Hold Up (16 Oct. 1978)

Things are slowly starting to pick up when Herb sells his new client, Del's Stereo Shop, on a remote. Things go bad when Johnny broadcasts from the stereo shop, no customers show up, Bucky ... See full summary »

Director:

Asaad Kelada

Writers:

Tom Chehak, Hugh Wilson (creator)

Stars:

Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Richard Sanders

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Gary Sandy	...	Andy Travis
Gordon Jump	...	Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson
Richard Sanders	...	Les Nessman
Frank Bonner	...	Herbert 'Herb' Tarlek
Howard Hesseman	...	Johnny 'Dr. Fever' Caravella
Hamilton Camp	...	Del Murdoch
Garry Goodrow	...	Bob Burnatt
Bill Dial	...	Bucky Dornster
Hugh Wilson	...	Policeman #1

Storyline

Things are slowly starting to pick up when Herb sells his new client, Del's Stereo Shop, on a remote. Things go bad when Johnny broadcasts from the stereo shop, no customers show up, Bucky (the engineer) breaks tons of equipment, and an out-of-work deejay holds the store up.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1978 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

MTM Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

24 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The closing scene is done in the 'line-up' style made famous by Dragnet. The artist's sketch, from Johnny's description, is, of course, Richard Nixon.

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Quotes

Bucky Dornster: Take it up with my union.
Del Murdoch: Union! I don't want any trouble with unions I hate unions however I'm all for 'em don't forget I said that.
Bucky Dornster: Speed kills, Del.

User Reviews

"We're Talking Bent Noodle Here!"

Tarlek reels in a sponsor, the verbose, charismatic Del Murdock (Hamilton Camp at his camp best!) owner/salesman of a stereo shop. Murdock signs on for a live remote which Fever will host at the shop and prays that it stimulates floor traffic so he can move some units which are probably almost obsolete.

WKRP makes its characteristic underwhelming impression when sound engineer Buckey Dornster (show writer Bill Dial) accidentally destroys equipment and causes a blackout while setting up for the broadcast. Buckey, an indifferent, self-serving incompetent shows us that even the WKRP employees we don't usually see are offbeat and inept.

Tarlek for his part has bought $3000 worth of equipment which he hasn't paid for. Lucky for them Murdock is just one guy. Usually WKRP manages to alienate much larger groups with its blunders.

It seems like the station is perpetually threatened with a lawsuit at one time or another. Most of the time it is pretty understandable but it is all generally settled off camera and never mentioned substantially again (which can't be a good sign, right?). In the case of Del's Stereo & Sound we learn in Season 1, Episode 9 that he went out of business.

Bob Burnat (Garry Goodrow) who interviewed at WKRP for a DJ slot but wasn't hired shows up at the store, pulls out a gun and hijacks the broadcast spinning tunes under the sobriquet "Bobby Boogie". He also destroys more equipment and locks Murdock in the bathroom.

Back at the station Travis, Tarlek, Les and The Big Guy try to figure what to do. Les meekly asks if anyone else thought of calling the police which of course none of them have. When they finally clue-in and follow through on the news director's helpful input the authorities swoop down and secure the scene. Fever, out of professional courtesy refuses to identify Burnat.

We get a comic examination of different kinds of manic desperation here. Tarlek is so desperate to whip up sponsorship accounts he ventures into a pretty shady part of town to cold call in person where equally desperate Del Murdock is trying to scrounge sales.

Desperately out of work DJ Bob Burnat hijacks the broadcast and the WKRP employees (Minus Bailey, Jennifer and Venus not seen here for whatever reason) desperately try to save Johnny and Del whilst attempting to evade legal action.