Dot Jones
| Dot Jones | |
|---|---|
 Dot Jones at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2011. |
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| Born | Dorothy-Marie Jones January 4, 1964 Turlock, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Dot-Marie Jones |
| Alma mater | Fresno State University |
| Occupation | Athlete Actress |
| Years active | 1992–Present |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Dorothy-Marie "Dot" Jones (born January 4, 1964) is an athlete and actress who has had multiple roles in television. She attended California State University, Fresno, where she set records for shot put.[1] Jones is also a 15-time world arm wrestling champion.[2] She currently has a recurring role on the musical, Glee, as Shannon Beiste, for which she was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2011 and 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards.[3]
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Early life [edit]
Dorothy-Marie Jones was born in 1964 and was raised in Hilmar. She first got involved in strength competitions at a fairly young age. She started track in middle school. While she attended Hilmar High School, she was a champion weight lifter and named female athlete of the year. She started arm wrestling on a whim, and won her first arm wrestling world championship at 19 years old and went on to win 14 more.[2][4][5]
After high school, Jones attended Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, where she continued her involvement with sports. She earned a scholarship in track which paid her way through junior college and university.[4] She played softball and competed in shot put and powerlifting.[2] She won All-America honors in shot put both at junior college and university, was state champion in 1983 and 1984 and set the national record at the junior college level from 1983 to 1990.[1][4][6] Jones qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988 for shot put with a 56 ft 6 1⁄4 in (17.23 m) throw, surpassing the qualifying mark of 55 ft (17 m).[7] She finished sixth.[4] During her sporting career, she suffered 11 knee injuries, bringing her height of 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) down to 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m). A knee replacement surgery gave her lost inch back.[8] After college, Jones worked as a youth counselor at the Fresno County Juvenile Probation center while continuing her involvement with sports.[4]
Acting career [edit]
Jones, who had no intentions of acting,[2] was discovered at a bodybuilding competition by Shirley Eson of American Gladiators fame.[5] Eson urged Jones to audition for the Gladiators-like Knights and Warriors, and Jones got the part, becoming one of the few female warriors. Jones was also offered a position in professional wrestling, but turned it down because, she said, it was "too fakey".[6]
Knights and Warriors only lasted one season, but Jones' acting career was just starting. She became a bit actor, playing small roles in several television series throughout the 1990s and 2000s and breaking into feature films in the late 1990s, including the cult film "The Boondock Saints". While acting, she kept up her involvement with arm wrestling. In 1995, her biceps measured 171⁄2 in (44.45 cm).[9]
Her first recurring role after Knights was as a character named "Dot" on the popular show Married... with Children in the mid-90s. She appeared in five episodes over two seasons. Jones' next break was on the kids show Lizzie McGuire as Coach Kelly. Since then, she has appeared in popular shows Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives, and Prison Break, among others.
Jones, being a fan of Glee and having worked with series co-creator Ryan Murphy on Nip/Tuck and Pretty/Handsome, asked co-executive producer Brad Falchuk during an encounter at a supermarket if she could be on the show.[2] Soon after, the character of Coach Shannon Beiste was created for her.
Dot Jones appeared recently on Logo TV's RuPaul's Drag U as a visiting professor during the second season of the show.[10]
Personal life [edit]
Jones is currently in a relationship with a woman named Bridgett Casteen.[11]
Selected filmography [edit]
Television [edit]
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Knights and Warriors | Lady Battleaxe | Recurring role |
| 1994 | Full House | Muscular woman | 1 episode: "I've Got a Secret" |
| Married... with Children | Dot | 2 episodes: "Business Sucks: Part 1", and "Business Still Sucks: Part 2" | |
| 1995 | Married... with Children | Dot | 2 episodes: "The Weaker Sex", "Reverend Al" |
| 1997 | Roseanne | Black Widow | 1 episode: "Roseanne-Feld" |
| 1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Female golfer | 1 episode: "Religion" |
| Dharma & Greg | Hey-19 | 1 episode: "Invasion of the Buddy Snatcher" | |
| Cybill | Suspect #5 | 1 episode: "Daddy" | |
| 2000 | Chicago Hope | Death Angel | 1 episode: "Cold Hearts" |
| 2001 | Lizzie McGuire | Coach Kelly | 5 episodes: "Rated Aargh", "Scarlett Larry", "I've Got Rhythmic", "Pool Party", and "One of the Guys" |
| 2002 | She Spies | Leon | 1 episode: "Perilyzed" |
| 2004 | My Wife and Kids | Toni | 1 episode: "The Return of Bobby Shaw" |
| 2006 | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Gretel | 1 episode: "Bowling" |
| Reba | Dot | 1 episode: "Let's Get Physical" | |
| 2008 | Pretty/Handsome | Mario Wallas | Pilot |
| iCarly | Prison guard | 1 episode: "iChristmas" | |
| 2009 | Nip/Tuck | Tess | 3 episodes: "Dawn Budge II", "Allegra Caldarello", and "Giselle Blaylock & Legend Chandler" |
| Desperate Housewives | Prison guard | 1 episode: "Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know" | |
| Prison Break | Skittlez | 2 episodes: "The Old Ball and Chain" and "Free" | |
| 10 Things I Hate About You | Lunch Lady | Episode 14: "Meat is Murder" | |
| Scare Tactics | Dot | 2 episodes: "The Collector" and "Toxic Shock" | |
| 2010 | Cougar Town | Mugger | 1 episode: "What Are You Doing In My Life?" |
| HawthoRNe | Dot | 4 episodes | |
| Glee | Shannon Beiste | Recurring role; 2010–present; Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2011) Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2012) |
|
| Venice: The Series | Stella | Recurring role | |
| 2012 | Are You There, Chelsea? | Patty | Pilot |
Feature films [edit]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Patch Adams | Miss Meat | |
| 1999 | The Boondock Saints | Rosengurtle Baumgartener | |
| 2002 | Stray Dogs | Jolene Carter | |
| 2006 | Material Girls | Butch Brenda | |
| 2009 | Prison Break: The Final Break | Skittlez | Made-for-television movie |
| 2010 | Bad Teacher | Cameo | |
| 2013 | White T | Thelma |
References [edit]
- ^ a b "There is life after Dot Jones". The Modesto Bee. May 18, 1985.
- ^ a b c d e Malkin, Marc (September 21, 2010). "Five Things to Know About Glee's New Football Coach". E! Online.
- ^ "outstanding guest actress in a comedy series 2011". September 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Arm wrestler has her sights set on Olympic gold". The Item. October 26, 1991.
- ^ a b Morgan, K.C. (September 22, 2010). "Glee’s New Scene-Stealer: Who is Dot Jones?". TV Envy.
- ^ a b Peoples, John (January 20, 1993). "Armed And Dangerous -- Behind Smile, DOT Jones Is An Arm-Wrestling Force". The Seattle Times.
- ^ "Dot Jones qualifies". The Modesto Bee. February 14, 1988.
- ^ "The Latest entrant in the geek club: The lesser known Dot Jones". eWorldPost. September 23, 2010.
- ^ Berkow, Ira (August 26, 1995). "'Wrist Wars' on the Waterfront". The New York Times.
- ^ http://ofcorsetsadrag.com/?p=1224 Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ^ Larkin, Mike (August 13, 2012). "Glee star Dot Jones' lesbian lover in bitter court custody battle with ex-husband". Daily Mail (Associated Newspapers). Retrieved August 13, 2012.
