Registered: Aug 2000
Location: In a Blue, Blue State
Posts: 12547

Gordon Jump of 'WKRP' and Maytag ad fame dies at 71

LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer Monday, September 22, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



(09-22) 18:52 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Gordon Jump, who played a befuddled radio station manager on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" and made his mark in commercials as the lonely Maytag repairman, died Monday. He was 71.

Jump suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, said his cousin, Katherine Jump Wagner. The illness causes scarring of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to heart or respiratory failure.

Wagner, of Arcanum, Ohio, said she learned of her cousin's death from her father, also named Gordon Jump. Her cousin was under hospice care at his home southeast of Los Angeles, she said.

Jump played Arthur Carlson in "WKRP in Cincinnati," which aired on CBS from 1978-82 and featured Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman and Richard Sanders as the ragtag station's crew.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jump began his career working at radio and TV stations in the Midwest. He worked behind the microphone and the camera, including jobs as a producer for Kansas and Ohio stations.

Jump portrayed the Maytag repairman "Ol' Lonely," a well-recognized advertising symbol, from 1989 until he retired from the role in July and another actor took over.

"Gordon was an incredibly talented actor and a remarkable human being," said Ralph Hake, chairman and chief executive officer of Maytag Corp.

Jump came to appreciate the attention he got for the ad campaign and the steady work it provided, Wagner said. But his heart was elsewhere professionally.

"What he loved more than anything was doing theater. He was a marvelous actor," she said, recalling a visit to Florida to watch him perform in "Norman, Is That You?"

Jump began his Hollywood career after moving to Los Angeles in 1963, appearing on series including "Daniel Boone," "Get Smart" and "The Partridge Family."

His dramatic roles included a part in the TV movie "Ruby and Oswald," about the assassination of President Kennedy, and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes."

Jump is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son, Maytag said in a statement. He also had a brother, Wagner said.


http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c...2040EDT0187.DTL

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beyond Mason-Dixon Line
Posts: 16165

I played blackjack at the same table with him back in the 1980's. It was at the Desert Inn, which is gone now, too.

He was quiet; just played his cards.

Amen.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2002
Location: No. California
Posts: 4175

I remember my favorite episode of WKRP was when a crooked record promoter was trying to pay off Dr. Fever with some cocaine and when Mr. Carlson came in and said "what's that?" Dr. Fever said "foot powder!"

Later you saw Mr. Carlson in his office with his socks off, putting the cocaine on his feet. Venus said "what's that?" and Mr. Carlson replied "it's some foot powder Dr. Fever gave me." Then he started walking around saying "yeah, my feet feel better already!" By the end of the show he was kicking shit and freaking out, going "I can't feel my feet! Oh my God! My feet are dead!"

He was perfect for that role. I'll miss him. (But not Loni Anderson. I was a Bailey man myself.)

__________________

[Ignore Sig]

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged