WKRP Quote of the Day

[jon]

The part of WKRP Program Director Andy Travis was not cast until two days before rehearsals for the pilot began. It was actually Mary Tyler Moore herself who was the first to say that Gary Sandy was "the fellow we've been looking for".

There had been several problems. First, they had to find a straight character who could interact with the rest of the "zanies" that populated WKRP. The Andy Travis role was known as "The Main Driver of the Car". The second problem was that the seven person casting group narrowed it down to seven actors, but they each picked a different actor.

Gary came extremely close to being a Sportscaster instead of an Actor. He lost a college scholarship by a technicality that kept him out of the finals of a debate competition. Gary had made it all the way to the semi-finals held at Ohio State University.

His speech teacher reacted quickly by making a last minute switch, entering Gary in the one-act play competition. He won a championship in drama and was named All-State actor. Even after three years of Hugh Heiland's Theatre program at Wilmington College, he enrolled in an Atlanta broadcasting school, rather than going to New York as Heiland advised to pursue acting. Gary's father had his heart set on his son being a sportscaster, but, in Atlanta, Gary quickly proved that his heart wasn't in it. He then went to New York to study at the Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Despite his several forays into prep for Sportcasting, Gary had the credentials for the WKRP job. Not only did he know how to act, but also had a keen comedic sense. As an added bonus, he was brought up in Kettering, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio.

[jon]

"That's a Wrap" sounds like a pleasant mix of "The Turkey Drop" episode, with the infamous "Wrap up the Chicken" line from the earliest Chickenman episodes. The words were uttered by Dick Orkin as he found himself making a choice between a "cuddly bunny rabbit" costume, and the Chicken.

I've exhausted the obvious material from the out of print WKRP book that I was reading. Enjoy your weekend! On this side of the Rockies, it looks like Winter may finally be over. And every DJ in town with 45+ demographics is talking about golfing this weekend.

[jon]

Perhaps I should start a new thread for this, but: What's your favourite "Johnny Fever" name?

Mine is: Heavy Early. As I recall (without checking), he used it while he was doing all nights on WKRP.

[jon]

From new WKRP interviews just released yesterday about the "Turkey Drop" episode, comes this previously unknown fact from series creator Hugh Wilson: he credits the (success of the) Turkey Drop episode for saving the show. CBS was looking seriously at cancelling the show until that episode aired and the ratings come in.

ref. - http://classictvhistory.wordpress.com/2 ... l-history/

[hagopian]

I actually bought the episode on Itunes. It is still funny after all these years.
Nice time capsule for jocks, too

[jon]

Not sure if it is on iTunes, but the relatively recent release of Season One of WKRP on DVD, also includes an alternate voice track for the episode, which is the commentary referred to in the link I listed above. It features Hugh Wilson (series creator), Loni Anderson (Jennifer), and Frank Bonner (Herb). And does not restrict its discussion to the Turkeys Away episode.

[hagopian]

The episode is on Itunes - BTW.