Remembering Bill on his Birthday..

Remembering Bill on what would have been his 87th! #BillJackson

I was just thinking about Bill again! we lost the last great Chicago television personality a week ago! There is absolutely nothing like him today! End of an era....

BJ

http://www.tvparty.com/lostgig1.html

My dear friend Bill Jackson passed away yesterday, the last of the Chicago Kid's TV Greats! I just spoke with him recently. Some years back, we talked about doing a scrapbook type book of his career, but he decided against it, as he felt it would not sell. He was a very modest guy. He sent me tons of behind-the-scenes photographs over the years and I kept them all in a ring binder. I wrote a chapter about him in the TV PARTY book, many years ago and he liked that. He was a great lover of Rankin/Bass Productions and my books and even contributed to our 20th Annicversary Edition of The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass. His favorite character was the Bumble, but he had a special place in his heart for The Little Drummer Boy. The Little Drummer Boy was part of one of his very first Television broadcasts. This legend and great guy will be missed dearly. #Billjackson #Restinpeace #Dirtydragon

Happy 86th Birthday to my pal and Chicago TV legend Bill Jackson! #bjanddirtydragon #gigglesnorthotel #cartoontown

WFLD Channel 32 - Bill Jackson's "Please Open Before Christmas" (1968)

Happy 84th Birthday to my pal and Chicago TV legend Bill Jackson! #bjanddirtydragon #gigglesnorthotel #cartoontown

I celebrated at Jason's Deli tonight!

Chicago Kid's books

Even as a kid, I was fascinated about how television shows were made. I was going through my stacks and stacks of Chicago Kid's TV stuff and came across these books. I checked them out of the library at Stony Creek School (Kindergarten-6th grade) repeatedly. These aren't the actual copies from my school. In Ray's book he says 400,000 people watched his show. Bozo's Circus, The Ray Rayner show, etc. were the biggest shows on the planet to me during that period. In Chicago, we had some amazing local TV! You had to be there to appreciate it. #wgntv #bozoscircus #therayraynershow #garfieldgooseandfriends #bjanddirtydragon

BJ & Dirty Dragon clippings! I think I have them all!

Dirty Dragon Meets the Monsters Chapter 1

The old professor

My pal Lil' Ron went to a Dirty Dragon stage show!

 

 

A recent appearance by my pal Bill Jackson on WGN MORNING NEWS! He has a NEW book out at www.dirtydragon.com

http://wgntv.com/2016/11/21/legendary-childrens-television-creatorhost-bill-b-j-jackson-shares-stories-from-new-book/

DIRTY DRAGON MEETS THE MONSTERS!

Get your DVD directly from Bill Jackson and have him sign it at www.dirtydragon.com 

My friend Bill Jackson sent me a nice HALLOWEEN DVD package today C:)

 

Love it!  The BLOB is all ready for Halloween!  THANKS Bill! 

BJ

Got this nice email from my friend Bill Jackson! :

Dear Rick,

 

What...a...FABULOUS book! "  Enchantment" arrived today and enchanting it is.  I quickly sampled my way through it and kept marveling at this truly wonderful, incredibly visual tribute to Rankin/Bass that you have created.  I can't imagine the length of time such an achievement must have taken.  Well, your effort paid off in grand style.  I have never seen a more impressive portfolio in my life.  You have provided me with hours of pure pleasure. 

 

Thank you for your extraordinary thoughtfulness.  The book is a beauty.

 

Appreciatively yours,

 

Bill 

You can visit his site and order DVDs of some of his classic shows at www.dirtydragon.com

REMEMBERING CHICAGO: THE BOOMER YEARS

Is on WTTW right now... some cool footage from BOZO'S CIRCUS, etc. I was cleaning my CHICAGO KID'S TV glass case today :)

www.dirtydragon.com

www.dirtydragon.com