"WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978) TV series 1978-1982

Creator:

Hugh Wilson
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

18 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The staff of a struggling radio station have a chance at success after the new programming director changes the format to rock music

Plot Keywords:

Radio | Radio Station | Disc Jockey | Radio Reporter | Sitcom

Awards:

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

Cast

Gary Sandy	...	Andy Travis (90 episodes, 1978-1982)
Gordon Jump	...	Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson (90 episodes, 1978-1982)
Howard Hesseman	...	Johnny 'Dr. Fever' Caravella (90 episodes, 1978-1982)
Loni Anderson	...	Jennifer Elizabeth Marlowe (89 episodes, 1978-1982)
Richard Sanders	...	Les Nessman / ... (89 episodes, 1978-1982)
Frank Bonner	...	Herbert 'Herb' Tarlek (89 episodes, 1978-1982)
Tim Reid	...	Venus Flytrap (87 episodes, 1978-1982)
Jan Smithers	...	Bailey Quarters (86 episodes, 1978-1982)

Series Directed by
Rod Daniel		(24 episodes, 1979-1981)
Will Mackenzie		(16 episodes, 1979-1982)
Asaad Kelada		(15 episodes, 1978-1982)
Linda Day		(11 episodes, 1980-1982)
Frank Bonner		(6 episodes, 1980-1982)
Michael Zinberg		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Nicholas Stamos		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Dolores Ferraro		(3 episodes, 1981)
Hugh Wilson		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Dan Guntzelman		(2 episodes, 1981)
George Gaynes		(1 episode, 1982)
Howard Hesseman		(1 episode, 1982)
Gordon Jump		(1 episode, 1982)

Series Writing credits
Hugh Wilson		(20 episodes, 1978-1982)
Steve Marshall		(14 episodes, 1979-1982)
Dan Guntzelman		(13 episodes, 1979-1982)
Blake Hunter		(12 episodes, 1979-1982)
Peter Torokvei		(8 episodes, 1979-1982)
Steven Kampmann		(7 episodes, 1979-1981)
Lissa Levin		(7 episodes, 1980-1982)
Bill Dial		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael Fairman		(5 episodes, 1979-1982)
Richard Sanders		(5 episodes, 1979-1982)
Tom Chehak		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Tim Reid		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Joyce Armor		(2 episodes, 1978-1981)
Judie Neer		(2 episodes, 1978-1981)
Paul Robinson Hunter		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Mary Maguire		(2 episodes, 1979)
Casey Piotrowski		(1 episode, 1979)
Bob Dolman		(1 episode, 1981)
Howard Hesseman		(1 episode, 1981)
Jon Smet		(1 episode, 1981)

Series Produced by
Hugh Wilson	....	executive producer / producer (9 episodes, 1978-1982)
Ted Kaye	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rod Daniel	....	producer / associate producer (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Max Tash	....	associate producer / coordinating producer (3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Blake Hunter	....	producer (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Peter Torokvei	....	producer (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bill Dial	....	producer (1 episode, 1979-1980)
Steven Kampmann	....	producer (1 episode, 1980-1981)

Series Cinematography by
George La Fountaine Sr.		(1 episode, 1982)

Series Film Editing by
Andy Ackerman		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Chip Brooks		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bob Best		(2 episodes, 1980)

Series Casting by
Sharon Himes		(6 episodes, 1978-1980)

Series Art Direction by
Jacqueline Webber		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Ken Johnson		(2 episodes, 1978)
Ken Johnson		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Set Decoration by
Jacque Webber		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Catherine Mann		(2 episodes, 1980-1982)

Series Costume Design by
Warden Neil		(1 episode, 1982)

Series Makeup Department
Janis Clark	....	hair stylist (7 episodes, 1978-1982)
Ray Steele	....	makeup artist (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Nancy Garen	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Bron Roylance	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Brett Crutcher	....	unit manager (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Abby Singer	....	production executive: MTM Productions, Inc. / executive in charge of production: MTM Productions, Inc. (3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Carol Himes	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ginger Grigg	....	associate director (4 episodes, 1978-1982)
Linda Day	....	associate director / assistant director (4 episodes, 1978-1980)
J.D. Lobue	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1978)
Robert J. Smawley	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Edwin McCormick	....	construction coordinator (44 episodes, 1980-1982)
Chris Circosta	....	property master (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dick Durant	....	property master (3 episodes, 1980-1982)

Series Sound Department
Ken Becker	....	audio / sound (3 episodes, 1978)
Cam McCulloch	....	audio (2 episodes, 1980-1982)

Series Stunts
Gregg Sawaya	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1981)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Larry Boelens	....	lighting consultant (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Harold Guy	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1978)
Steve Berry	....	video operator (3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Dick Browning	....	video operator (2 episodes, 1978)
George La Fountaine Sr.	....	lighting consultant (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Warden Neil	....	wardrobe (7 episodes, 1978-1980)

Series Editorial Department
Chip Brooks	....	videotape editor / editor: video tape (3 episodes, 1978)
Rod Daniel	....	post-production consultant (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Music Department
Tom Wells	....	composer: title theme (7 episodes, 1978-1982)
Jim Ellis	....	composer: closing theme (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (3 episodes, 1979)

Series Other crew
Buzz Sapien	....	stage manager (46 episodes, 1978-1980)
Merilynn Marko-Sanders	....	production assistant / script supervisor / ... (7 episodes, 1978-1982)
Blake Hunter	....	story editor / creative consultant / ... (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Meryl O'Loughlin	....	executive in charge of talent / talent executive (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Tim Womack	....	production associate / production assistant (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Lissa Levin	....	production secretary / story consultant (5 episodes, 1978-1982)
Tom Chehak	....	story editor / creative consultant (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bill Dial	....	story editor / creative consultant (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Max Tash	....	production associate / production assistant (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mary Maguire	....	production secretary (3 episodes, 1978)
Bob Jones	....	technical director (3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Joyce Armor	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1978)
Linda Day	....	assistant to producer / associate director (2 episodes, 1978)
Ginger Grigg	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (2 episodes, 1978)
Mike Maloof	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1978)
Steven Kampmann	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1979-1981)
Patricia Perillo	....	assistant to producer / production secretary (2 episodes, 1980-1982)
Richard Sandoval	....	production associate / stage manager (2 episodes, 1980-1982)
Dan Guntzelman	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Mary Korbett	....	production secretary (2 episodes, 1980)
Steve Marshall	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Peter Torokvei	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Emily Marshall	....	story editor (unknown episodes, 1979)

Production Companies

• Company Four
• MTM Enterprises

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978-1982) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (episodes 1-8)
• 20th Century Fox Television
• Jim Victory Television
• MTM Enterprises

Other Companies

• KTLA  videotaped at
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Runtime:

30 min (90 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company:

Company Four

Trivia:

The pilot was filmed at CBS Television City in Los Angeles but the rest of the episodes were taped at CBS Studio City in the San Fernando Valley. It was filmed on the same stage as another sitcom about a midwestern station, "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970). Only shots for the opening and closing credits and cutaways for a few episodes were recorded in Cincinnati.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Unlike real DJs, the cast of WKRP never wore monitor headphones while broadcasting music.

Quotes:

Dr. Johnny Fever: Do you have enough money to feed yourself?
Les Nessman: Yes.
Dr. Johnny Fever: I don't, can you loan me some money?
Les Nessman: No.
Dr. Johnny Fever: Can you loan me some food?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Catherine Zeta-Jones/Franz Ferdinand (#31.3)" (2005)

The Funniest Comedy of All Time?

Only a very few comedies have reached what I consider the height of mixing pathos, characterization, slapstick, verbal byplay. Night Court, Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore...and WKRP manages to surpass them all. WKRP comes out ahead of most of these (except maybe Night Court) because it was a true ensemble. It didn't focus on just Sam & Diane, or just Mary, but equally covered each of its cast members, giving them almost-equal screen time.

These were also folks who had _lives_ that didn't revolve entirely around the office or resolving the problem at the office: families, social lives, etc.

The recent Nick at Nite marathon (40 hours, five nights) just brought back home to me that this show was so funny, and why even some of the worst episodes are still a heck of a lot funnier than most "comedies" on the air today.

Hopefully WKRP will be settling into a long stay on Nick at Nite once the marathon runs its course.