JOT (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids JOT |
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| Genre | Animated television series |
| Created by | Ruth Byers Ted Perry |
| Directed by | Paul M. Stevens |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 30 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndicated |
| Original release | 1965 – 1974 |
JOT (also known as JOT the Dot) was an animated children's TV show from the United States. It aired from 1965 to 1974. The series had 30 short episodes, each about four minutes long. These episodes were shown on different TV channels from 1965 into the 1980s. The Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission (RATC) made JOT. They wanted it to be a Christian version of another popular show called Davey and Goliath.
Contents
Creating JOT: The Idea Behind the Show
The idea for JOT came from Ruth Byers and Ted Perry. Ruth Byers was a graduate of Baylor University. Ted Perry was a writer at the RATC. Both had experience working with the Dallas Theater Center. Ruth Byers even directed plays for children there.
Dr. Paul Stevens, who was the president of the RATC, asked them to create a TV show. He wanted a show that could teach simple moral lessons to young kids. They started making the first episodes in 1959. The very first episode was shown in 1965.
Meet JOT: The Character and His Look
The show's style was kept very simple on purpose. This helped save money because the early episodes had a small budget. It also made sure the simple design didn't distract from the message.
JOT is a white circle with basic facial features, like a smiley face. He also has hands and feet. JOT's color and shape would change depending on the problems he faced. This was meant to show how a child's feelings or mood can change. JOT's hands and feet only appear when he is standing still. They disappear when he moves. JOT does not have a nose. Sometimes, JOT was joined by another character named Tug. Tug was a "bad" character who would learn a moral lesson by the end of the episode. Ed Ruth provided Tug's voice.
Voices and Where JOT Aired
Two different women provided JOT's voice. Lou Kelly voiced JOT from 1965 to 1967, and again in 1968 and 1981. Colleen Collins was the voice of JOT in 1967.
The show first appeared on Peppermint Place. This was a children's show made locally at WFAA-TV in Dallas. Later, it also aired on The Children's Hour on WBAP-TV (now KXAS-TV) in Fort Worth.
Eventually, JOT episodes were shown all over the world. They were translated into 19 different languages. The episodes were also very popular in Sunday school programs. The show received over 175,000 letters from children. A group of volunteers from many churches helped write responses to all these letters. The show continued to be made regularly until 1974. A few more episodes were produced for the 1980-1981 TV season.
JOT's Later Life
Later, the TV network FamilyNet Television owned JOT the Dot. JOT became the mascot for FamilyNet's "Families on FamilyNet" programming block until 2014. The JOT animation was updated for new TV commercials and online promotions. The original cartoon shorts were also available on the FamilyNet website for a time.
