CNN refered to him in its headline with WKRP and as the Maytag Repairman. It's odd to me, though I guess true, that there are people who would know him only as the Maytag Repairman.
I'm torn between laughing hysterically at the quote (damn, I can hear him saying it) and being sad. So I'm sad and laughing - which is probably appropriate.
Ya'll - he was also Maggie Seaver's dad on Growing Pains. I shouldn't know that...
Mr. Carlson was in one sense a commonplace - the lovable but incompetent midlevel boss, but he was also a rarity for television. The character was a man of deep and abiding faith and absolute integrity. He didn't understand his business well, and he certainly didn't understand his younger employees, but he cared for them and fought for them against his mother, against military courts, against the cold realities of radio.
And in return, they gave him their love and their loyalty, and their protection as much as they could.
This was, in large part, the brilliance of WKRP - they busted stereotypes right and left and created memorable and wonderful characters. But this was also due to the actor who brought a surprisingly complex character to live.
I think my favorite Mr. C moment in the entire series was in the ep where the preacher got Mr. C to stop WKRP from playing "obscene" songs. Then, at Andy's request, Mr. C read Dr. Bob the lyrics to John Lennon's "Imagine", and when Dr. Bob declared it verboten because it was contrary to his own religious beliefs, Mr. C suddenly saw the light, realized Dr. Bob's crusade was really and truly about censorship, just as Andy had said, and showed him the door. ::sniff:: I loved him so much at that moment.
I firmly believe that the turkey drop episode of WKRP will go down in history as one of the funniest things ever recorded in the medium of television. I still chuckle just thinking about it and I haven't seen it in more than a decade.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2003-09-23 07:44 am (UTC)I just saw that. How sad.
CNN refered to him in its headline with WKRP and as the Maytag Repairman. It's odd to me, though I guess true, that there are people who would know him only as the Maytag Repairman.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 08:12 am (UTC)Ya'll - he was also Maggie Seaver's dad on Growing Pains. I shouldn't know that...
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 08:52 am (UTC)Mr. Carlson was in one sense a commonplace - the lovable but incompetent midlevel boss, but he was also a rarity for television. The character was a man of deep and abiding faith and absolute integrity. He didn't understand his business well, and he certainly didn't understand his younger employees, but he cared for them and fought for them against his mother, against military courts, against the cold realities of radio.
And in return, they gave him their love and their loyalty, and their protection as much as they could.
This was, in large part, the brilliance of WKRP - they busted stereotypes right and left and created memorable and wonderful characters. But this was also due to the actor who brought a surprisingly complex character to live.
Rest in Peace, Gordon Jump.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 11:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 12:24 pm (UTC)They were the slashiest het couple *ever*.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 03:02 pm (UTC)I think my favorite Mr. C moment in the entire series was in the ep where the preacher got Mr. C to stop WKRP from playing "obscene" songs. Then, at Andy's request, Mr. C read Dr. Bob the lyrics to John Lennon's "Imagine", and when Dr. Bob declared it verboten because it was contrary to his own religious beliefs, Mr. C suddenly saw the light, realized Dr. Bob's crusade was really and truly about censorship, just as Andy had said, and showed him the door. ::sniff:: I loved him so much at that moment.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 10:18 am (UTC)Thanks for sharing the news...
no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 10:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-23 08:44 pm (UTC)Ah. . .the good ones seem to be going lately.
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