Bill Jackson, Chicago children's TV host known for 'BJ and the Dirty Dragon,' dies at 86

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago children's television host Bill Jackson has died at the age of 86.

Jackson hosted several beloved programs in the 1960s and 1970s. They included "Cartoon Town," "The B.J. & the Dirty Dragon," and "The Blob."

His show "Gigglesnort Hotel" aired right here on ABC7.

Jackson used many puppets and models in his shows; "The Blob" featured a lump of clay that he would mold into different objects over the course of an episode.

His puppets and other objects are featured in an exhibit about Jackson at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.

The museum announced his death on Twitter Tuesday. His cause of death was not immediately known.