Hotel was syndicated nationally, and reruns continued to air on WLS in Chicago through 1985. Several episodes were released by Karl-Lorimar Home Video in the 1980s in a series of six volumes, one of which consisted of two holiday specials Jackson produced in California after he left Chicago: Billy Joe's Thanksgiving --aka Salute To The Turkey-- and a later remake of A Gift For Granny, which featured a green incarnation of Dirty Dragon and a female voice artist as Mother Plumtree. In later years, Jackson started a website to sell DVDs of his old programs online. He lived quietly in California with his wife, Jo. While his shows were on the air, Jackson received two Iris Awards for the best locally produced children's show in the United States, as well as local Emmys for the shows and his role in them. In 2005, he became a member of the Chicago chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle. Ten years earlier, he had donated all his original puppets to Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications. In 2008, he published a memoir called The Only Kid on the Carnival. In 2009, he produced a documentary, Remembering Cartoon Town and B.J. & Dirty Dragon. Jackson said in an interview when the DVD was released that many of the Cartoon Town episodes were not preserved. Jackson also appeared for a presentation for the Museum of Broadcast Communications, "Saturday Morning with B.J. and Dirty Dragon: Bill Jackson, Live in Person—One Last Time", in December 2009. He indicated this would be his last time appearing as a performer. Death Jackson was hospitalized with COVID-19 shortly before his death, but was released. He died in Paso Robles, California, on January 17, 2022, at the age of 86. His official cause of death was not announced. Citations General bibliography External links Bill Jackson's official website Thanks to TV Party.com for the information BJ & Dirty Dragon Photo Gallery—Chicago Tribune BJ & Dirty Dragon Show various clips 1935 births 2022 deaths American television personalities Male television personalities Military personnel from Missouri People from Unionville, Missouri University of Missouri alumni Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in California