# Gordon Jump has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248 "2003-09-23T04:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/1 "2003-09-23T04:15:57Z")
[Link](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=529&e=2&u=/ap/20030923/ap_en_ce/obit_jump) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/2 "2003-09-23T04:22:12Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/3 "2003-09-23T04:22:29Z")
Damn. He was a sweetie. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/4 "2003-09-23T04:55:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/5 "2003-09-23T04:58:31Z")
As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/6 "2003-09-23T07:18:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![MrSarcasticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MrSarcasticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSarcasticus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/7 "2003-09-23T07:27:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/8 "2003-09-23T11:52:45Z")
Bummer. Funny man. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/9 "2003-09-23T12:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. That was Gordon Jump? I thought “Les Nesman” said that. Well, it’s been a while. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/10 "2003-09-23T12:10:03Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/11 "2003-09-23T13:09:25Z")
Aw, whatta shame. Good, reliable character actor. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/12 "2003-09-23T13:17:01Z")
Rest in peace, Big Guy. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/13 "2003-09-23T13:23:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/14 "2003-09-23T13:36:49Z")
First Jack Tripper, and now the Big Guy. We are running out of childhood heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/15 "2003-09-23T15:09:27Z")
I’m sure Dudley’s relieved. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/16 "2003-09-23T15:19:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by widdershins \* > **And we have to find another new Maytag Repair Man.** 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. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/17 "2003-09-23T15:31:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/18 "2003-09-23T15:41:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FriarTed \* > \*\*I’m sure “as God is my witness…” was said by Les Nessman (Richard Sanders). > \*\* 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” ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/19 "2003-09-23T15:47:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FriarTed \* > \*\*I’m sure “as God is my witness…” was said by Les Nessman (Richard Sanders). \*\* > [@](#): > > [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077097/quotes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077097/quotes) > > Memorable Quotes from “WKRP in Cincinnati” (1978) > > [Arthur ‘Big Guy’ Carlson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432410/): As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. > [@](#): > > [http://radio.about.com/library/weekly/aa112002a.htm](http://radio.about.com/library/weekly/aa112002a.htm) > > “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!” > – Arthur Carlson, WKRP in Cincinnati > > The above quote is from the famous “WKRP in Cincinnati” episode where Station Manager, Arthur Carlson (played by Gordon Jump), arranged to have live turkeys dropped from a helicopter as an advertising stunt. > > The TV “Drop” > > Unfortunately, this turned out to be a serious miscalculation. The poor birds plunged to earth, never even having a chance. Their tragic “last flight” was relayed to WKRP listeners by reporter Les Nessman, played by Richard Sanders: > > “It’s a helicopter, and it’s coming this way. It’s flying something behind it, I can’t quite make it out, it’s a large banner and it says, uh - Happy… Thaaaaanksss… giving! … From … W … K … R… P!! No parachutes yet. Can’t be skydivers… I can’t tell just yet what they are, but - Oh my God, Johnny, they’re turkeys!! Johnny, can you get this? Oh, they’re plunging to the earth right in front of our eyes! One just went through the windshield of a parked car! Oh, the humanity! The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! Not since the Hindenberg tragedy has there been anything like this!” Rest in peace, “Big Guy”. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248/20 "2003-09-23T16:03:40Z")
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 . . .) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gordon-jump-has-died/203248.md?page=2)