Dot Jones
| Dot Jones | |
|---|---|
|
Dot Jones at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2011. | |
| Born |
Dorothy-Marie Jones January 4, 1964 Turlock, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Dot-Marie Jones |
| Alma mater | Fresno State |
| Occupation |
Athlete Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Spouse(s) | Bridgett Casteen (m. 2013) |
Dorothy-Marie "Dot" Jones (born January 4, 1964) is an American actress and retired athlete 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 was a recurring guest star starting in the second season of the musical television series Glee as Coach Beiste, and appeared through the show's sixth and final season, when she was promoted to starring status. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011, 2012, and 2013 for her portrayal of Coach Beiste.[3]
Early life
Jones was born in 1964 and was raised in Hilmar, California. She first got involved in strength competitions at a fairly young age. She started track in middle school. While Jones 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 graduating from Hilmar High School,[6] 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] Jones 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][7] 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).[8] 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).[9] After college, Jones worked as a youth counselor at the Fresno County Juvenile Probation center while continuing her involvement with sports.[4]
Acting career
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".[7]
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, Jones kept up her involvement with arm wrestling. In 1995, her biceps measured 17 1⁄2 in (44.45 cm).[10]
Jones' 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.
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 (later Sheldon) in Glee was created for her. She guest starred in seasons two, three, four, and five, and was a main cast member for the sixth and the final season.
Jones appeared on Logo TV's RuPaul's Drag U as a visiting professor in July 2011, during the second season.[11]
Personal life
Jones is openly lesbian and married Bridgett Casteen on December 21, 2013.[12] The two first met in December 2010 and Jones proposed on October 4, 2013, during Anaheim Gay Days.[13]
Filmography
Film
| 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 | Television movie |
| 2011 | Bad Teacher | Pill-Providing Lady | Uncredited |
| 2013 | White T | Thelma | |
| 2014 | Muffin Top: A Love Story | Christina | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Knights and Warriors | Lady Battleaxe | Unknown episodes |
| 1994 | Full House | Muscular woman | Episode: "I've Got a Secret" |
| 1994 | Married... with Children | Lola | Episode: "Kelly Breaks Out" |
| 1994–1995 | Married... with Children | Dot | 4 episodes |
| 1995 | Can't Hurry Love | Cleo | Episode: "Glove Story" |
| 1995 | In the House | Dot | Episode: "Kindergarten Doc" |
| 1995 | Boston Common | Jocelyn | Episode: "The Finals Curtain" |
| 1997 | Roseanne | Black Widow | Episode: "Roseanne-Feld" |
| 1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Female golfer | Episode: "Religion" |
| 1998 | Dharma & Greg | Hey-19 | Episode: "Invasion of the Buddy Snatcher" |
| 1998 | Cybill | Suspect #5 | Episode: "Daddy" |
| 2000 | Chicago Hope | Death Angel | Episode: "Cold Hearts" |
| 2001–2003 | Lizzie McGuire | Coach Kelly | 5 episodes |
| 2002 | She Spies | Leon | Episode: "Perilyzed" |
| 2004 | My Wife and Kids | Toni | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | My Wife and Kids | Nurse Tiffany | Episode: "The 'V' Story" |
| 2006 | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Gretel | Episode: "Bowling" |
| 2006 | Reba | Dot | Episode: "Let's Get Physical" |
| 2007 | George Lopez | The Inmate | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | iCarly | Prison guard | Episode: "iChristmas" |
| 2008 | According to Jim | Betty | Episode: "Cabin Boys" |
| 2009 | Nip/Tuck | Tess | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | Desperate Housewives | Prison guard | Episode: "Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know" |
| 2009 | The Mentalist | Airport Manager | Episode: "Carnelian, Inc." |
| 2009 | Prison Break | Skittlez | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | 10 Things I Hate About You | Lunch Lady | Episode: "Meat is Murder" |
| 2009 | Scare Tactics | Dot | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Cougar Town | Mugger | Episode: "What Are You Doing In My Life?" |
| 2010 | HawthoRNe | Dot | 4 episodes |
| 2010–2015 | Glee | Shannon/Sheldon Beiste | 34 episodes Main cast (season 6) Recurring cast (seasons 2–5) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2011–13) Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2011–12) |
| 2010–2012 | Venice: The Series | Stella | 24 episodes |
| 2011 | RuPaul's Drag U | Herself | Episode: "Lesbians Gone Wild" |
| 2011 | The Glee Project | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Are You There, Chelsea? | Patty | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2012 | The Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes |
| 2012 | The Penguins of Madagascar | Supervisor Eubanks | Episode: "Smotherly Love" |
| 2012 | The Exes | Woman #3 | Episode: "Sister Act" |
| 2012 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself | Episode: "Victoria Rowell/Dot Jones/Carlos Mencia/Linda Blair" |
| 2012–2013 | Have You Met Miss Jones? | Miss Lolly | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Baby Daddy | Masha | Episode: "An Affair Not to Remember" |
| 2014 | The Haunting of... | Herself | Episode: "Dot Jones" |
| 2015 | Doc McStuffins | Coach Kay | Episode: "Getting to the Heart of Things" |
| 2015 | Clipped | Dottie | Episode: "Mo's Ma" |
| 2016 | 2 Broke Girls | Big Reba | Episode: "And the 80's Movie" |
| 2016 | Jane the Virgin | Magda's Prison Friend | Episode: "Chapter Forty-Eight" |
References
- 1 2 "There is life after Dot Jones". The Modesto Bee. May 18, 1985.
- 1 2 3 4 5 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.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Arm wrestler has her sights set on Olympic gold". The Item. October 26, 1991.
- 1 2 Morgan, K.C. (September 22, 2010). "Glee's New Scene-Stealer: Who is Dot Jones?". TV Envy.
- ↑ McCorkell, Jonathan (October 11, 2011). "Hilmar High celebrates 100 years: Three veteran teachers look back". Turlock Journal. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ Choi, Meagan (July 11, 2011). "Ten questions with Glee's Coach Beiste". CNN. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ↑ Rizzo, Monica (December 22, 2013). "Dot-Marie Jones Is Married". People. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- ↑ Reynolds, Daniel (October 5, 2013). "Dot-Marie Jones Is Engaged". The Advocate. Retrieved October 5, 2013.