaging manner that touches the heart and the soul.

As always, Bill Jackson does not disappoint his audience.

Ted Okuda, "The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television"

About the Author

Graduating Dean?s List from the University of Missouri?s School of Journalism in 1957, Jackson became a copywriter, art director, and cartooning weatherman at KTVO-TV in Ottumwa, Iowa. One year later he joined the Army, and as a PFC was assigned as a writer, director, and staff artist at Armed Forces Radio and Television in Hollywood. While there, Jackson created his first puppets?large, latex, cartoon-looking characters?and worked with the great animation voice actors Dawes Butler and Don Messick. Returning to civilian life, Jackson launched a career in children?s television that began in Fort Wayne, Indiana, continued to Indianapolis, and propelled him to Chicago. In 1965,he debuted on WBBM-TV as Freckles the Clown on Clown Alley and Here Comes Freckles, the latter series also appearing on the four other CBS owned and operated television stations scattered around the nation. Jackson then combined his writing, performing, cartooning, and puppetry abilities to create Cartoon Town and The BJ & Dirty Dragon Show from 1968 to 1973 for WFLD-TV;The BJ & Dirty Dragon Show for WGN-TV in 1974; and The Gigglesnort Hotel for WLS-TV from 1975 to 1978.
These programs brought praise from innumerable critics: Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Powers made note of Gigglesnort s violence free entertainment. Dr. Sammy R. Danna, Loyola University, proclaimed the Gigglesnort series ?the best overall examples of children?s programming I have seen since television began.? Chicago children?s television historian Jim Engel summed up Jackson?s creations for children as ?the best of the best.? Ted Okuda, co-author of The Golden Age of Chicago Children?s Television concludes the section devoted to Jackson with ?? watching and remembering his shows only confirms that he was one of the most inventive, most prolific, and most inspired talents in the history of Chicago television.?
Awards included four Chicago Emmys and two Iris Awards for the Best Major Market Children?s Television in America. The Gigglesnort Hotel went on to air in over seventy markets throughout the nation, plus Canada, Italy, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.
In 1989, a low-budget series, Firehouse Follies at WLS-TV, signified the end of an era, and Jackson left children?s television to join the Walt Disney founded California Institute of the Arts as an administrator and teacher. While there he used his production experience to support the master classes of venerated film director, Alexander MacKendrick. Jackson also produced a documentary on Jules Engel, the iconic experimental animator; and two holiday specials: A Gift for Granny and Billy Joe Bigbeak and the All Bird Band.
Bill Jackson retired in 1989 and he and his wife Jo live in central California where he writes, paints, and draws goofy pictures for his grandchildren.