Julius Pierpont "J. P." Patches was a clown and the main character on The J. P. Patches Show, an Emmy Award-winning local children's television show on Seattle station KIRO-TV, produced from 1958 to 1981. J.P. Patches was played by show creator and Seattle children's entertainer Chris Wedes (April 3, 1928 – July 22, 2012). When the show ended in 1981, The J. P. Patches Show was one of the longest-running locally produced children's television programs in the United States. The J. P. Patches Show The J. P. Patches Show was on TV for 23 years. For the first thirteen years, it was on twice a day, mornings and afternoons, six days a week (including Saturdays, where it aired only in the morning)) from Monday, February 10, 1958, through Saturday, December 26, 1970. For the next eight years, the show only aired mornings, six days a week, Monday, December 28, 1970, through Saturday, December 30, 1978. For the final two years, the show ran exclusively on Saturday mornings, Saturday, January 6, 1979, through Saturday, September 19, 1981. There was one final week of episodes, mostly retrospectives and farewells, from Monday, September 21 through Friday, September 25, 1981. The J.P. Patches Show ended up broadcasting around 12,000 episodes. The show premiered on February 10, 1958, on KIRO-TV. The show was immensely popular in the Puget Sound area and southwestern British Columbia; at the peak of its run, the program had a daily local viewership of over 100,000. It was enjoyed not only by children but also by parents, who appreciated J. P.'s frequent use of double entendre (G-rated) and sly subversiveness that mostly went over their kids' heads. Two generations of viewers grew up as "Patches Pals", sharing the joyful zany antics of J.P. with their kids. Patches Pals were reminded every show to follow the Patches Pals daily checklist: Mind Mommy and Daddy Wash hands, face, neck, and ears Comb hair Brush Teeth Drink your milk Eat all of your food Say your prayers Share your toys Put toys away Hang up clothes The J. P. Patches Show competed with two other local children's shows, Captain Puget on KOMO-TV, and Wunda Wunda and King's Klubhouse, both on KING-TV. Captain Kangaroo, CBS's own long-running children's show, saw its first half-hour preempted by KIRO-TV in favor of J.P. Patches. After 23 years, KIRO-TV cancelled the show because of declining ratings, and the final