Man, it’s getting to where I look at Yahoo news and wonder who will be next.
I’ll always remember him for one line: “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”
So long Gordon. You will be missed.
As someone who’s worked off and on in radio for 35 years, I have to say we’ll very much miss the man Herb Tarlick called “the big guy.” Ah, WKRP…
Damn. He was a sweetie.
My favorite Mr. Carlson moment is when he pours cocaine on his foot and then begins hitting it with his shoe saying, “There’s a monkey on my foot!”
He was an obviously talented actor, and it’s a shame he was never able to escape the shadow of WKRP and have a better career.
As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.
And we have to find another new Maytag Repair Man.
A very likable actor, who was a big part of one of my all-time favorite series.
Although, when your most memorable acting scene ever involves trying to molest Gary Coleman…
Actually, that will live in my mind forever. I can’t make fun now. He is immortal.
Bummer. Funny man.
That was Gordon Jump? I thought “Les Nesman” said that. Well, it’s been a while.
I remember that episode of “Different Strokes.” He played it just right.
Another loss. And the TV Memorial issue for 2003 is going to be very thick.
Aw, whatta shame. Good, reliable character actor.
Rest in peace, Big Guy.
No, Johnny, Les’ line was “The turkeys are hitting the parking lot like sacks of wet cement! Oh the humanity!”.
Ah, 'tis sad the Big Guy’s gone.
First Jack Tripper, and now the Big Guy. We are running out of childhood heroes.
I’m sure Dudley’s relieved.
Maytag recently announced a new Ol’ Lonely. His name is Hardy Rawls, and he appears to be a character actor. Probably biggest role: the father on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete and Pete. And of course, the repairman does have an assistant now.
I’m sure “as God is my witness…” was said by Les Nessman (Richard Sanders).
But “there’s a monkey on my foot” was classic Gordon Jump.
Ironically, the last time I saw him was two weeks ago on a GROWING PAINS rerun in which he was Maggie’s father who had just died & was watching his wife & the family prepare to move her out of their house.
Incorrect. If you remember the episode, it was Mr. Carlson (Jump) who arranged the promotional. Les was simply there to report on it (while Johnny hung out at the record store promotional event nobody was attending). It would have made no sense for Nessman to make the statement as he was simply reporting the scene, he did not set it up.
“I believe a name says a lot about a man, what’s yours?”
“Les… Les Nessman”
Rest in peace, “Big Guy”.
I think of Mr. Carlson every time I watch the wild turkeys fly across our back field . . . they can indeed fly, but not from 3,000 feet! 
Thanks for the laughs, Big Guy!
(FYI, TV Land has been showing WKRP on Friday and Saturday mights at 11:30 Central Time. Good stuff, although I sure wish they still had the licensing for the music . . .)