Gordon Jump(1932-2003)
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
The burly character actor Gordon Jump will probably be best remembered
for the role of the radio station manager Arthur Carlson in the TV
sitcom
WKRP in Cincinnati (1978).
This is coincidental since, in the first part of his working life, he was
found either behind a microphone or camera in stints with radio and TV
stations in the Midwest, including producing jobs at stations in Kansas
and Ohio.
Moving to Los Angeles in 1963, he quickly became involved in stage
productions with Nathan Hale and
Ruth Hale, a couple who had opened a
small theater in Glendale, California, several years earlier, in order
to make ends meet. The Hales preferred the stage to film, and they
abandoned Hollywood film hopes when their theater was successful.
Others developing their acting talents with the Hales included
Mike Farrell and
Connie Stevens. Jump always credited Ruth
Hale for the real start of his career as an actor, and it has been said
that Jump remained most passionate about acting in live theater.
He soon started appearing in numerous TV series, including
Daniel Boone (1964),
Get Smart (1965), and
Green Acres (1965). Through his
association with the Hale clan, he became a member of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which led to appearances in
educational and religious short films produced and directed by
Judge Whitaker at Brigham Young
University in the 1960s. He played a Mormon bishop in "You Make the
Difference", a thoughtful husband in
Marriage: What Kind for You? (1967),
and even the Apostle Peter in
Mormon Temple Film (1969).
Ruth was instrumental in getting Jump to give up smoking, and she also
admonished him to turn down offers to do beer commercials. To the end
of his life, he took his membership in his faith seriously, including
its health codes. He also was in other LDS church films including When Thou Art Converted 1967,
What about Thad? 1969, The Guilty 1978 and Families are Forever 1982.
Gordon remained predominantly a television actor throughout a long
career in the arts, but he did appear in some small parts in feature
films such as
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972).
He also had a cameo appearance in
The Singles Ward (2002), a
comedy involving young Latter-Day Saint cultural experiences, which was
written and directed by Kurt Hale, the
grandson of Ruth and Nathan.
Beyond his acting career, Gordon produced
The Tony Randall Show (1976)and
directed an episode of
WKRP in Cincinnati (1978).
In the last years of his life, he was readily recognizable as the
lonely Maytag Washer repairman in commercials that ran on television
for several years starting in 1989. He effectively portrayed Ol' Lonely
until retiring from the role just before his death. (The repairman was
lonely because the machines never broke down.) As is often the case for
actors with a flair for comedy, he was also adept at playing dramatic
roles. As is also often the case with character actors, his face is
recognizable to many who never knew his name.
for the role of the radio station manager Arthur Carlson in the TV
sitcom
WKRP in Cincinnati (1978).
This is coincidental since, in the first part of his working life, he was
found either behind a microphone or camera in stints with radio and TV
stations in the Midwest, including producing jobs at stations in Kansas
and Ohio.
Moving to Los Angeles in 1963, he quickly became involved in stage
productions with Nathan Hale and
Ruth Hale, a couple who had opened a
small theater in Glendale, California, several years earlier, in order
to make ends meet. The Hales preferred the stage to film, and they
abandoned Hollywood film hopes when their theater was successful.
Others developing their acting talents with the Hales included
Mike Farrell and
Connie Stevens. Jump always credited Ruth
Hale for the real start of his career as an actor, and it has been said
that Jump remained most passionate about acting in live theater.
He soon started appearing in numerous TV series, including
Daniel Boone (1964),
Get Smart (1965), and
Green Acres (1965). Through his
association with the Hale clan, he became a member of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which led to appearances in
educational and religious short films produced and directed by
Judge Whitaker at Brigham Young
University in the 1960s. He played a Mormon bishop in "You Make the
Difference", a thoughtful husband in
Marriage: What Kind for You? (1967),
and even the Apostle Peter in
Mormon Temple Film (1969).
Ruth was instrumental in getting Jump to give up smoking, and she also
admonished him to turn down offers to do beer commercials. To the end
of his life, he took his membership in his faith seriously, including
its health codes. He also was in other LDS church films including When Thou Art Converted 1967,
What about Thad? 1969, The Guilty 1978 and Families are Forever 1982.
Gordon remained predominantly a television actor throughout a long
career in the arts, but he did appear in some small parts in feature
films such as
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972).
He also had a cameo appearance in
The Singles Ward (2002), a
comedy involving young Latter-Day Saint cultural experiences, which was
written and directed by Kurt Hale, the
grandson of Ruth and Nathan.
Beyond his acting career, Gordon produced
The Tony Randall Show (1976)and
directed an episode of
WKRP in Cincinnati (1978).
In the last years of his life, he was readily recognizable as the
lonely Maytag Washer repairman in commercials that ran on television
for several years starting in 1989. He effectively portrayed Ol' Lonely
until retiring from the role just before his death. (The repairman was
lonely because the machines never broke down.) As is often the case for
actors with a flair for comedy, he was also adept at playing dramatic
roles. As is also often the case with character actors, his face is
recognizable to many who never knew his name.