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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Gary Sandy
As: Program Director Andy Travis
Last whereabouts: Sante Fe, New Mexico
Character note: A great stage actor who will never out distance
the shadow thrown by his Andy Travis character. Originally from Ohio.
Gordon Jump
As: Station G.M. Arthur Carlson
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Character Note: Prior to his death in 2003, had recently retired
as the lonely Maytag repairman. A devout Morman, Jump's biggest credit before KRP was as writer for The Tony Randall
Show. Ironically, Jump was actually a native of the much talked about home of Less Nessman in the series, Dayton, Ohio.
Loni Anderson
As: Receptionist Jennifer Marlow
From: Rock Throw, West Virginia
Character Note: Won the title of Miss
Minnesota and the hair is real.
Howard Hessman
As: Dr. Johnny Fever (John Caravella)
From:
Character Note: Johnny was fired from an L.A. radio
station for saying the word, BOOGER! Hessman starred in the movie Billy Jack and was the lead in the sitcom, Head
of the class.
Tim Reid
As: Venus Flytrap (Gordon Sims)
Last whereabouts: New Orleans
Character Note: Is married to Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played
Aunt Viv in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Viv #2). Reid played "Downtown Brown" on Simon and Simon.
Frank Bonner
As: Sales Manager Herb Tarlek
Last whereabouts:
Character Note: Was actually the first choice to play Johnny
Fever but bonner wanted to be the greasy, obnoxious, Herb Tarlek.
Richard Saunders
As: Less Nessman (News Director)
From: Dayton, Ohio
Character Note: Winner of the Buckeye Newhawk Award and the
coveted Silver Sow awards, Nessman is a far cry from the actor who played him. Saunders was a Shakespearean trained actor,
enrolled in Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University and a Peace Corp officer in Brazil.
Jan Smithers
As: Bailey Quarters (Traffic & Billing)
From: Chicago
Character Note: Actually a well educated character but held
back in traffic until Andy decides to give her a shot at news on air, much to Les's chagrin. Like her character, Jan Smithers
was an animal rights activist and ver much into environmentalism. Hugh Wilson gave Smithers the job, because she was shy and
reading for the role never landed her the gig.
What a wonderful, smartly written, perfectly cast television series that should have been the on the all time list...anyone's
list. While being a radio announcer certainly added to passion for the show, it roped me in long before that time. I recall
watching it before I was a teen and never forgetting it until the early 90s when I started to see it again in syndication.
On its first release to the masses, these first re-runs still had the classic cuts of music included in the show until later
in the decade when nit picking companies, lawyers and executives got their panties in a knot and inserted generic music in
its place, coupled with the ripping of 90 seconds to 2 minutes more out of the original episodes to allow for more commercials,
pretty well messed up a wonderful television accomplishment.
Wow...I know Loni Anderson was a centrepiece but you had to love Jan Smithers in her wide goggles, long skirts and dressed
down gorgeousness. She was beautiful! I'm a sucker for a smart looking woman that doesn't realise she's hot. Sorry, I swerved
there for a minute...back to the show's setting. Gary Sandy played Andy Travis, a street smart, savvy, young but experienced
program director that sets out to change the fortunes of a fledgling radio station that was at the bottom of the ratings in
Cincinnati, Ohio. Momma Carlson owns this AM station that has long been playing easy listening oldies and allows her son to
remain at the helm though his skills are limited. Andy immediately changes the format to rock and roll and the ensuing stresses
that follow were hilarious. Since I already mentioned Loni and Jan, I should follow up with the rest. General Sales manager
Herbert R. Tarlek played by Frank Bonner was probably my favourite character on the show and I'm sure a true refection and
exageration of the stereotypical salesman at the office. Howard Hessman's portrayal of the seemingly spaced out albeit seasoned
and perhaps wiser than we think Dr. Johnny Fever made him a cult favourite to this day. Venus Flytrap and his cool on-air
evening excursion into the stratosphere or his wild outfits stood out like a white tux at a wedding. I can’t tell how
much I can still howl when Herb Tarlek speaks and his reactions to Jennifer are classic. The bandage on various parts of Les's
body, Andy and his need to dress in the less casual, often constricting denim much to Carlson’s chagrin, the big guy’s
total incompetence and wacky relationship with his mother or maybe Johnny’s apparent burned out neo-narcotic approach
to radio. What a great combination of characters, the best in the history of sit coms in my opinion.
Like M*A*S*H, WKRP kept us confined for the most part to a small corner of the planet...this time, a radio station. Just about
every episode took place in The General Manager's office, the front lobby, the jock's lounge, the bullpen (Herb, Les and Bailey's
office) or the D.J. booth. Also, like M*A*S*H, the show was heads and tails over everyone else because of the comedy writing
and the superb characterizations performed by actors that spanned every inch of the profession's spectrum.
Unlike M*A*S*H, it was hit hard by an apparent reckless disregard and obvious disdain that CBS seemed to harbour as was plainly
evident by the way they played with it’s crucial time slots. This show was brilliant but was screwed with and never
given the chance to be the biggest show in history.
Remember that classic bit Johnny did when Andy told him to switch formats on such short notice..."You've got the Doctor, I'm
burning up in here. We're all in critical condition, babies. But you can tell me where it hurts, because I got the healing
prescription here from the big WKRP musical medicine cabinet. Now I'm talking about a 50,000 watt intensive care unit, babies.
So just sit right down, relax, open you ears real wide and say give it to me straight Doctor, I can take it!" ...."Oh yeah,
I almost forgot...BOOGER!"
One more thing that added to it’s brilliance was the cast of guest stars and recurrent characters that enhanced its
legend. People like Ian Wolfe who played Momma Carlson’s butler Hirsch or Bill Dial and Buzz Sapien who actually worked
on the production of the show but made guest shots. Hamilton Camp was a masterpiece as you’ll find out below, Fred Struthman
with his hilarious undertaker Mr. Ferryman portrayal. I can’t forget Jeff Altman’s scummy record label rep Murray
Gressler…I could go on! K...that's my rant, here's my episodes...
Season #1:
Episode 5: Hold Up
Del Murdock, owner of Del's Stereo enlists
the help of Herb, Johnny and WKRP in a live remote broadcast to highlight his wares. An out of work DJ, 'Bobby Boogie" disgusted
with automation and his fruitless attempts at finding a steady job in the biz, hijacks the broadcast. I'd have to say the
funniest episode in its four year run. Stars Hamilton Camp as Dell and the Bill Dial as Bucky Dornster. OMG, Camp was
so over the top in this episode. His skills combined with Bill Dial and Howard Hessman's deadpan reactions are true sitcom
classics. Camp: "I'm not paying for this".
Episode 7 Turkey's away
The Big Guy decides he'd like to be a
part of the stations everyday operations so he devises a promotion so secret, even the rest of the staff isn't informed. It's
good they weren't, it involved the dropping of twenty live turkeys from a plane. Les is heard on his live on-the-spot broadcast
with the classic line "Oh, the humanity". If asked, most would probably say this is their favourite.
Episodes 13/14 Goodbye Johnny / Johnny Come Back
Johnny accepts a job in L.A., a place
that offers more money and redemption for his past what-ifs. It soon becomes clear that he's going west, so the staff throws
a party to try and play on his emotions in order to get him to stay. Very funny episode. Part 2 of this episode sees Jeff
Altman playing a scummy record company promoter who helps to convince Andy to hire a talented young announcer, Doug Winner
as Johnny's replacement. When Johnny tosses the job in L.A., he returns to work the backshift, things have changed and Winner
isn't the straight goods everyone thinks he is. Great episode.
Episode 17 Commercial Break
Randall Ferryman, owner of Ferryman's
Funeral Homes wants a fresh upbeat approach to his advertising in order to appeal to young folks preparations for that fateful
day. With the help of the staff at WKRP, a jingle is written and produced that would only air on a station like this...it's
hilarious. Watch for Ferryman's opening line "Gentlemen, what's happening?"
Episode 21 Fish Story
Another promotional idea from Mr. Carlson
has Herb dress up as the station's mascot, a giant Carp...get it? KRP. It couldn't come at a worse time as a reporter is set
to visit the station to do a story on it...at the same time Johnny and Venus are doing a live sobriety test on air and the
front lobby is getting painted...funny stuff!
Season #2:
Episode 25 Baseball
I don't know why this one made it to the
top of my list. The staff plays a game of baseball against the staff of WPIG. Bill Dial makes another appearance as Bucky
Dornster, the unionized engineer from the first season. As far as storyline goes, not exactly Emmy worthy but it was
still a funny episode and I guess it didn't hurt seeing Jan Smithers and Loni in their shorts and tees.
Season #3:
Episode 48 Jennifer Moves
The staff lends a hand to Jennifer as
she moves in to a posh neighborhood in the Cincinnati burb of Landersville. The neighborhood and it's citizens prove that
the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. Frank Bonner is hilarious in this episode while the guest stars like
Judith Marie Bergen (Dottie) are a great collection of misfits. The casting was brilliant in this episode.
Episode 51 Hotel Oceanview
Once again Frank Bonner (Herb) steals
the show as he, Andy and Mr. Carlson travel to Dayton to woo Vicki Von Vicki (played by Dr. Joyce Brothers) and her advertising
account. While there, Carlson is paranoid of the "Dayton Poisoner", Herb has a rendevous with an old high school buddy who
has since changed quite a bit about him(her)self and Andy can't seem to get his slide projector to work. 3rd favorite
episode.
Season #4:
Episodes 69/70 An Explosive Affair
Originally airing as a one hour episode
in 1981 this is my second favorite. A terrorist group calling itself "Black Monday" delivers a bomb threat to the station.
Andy decides to send Johnny and Venus to the transmitter to broadcast their shows while the station is getting searched. Johnny
ends up smashing the phone after failing to reach his bookie to place a bet. In the second part of the episode, Andy figures
out the bomb is actually at the transmitter site but is unable to reach his jocks because they have no phone. Look for several
classic lines in this one including Johnny's phone cops segment and his wailing to Venus to "wake up sucker!"
Episode 71 The Union
The age old management-labour conflict
strikes the KRP family and Andy tries to take the high road. The staff is considering joining a union, while the Big Guy isn't
too pleased, Andy tries to appeal to both sides.
Episode 77 The Consultant
Norris Breeze, an old radio buddy of Andy's
is hired by Mama Carlson to act as a professional radio consultant. This one must've struck a chord with the radio industry
when it aired. Breeze, acting as a consultant hints that he'll give a bad report unless Andy subscribes to his service...a
radio progarmming service. The gang at the station assume different roles and personalities in order to make Breeze look like
a buffoon.
Episode 90 Up and down the dial A true classic in every sense of the word. What would ultimately be the final episode of this great show, the
station hits #6 in the ratings and the staff is euphoric. Mama Carlson though has ground the momentum to a screeching
halt as she plans to change the station's format to all news. Johnny is the hero as he figures out her agenda..
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