In the show, a cast of characters led by Sheriff Don (played by Don MacAllister)[8] would teach children manners, values, ethics and Biblical history.[1] It was targeted at children age 4 (despite the TV rating for the show, in later years, being TV-Y7) to 13 years of age.[1]Joy Junction encouraged children to write in weekly to receive Bible lessons and games.[9]
It also featured episodes of the animated cartoon series JOT.[7]
The show followed a recurring format: the children in the audience were divided into two sections, a "red" team and a "blue team." Each show would begin on a theme (e.g., Pride, Devotion, Church), which would be explored by the cast of characters in various segments. There would be contests between the two teams (usually with two children per side) with Sheriff Don refereeing -- participants of both teams would be given Joy Junction T-Shirts, and the winning team would also receive a Joy Junction LCD watch. The show would conclude with Sheriff Don inviting the viewing audience to write in to join the Joy Junction club.
Cast
Don MacAllister as Sheriff Don, the show emcee and referee for the games.
Forrest Padley as Professor Klodhopper, an absent-minded professor who is lovable but not practical. He often brings a kooky invention to demonstrate, with scattered results.
David Brantley as Whittler Dan, a kind-hearted farmer who enjoys telling stories. He has a cousin, Jungle Bob, who is identical to Dan, but British and wears a monocle, pith helmet, and a Dr. Livingston getup.
Ronald William Brown as Ron and Marty, two friends. Marty (a ventriloquist dummy) is an elementary-aged boy who always brings up a problem he is having in his daily life (peer pressure and bullying as examples), and Ron gives him advice on how to deal with the problem in a Christian way.
Les Padley as Deputy Les, Sheriff Don's assistant. He appears as an occasional supporting character and assists setting up the games.
Al DiSanto as Papillon, the resident artist. He creates sketches on a large drawing board, which are relevant to the day's lesson. Despite his French name and yellow beret, he talks with a noticeable Brooklyn accent.
The position of soloist alternated between Sarah Edens and Darsi Wilson.
Controversy
The show became controversial in the early 2010s, years after it was last broadcast, when it was discovered that a prominent cast member, Ronald William Brown (1955–2020), possessed child pornography and photographs of dead children, and had expressed a desire to rape and cannibalize young boys.[10][11]
Brown's character on the show was a ventriloquist with a dummy named Marty.[12] The pair taught children lessons about right and wrong, including about the dangers of "pornography" and "evil thoughts".[12] In doing so, Brown often interacted with children on set.[12]
Brown first drew police attention in 1998, when boys' underwear was found in his possession.[13] However, he was let go after claiming they were for his puppet.[13][14] In 2012, Brown was arrested and subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography and conspiracy to kidnap a child after police discovered messages on a dark web chatroom detailing this.[10][15] Brown died on August 5, 2020, aged 65, due to a motor neuron disease.[16]
Little information of the show is available from official sources with rumors circulating that the original tapes of the show's episodes have been destroyed by the network after the Ron Brown case. The show was considered lost media with selected clips/episodes resurfacing online in the 2020s.[17]
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