J. P. Patches

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J.P. Patches (full name Julius Pierpont Patches) is a clown portrayed by Seattle entertainer Chris Wedes (b. 1928). The J.P. Patches Show was the longest-running locally-produced children's television program in the U.S., appearing on TV station KIRO channel 7 for twenty-three years, from 1958 to 1981[1] (twice a day for 13 years (plus Saturdays), 8 years mornings only, 2 years Saturday morning only -- that's approximately 10,000 hours of on-air clowning around!) The show was immensely popular in the Puget Sound area and southwestern British Columbia, not only with children but also their parents, who enjoyed J.P.'s frequent use of double entendre and sly subversiveness.[2] Two generations of viewers grew up as "Patches Pals", sharing the joyful zany antics of J.P. with their kids. At the peak of its run, the Emmy-winning program had a viewership of over 100,000 in its local markets. The show was live, unrehearsed improv with an intense barrage of contributions from the off-camera crew.[3]

Premise

The basic idea of the program was that J.P. was the "Mayor of the City Dump", where he lived in a shack, surrounded by his cast of characters: Sturdley the Bookworm, Esmerelda (portrayed by a Raggedy Ann doll), Ketchikan the Animal Man (a sort of Jack Hanna character), Boris S. Wort (the "second meanest man in the world"), LeRoy Frump (a character obviously based on Art Carney's Ed Norton), Tykie Turkey (a rubber chicken), Grandpa Tick Tock (a grandfather clock with an elderly face where the pendulum would be), The Swami of Pastrami, Ggoorrsstt the Friendly Frpl, Miss Smith (a motorcycle riding delivery woman who told mostly awful jokes), Superclown (a JP like superhero), J.P.'s evil counterpart P. J. Scratches (per official site I.M. Rags), and J.P.'s girlfriend, Gertrude. Virtually the entire supporting cast, male and female, human or non-human, was played by the versatile Bob Newman.[2] The city dump was (conceptually if not in reality) the Montlake Landfill (which was a real city dump 1926-1966, but since 1972 has been athletic fields, a parking lot, and the Union Bay Natural Area of the University of Washington in the University District).[4]

Patches Pals

J.P.'s fans were called "Patches Pals". Among their number were:

J.P. celebrated birthdays of selected Patches Pals by "viewing" them on his "ICU2TV" set (a cardboard prop that created the appearance that J.P. was looking at you from inside your television). He predicted where a gift might be hidden in the child's house with amazing accuracy (perhaps with the never-mentioned assistance of a postcard from a parent).[2]

Origin

Broadcaster Daryl Laub created the J.P. Patches character in Saint Paul, Minnesota, but then left WTCN in 1955 for KSTP-TV channel 5 and Chris Wedes (pronounced WEE-dus) [1] took over the character from that point on. He brought J.P. with him when he moved to Seattle in 1958 to become KIRO News' first floor director.[2] In addition to the long-running TV show, J.P. made frequent fundraising appearances for local charities. He was also a common sight at Children's Hospital, visiting sick kids and promoting the work of the hospital.

Wedes continues to portray J.P. at public and private events, such as at the PNE in Vancouver in August 2007 and Roslyn Coal Miner Days in 2006, despite suffering from incurable (but in remission) blood cancer[6]. [7]

Before moving to Seattle, Wedes appeared on several WTCN programs. Besides J.P., his most notable character was Joe the Cook on WTCN's Lunch with Casey.[2]

Famous Guests

Merchandise

The J.P. Patches action figure is distributed by Seattle novelty dealer Archie McPhee.

The book J.P. Patches, Northwest Icon, by Byran Johnston and Julius Pierpont Patches (Chris Wedes), (ISBN 0897167996) was released in 2002 by Peanut Butter Publishing.

In addition to the book and action figure, DVDs and tee shirts are available at the Channel 9 store.

Videos

  • Wedes, Chris; Towey, Joe; Newman, Bob. (1993). J.P. Patches. [Vol. 4, J.P's magic house] (VHS). Seattle: City Dump Productions. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); More than one of author-name-list parameters specified (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Performers: Chris Wedes, Bob Newman. B&W with color sequences, remaster of rescued original recordings c. 1960s - early 1970s.
  • Towey, Joe and Jones, Rich; directors; in association with KIRO Television (1992). The J.P. Patches Show. [Vol. 1, Gertrude reveals Superklown] (VHS). Seattle: City Dump Productions. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)Performer(s): Chris Wedes, Bob Newman & cast of thousands. Remaster of rescued original recordings c. 1970s.

See also

External links

Notes and references

  1. ^ http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5344
  2. ^ a b c d e Stein
  3. ^ (1) ""OlyBlog, Evergroove Trivia pt. 37"". OlyBlog.net. 2005-11-13. Retrieved 2006-04-21
    (2) Wedes & Johnston; Hobson (ed.)    .     {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); line feed character in |accessdate= at position 11 (help)
  4. ^ (1) Phelps, pp. 207–208.
    (2) Center for Urban Horticulture
  5. ^ Paynter
  6. ^ name="seattleTimes">"An ill J.P. Patches will appear at waterfront Halloween party", The Seattle Times, October 24, 2007{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ^ J.P. Patches.com.Co.Inc.Ltd.International (1647 [sic]). ""J.P.'s Appeareances" [sic]". JPPatches. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help) and licenses J.P. Patches merchandise. JPPatches (2005). ""J.P. Patches"". Home > Pacific Northwest Shop > J.P. Patches. Channel 9 Corporation. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
    J.P. Patches.com.Co.Inc.Ltd.International (1647 [sic]). ""Patches Pal News"". 2006 appearances, inclusive. JPPatches. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)

Bibliography

  • Beck, Dave (2001-01-04, 10:00 am). "J.P. Patches and Gertrude". Weekday. KUOW-FM. Retrieved 2006-06-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |coauthors= and |month= (help)
    Link to RealAudio archive of interview on local morning program on KUOW-FM 94.6, Seattle.
    Host talks with local Seattle stars from the J.P. Patches Show, 54m 56s.
    RealAudio link: "http://128.208.34.90/ramgen/archive/weekday/wkdy010104-b.rm?start='00:01:59.000'&end='00:56:05.048'"
  • ""HISTORY @ UBNA"". Union Bay Natural Area. Departments, University of Washington. n.d., 1999 per "Montlake Landfill Information Summary, January 1999" on page. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); External link in |date= (help)
  • ""Character name search"". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |coauthors= and |month= (help)
  • J.P. Patches.com.Co.Inc.Ltd.International (1647 [sic]). ""J.P.'s Appeareances" [sic]". JPPatches. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  • J.P. Patches.com.Co.Inc.Ltd.International (1647 [sic]). ""Patches Pal News"". JPPatches. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
    2006 appearances, inclusive.
  • Johnston, Bryan (2002). Hobson, Tom (ed.). J.P. Patches, Northwest icon. Seattle: Peanut Butter Publishers. ISBN 0-89716-799-6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |month=, |chapterurl=, and |origdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
    Chris Wedes holds the copyright, Bryan Johnston is the author.
  • JPPatches (2005). ""J.P. Patches"". Home > Pacific Northwest Shop > J.P. Patches. Channel 9 Corporation. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  • Paynter, Susan (2006-02-17). ""This clown truly deserves a statue"". Seattle Post-intelligencer. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Phelps, Myra L. (1978). Public works in Seattle. Seattle: Seattle Engineering Department. ISBN 0-9601928-1-6. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |month=, |chapterurl=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)
  • Stein, Alan J. (2003-03-02). ""Patches, Julius Pierpont"". HistoryLink.org Essay 5344. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
    Stein referenced Jack Broom, “The J.P. Generation,” Pacific Magazine, The Seattle Times, 4 April 1993, pp. 6-11,14-17;
    Bill Cartmel, “Hi Ya, Patches Pals,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 April 1971, pp. 6-7;
    Erik Lacitis, “Patches Understands – and Survivies,” The Seattle Times, 23 February 1978, p. A15;
    [no title], The East Side Journal, 31 May 1962, p. 3; Ibid. 14 May 1969, p. 19.
  • Beck, Dave (2001-01-04, 10:00 am). "J.P. Patches and Gertrude". Weekday. KUOW-FM. Retrieved 2006-06-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |coauthors= and |month= (help)
  • ""J.P. Patches"". home page. Retrieved 2006-04-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |coauthors= and |month= (help)
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