WKRP in Cincinnati 

The misadventures of the staff of a struggling Top 40 rock radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Creator:

Hugh Wilson

Stars:

Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Gary Sandy	...	Andy Travis 90 episodes, 1978-1982
Gordon Jump	...	Arthur Carlson / ... 90 episodes, 1978-1982
Loni Anderson	...	Jennifer Marlowe / ... 89 episodes, 1978-1982
Howard Hesseman	...	Dr. Johnny Fever / ... 90 episodes, 1978-1982
Richard Sanders	...	Les Nessman / ... 89 episodes, 1978-1982
Frank Bonner	...	Herb Tarlek 89 episodes, 1978-1982
Tim Reid	...	Venus Flytrap / ... 87 episodes, 1978-1982
Jan Smithers	...	Bailey Quarters 86 episodes, 1978-1982

Storyline

A hip, young program director pumps new life into a failing AM radio station, WKRP of Cincinatti, by changing format from Big Band to Hard Rock/Punk and bringing in two hot disc jockeys, over the protest of the owner... and some of the employees.

---

Plot Keywords:

workplace comedy | radio | disc jockey | radio station | sitcom | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Flimm Building is located at 615 Vine St., 1-1/2 blocks north of Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. As of November 2015, it was a Homewood Suites/Hampton Inn.

---

Goofs

Les Nessman is a bachelor, but he often is seen wearing a wedding ring.

---

Quotes

[at a record store hosting a WKRP remote broadcast]
Herb Tarlek: Del, goshdarnit I've got to go, but if you need anything, anything at all, I'll be in my car somewhere.

---

Crazy Credits

The lyrics for the closing credits consist of gibberish words.

---

Alternate Versions

MTM Productions' license to use some of the songs for this show expired in the mid-1990s. Syndicated and home video versions since then, including that on the Nick-at-Nite cable network, have replaced some of those songs with stock music.

---

Connections

Referenced in Twisted Sex Vol. 23 (2007)

User Reviews

This shows great strength (besides being funny) was that the characters became increasingly three-dimensional, a trait most sitcoms fail at..

Many sitcoms start out with great promise, but over successive seasons settle and turn dimensionally less realistic. Take for example Tony Danza's spiral down in "Taxi" into the "dumb guy." In WKRP in Cincinnati, the complete opposite was true. Two dimensional stereotypes at the beginning (cowboy programmer, dim-witted receptionist, lazy mama's boy manager, city-wise black DJ, etc.) were allowed over the show's course to become psychologically real. The on-going harassment by married salesman Herb Tarlek towards Jennifer the receptionist was finally confronted, and in subsequent episodes he was never quite the pig towards her as before. Alcoholism and drug abuse were addressed, but never in the "hit you over the head" PC style of today. The show could be simultaneously hilarious and of dire seriousness. If you can, catch the episodes in rerun in order. The final season is amazing, especially when the previous years have set you up for it. Carol Bruce (Mama Carlson) episodes are especially stunning. And always look for Les Nessman's roaming band-aid.

Details

Release Date:

18 September 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

WKRP in Cincinnati

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati Enquirer Building - 617 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Company Four, MTM Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (90 episodes)