Frederick Joseph Jones (7 February 1937 – 7 October 2021) was a Canadian-born television presenter and folk musician, best known for his work in BBC children's television programmes Play School (1964–1973) and Fingerbobs in 1972.
Life and career
Jones was born on 7 February 1937, in London, Ontario, Canada. His father was Frederick Jones, who served in the Canadian Army, and his mother was Agnes (née Hanson), who had both emigrated from Britain. He had an older sister who died in 2020 from COVID-19. A cousin whose parents had died also lived with them.
He was one of several entertainers who took turns to present We Want To Sing, a musical variety series made by BBC Manchester, in which a young live audience was invited to sing along with songs performed by the host and various guests such as The New Seekers, The Settlers, and cabaret trio The New Faces. Other BBC TV programmes in which he appeared included Watch and Play Away.
His 1972 song Saskatchewan Sunrise reached #26 on the Canadian charts, May 20, 1972.
In 2012 Jones confirmed the widespread use of marijuana on the show Play School after Johnny Ball, another presenter, alleged that Jones and Lionel Morton were "stoned out of their minds" before filming in the 1970s. In an interview for The Sun Jones said that the BBC was "really liberal" at the time, explaining "Once you were in all laws were forgotten. I had a wonderful time... Marijuana was like cornflakes." After Meal Ticket broke up, Jones wrote and appeared in the musical Flash Fearless vs. The Zorg Women in Los Angeles. In 2001, he reunited with Meal Ticket for a one-off gig at a London pub.
Jones latterly lived in San Francisco, United States, with his wife, Valerie. In collaboration with Roger Penycate, he wrote a stage musical based on the songs and lyrics of Meal Ticket (originally written by Rick Jones and Dave Pierce) entitled Laughing Daughter. It had a three-week run at the Indian Head Center for the Arts, Southern Maryland, United States, from 3 September 2009.
Illness and death
He died from oesophageal cancer on 7 October 2021 at the age of 84, in San Francisco, California.