The New WKRP in Cincinnati
Encyclopedia
The New WKRP in Cincinnati is a sequel/spin-off of the original CBS
sitcom
WKRP in Cincinnati
. It was made for the syndication
market from 1991 to 1993.
Gordon Jump
(Arthur Carlson
), Frank Bonner
(Herb Tarlek
), and Richard Sanders (Les Nessman
) reprised their roles from the original show. Other original cast members came in for guest spots, with Loni Anderson
(Jennifer Marlowe
) returning for two episodes, Tim Reid
(D.J. Venus Flytrap
) for one episode, and Howard Hesseman
(Dr. Johnny Fever
) appearing in nine episodes total (four in the first season, five in the second), as well as directing several other episodes.
did not return to reprise the role that he had played as a ten-year-old in one episode of the original series. Newcomer Lightfield Lewis was signed on to assume the role of the character, modeled much after the Herb Tarlek
character from the original series. Like Tarlek and his father before him, Art Jr. works as an advertising sales rep for WKRP, presumably grooming him to take over the business from his father.
The show underwent many cast changes during its run, and ended in 1993 after two seasons and 47 episodes (though it ran for another year in repeats on VH-1). Among the other notable actors that were cast members on the show were Mykelti Williamson
as program director Donovan Aderhold, Tawny Kitaen
as late night D.J. Mona Loveland, and French Stewart
, who joined the cast in the second season as morning D.J. Razor Dee.
In the first season, Michael Des Barres
played Jack Allen, half of the "Burns and Allen" (a play on George Burns
and Gracie Allen
) morning show. Des Barres had played Sir Charles "Dog" Weatherby, frontman for the fictional band "Scum of the Earth" in the "Hoodlum Rock" episode of the original series
.
The familiar opening and closing themes from its parent series were retained; while a new arrangement/recording was used for the opening theme, the closing theme was the same version heard on the original series.
The series followed up on some details left unaddressed in the original series. For example, the actual frequency of WKRP was never revealed in the original series. In this version, the station is identified as being at 1530 AM, the actual home of WSAI (now WCKY
), also licensed to Cincinnati.
band, was still playing Rock 'n Roll music in the early 1990s, long after FM
was established as the industry's leading band.
The series, contrary to the belief of some, was not canceled due to large monetary losses. Despite the challenges of syndication, which included varying airtimes (sometimes late at night) in various markets, the series was able to operate in the black, but not producing a profit substantial enough to investors backing it financially.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
. It was made for the syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
market from 1991 to 1993.
Gordon Jump
Gordon Jump
Alexander Gordon Jump was an American actor best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap...
(Arthur Carlson
Arthur Carlson
Arthur Carlson, aka "The Big Guy" is a fictional character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati , the general manager of the low-rated Cincinnati radio station WKRP. The character was also a regular on the "revival" series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, still working as general...
), Frank Bonner
Frank Bonner
Frank Bonner is an American actor and television director best known for playing sales manager Herb Tarlek on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.-Life and career:...
(Herb Tarlek
Herb Tarlek
Herb Tarlek is a character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati . He was played by actor Frank Bonner...
), and Richard Sanders (Les Nessman
Les Nessman
Les Nessman is a fictional character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati played by Richard Sanders. He reprised his role in the sequel series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati.-Background and Appearance:...
) reprised their roles from the original show. Other original cast members came in for guest spots, with Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson
Loni Kaye Anderson is an American actress who played the role of Jennifer Marlowe on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.- Early life :...
(Jennifer Marlowe
Jennifer Marlowe
Jennifer Elizabeth Marlowe is a character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati . She was played by actress Loni Anderson, who received two Emmy nominations for playing the character.-Fictional character biography:...
) returning for two episodes, Tim Reid
Tim Reid
Timothy L. "Tim" Reid is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati , Marcel "Downtown" Brown on Simon & Simon , Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister and William Barnett on That 70's Show...
(D.J. Venus Flytrap
Venus Flytrap (WKRP in Cincinnati)
Venus Flytrap is a character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati , played by Tim Reid. He is the evening and early night-time disc jockey at WKRP, and during the course of the series he also becomes the assistant program director.-Development:Concerning the paucity of black actors...
) for one episode, and Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
(Dr. Johnny Fever
Dr. Johnny Fever
Dr. Johnny Fever is an off-the-wall character and disc jockey on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. He was inspired by Atlanta DJ Skinny Bobby Harper...
) appearing in nine episodes total (four in the first season, five in the second), as well as directing several other episodes.
Synopsis
The character of Arthur Carlson, Jr., returns as an adult, but Sparky MarcusSparky Marcus
Sparky Marcus is an American actor born December 6, 1967 in Hollywood, California. He had a prolific career as a child actor.-Career:...
did not return to reprise the role that he had played as a ten-year-old in one episode of the original series. Newcomer Lightfield Lewis was signed on to assume the role of the character, modeled much after the Herb Tarlek
Herb Tarlek
Herb Tarlek is a character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati . He was played by actor Frank Bonner...
character from the original series. Like Tarlek and his father before him, Art Jr. works as an advertising sales rep for WKRP, presumably grooming him to take over the business from his father.
The show underwent many cast changes during its run, and ended in 1993 after two seasons and 47 episodes (though it ran for another year in repeats on VH-1). Among the other notable actors that were cast members on the show were Mykelti Williamson
Mykelti Williamson
Michael T. "Mykelti" Williamson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Buford Blue in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime drama Boomtown, and recently for appearing as the head of CTU for...
as program director Donovan Aderhold, Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...
as late night D.J. Mona Loveland, and French Stewart
French Stewart
Milton French Stewart , better known by his stage name French Stewart, is an American actor, best known for his role as Harry Solomon on the 1990s sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Early life:...
, who joined the cast in the second season as morning D.J. Razor Dee.
In the first season, Michael Des Barres
Michael Des Barres
Lord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
played Jack Allen, half of the "Burns and Allen" (a play on George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
and Gracie Allen
Gracie Allen
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
) morning show. Des Barres had played Sir Charles "Dog" Weatherby, frontman for the fictional band "Scum of the Earth" in the "Hoodlum Rock" episode of the original series
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
.
The familiar opening and closing themes from its parent series were retained; while a new arrangement/recording was used for the opening theme, the closing theme was the same version heard on the original series.
The series followed up on some details left unaddressed in the original series. For example, the actual frequency of WKRP was never revealed in the original series. In this version, the station is identified as being at 1530 AM, the actual home of WSAI (now WCKY
WCKY (AM)
WCKY is an AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 1530 kHz with 50,000 watts, and its transmitter is located in nearby Villa Hills, Kentucky. It is a class A clear channel station, sharing the frequency with KFBK in Sacramento, and can be heard, particularly at night, over most...
), also licensed to Cincinnati.
Main characters
- Arthur CarlsonArthur CarlsonArthur Carlson, aka "The Big Guy" is a fictional character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati , the general manager of the low-rated Cincinnati radio station WKRP. The character was also a regular on the "revival" series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, still working as general...
(Gordon JumpGordon JumpAlexander Gordon Jump was an American actor best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap...
), occasionally called the "Big Guy," is the middle-aged general manager, whose main qualification for the job is that his business tycoon mother is the owner. His bumbling, indecisive management is one of the main reasons the station is unprofitable, although he is a decent man and something of a father-figure to his employees. - Herb Tarlek (Frank BonnerFrank BonnerFrank Bonner is an American actor and television director best known for playing sales manager Herb Tarlek on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.-Life and career:...
), the boorish, tasteless advertising sales manager, wears loud plaid suits, with his belt matching his white shoes. Though he can't land the big accounts, he displays a remarkable talent of collecting from deadbeat clients. While Herb is portrayed as buffoonish most of the time, he does occasionally show a sympathetic side, particularly towards Art Jr., whom he feels he needs to protect though there's no love lost between the two. Tarlek was based on radio executive Clark Brown. - Arthur Carlson Jr. (Lightfield Lewis), the rookie advertising executive, groomed to one day take over the management of WKRP after his father retires. Pompous and arrogant (but angelic in his father's presence), he's much like Herb, but lacks Herb's experience when it comes to dealing with potential problem clients, proving himself to be no more competent. His own personality is the complete opposite of his father's: where his father is passive but will stand up for himself and others when pushed, Art Jr. is aggressive but quickly backs down when confronted.
- Les Nessman (Richard Sanders), the fastidious, bow-tied news reporter, approaches his job with absurd seriousness, despite being almost totally incompetent. For instance, he mispronounces golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez's name as "Chy Chy Rod-ri-gweeze". Les is forever trying to win the fictitious Ohio radio news trophy, the "Buckeye Newshawk Award" (though he has already won five times), as well as the "coveted Silver Sow Award" for excellence in farm news, particularly hog reports. He is best friends with fellow employee Herb Tarlek. To protest not having an office of his own, he has marked where walls would be with tape on the floor around his desk, and mimics opening a door whenever he enters or leaves. Mr. Carlson and Herb humor him by "knocking" (clicking their heels together while making a knocking motion with their hands) before entering.
- Donovan Aderhold (Mykelti WilliamsonMykelti WilliamsonMichael T. "Mykelti" Williamson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Buford Blue in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime drama Boomtown, and recently for appearing as the head of CTU for...
), the station's new program director. He arrives at WKRP after the former program director is fired. He has also worked with former WKRP morning DJ Dr. Johnny FeverDr. Johnny FeverDr. Johnny Fever is an off-the-wall character and disc jockey on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. He was inspired by Atlanta DJ Skinny Bobby Harper...
at a radio station in Pittsburgh. - Mona Loveland (Tawny KitaenTawny KitaenJulie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...
), the station's new nighttime DJ, hired by Aderhold. Beautiful and talented, Mona is also exceptionally intelligent, much like Jennifer MarloweJennifer MarloweJennifer Elizabeth Marlowe is a character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati . She was played by actress Loni Anderson, who received two Emmy nominations for playing the character.-Fictional character biography:...
in the original series. Her dilemma is that though she longs for male companionship, she enjoys her freedom and dedication to her career. Like Jennifer was with Herb, she finds herself constantly rebuffing advances from Art Jr. - Buddy Dornster (John Chappell), the station's hopelessly lazy chief engineer. He is the brother of Bucky Dornster, who held the same job on the original WKRP and was played twice (on "Holdup" and "Baseball") by series head writer Bill Dial, who reprised the role once in a cameo on the revival. Buddy has served alongside Carlson in the Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and has some shell-shock tendencies, such as diving for cover suddenly when Jack Allen yells "Incoming!" in his direction. John Chappell appeared as Reverend Drinkwater in the "Preacher" episode of the original WKRP. - Claire Hartline (Hope Alexander-Willis), the station's traffic and continuity director. Unlike her predecessor, Bailey Quarters, Claire's role is that of her job title, unlike Bailey's eventually expanded role as midday and afternoon news anchor and part-time field reporter. Claire is often sarcastic (like the Bailey character evolved into later in the original series), but kind and levelheaded, one of the few competent employees at the station.
- Ronnie Lee (Wendy DavisWendy DavisWendy Davis is an American actress. She is currently appearing in the hit Lifetime Television series, Army Wives, as Colonel Joan Burton.-Early Years:...
), the station's attractive receptionist. She finds a kindred spirit in Donovan, as they are the only two black employees at the station. Though Herb for the most part leaves her alone, she often finds herself rebuffing his advances. - Jack Allen (Michael Des BarresMichael Des BarresLord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
), half of the station's "Burns and Allen"-style morning show with Dana Burns. Their on-air chemistry is similar to George Burns and Gracie Allen, but both are at each other's throats off the air, largely due to their impending divorce. Despite their constant bickering, both know that outside of their morning show together, neither has much of a future in the radio business. They are replaced by Razor Dee in the final season of the series. - Dana Burns (Kathleen Garrett), half of the station's "Burns and Allen"-style morning show with Jack Allen.
- Mrs. Carlson (Carol BruceCarol BruceCarol Bruce was an American band singer, Broadway star, and film and television actress.Bruce was born Shirley Levy in Great Neck, New York, the daughter of Beatrice and Harry Levy. She began her career as a singer in the late 1930s with Larry Clinton and his band...
) is Arthur Carlson's ruthless, domineering mother and the owner of WKRP. An extremely successful and rich businesswoman, her only regret is that her approach to parenting (the "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger" school of child-rearing) backfired; her son ended up indecisive, weak-willed and afraid of her. She makes her debut in the new series after the series of events that led to the firing of Donovan's predecessor, where she tells Arthur that she has agreed to sell the station to a new owner. Carlson foils her attempt to sell the station with his former receptionist Jennifer's help.
Critical reception
Several critics of the show railed against the thought of continuing the original series, and it premiered to a mix of positive and negative reviews. Among the negative reviews from broadcast professionals was the charge that the station, broadcasting on the AMAM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
band, was still playing Rock 'n Roll music in the early 1990s, long after FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
was established as the industry's leading band.
The series, contrary to the belief of some, was not canceled due to large monetary losses. Despite the challenges of syndication, which included varying airtimes (sometimes late at night) in various markets, the series was able to operate in the black, but not producing a profit substantial enough to investors backing it financially.