<Li> Andy Travis (Gary Sandy). For the most part, program director Andy Travis serves as the straight man for the eccentric staff of the station he has been hired to run . Before coming to WKRP, he had an unblemished record of turning around failing radio stations, but meets his match in his wacky staff members, of whom he becomes distressingly fond . The show's opening theme song is about Andy and his decision to settle down in Cincinnati . In the episode "The Creation of Venus," Andy echoes the opening theme lyrics in talking about his past ("Got kinda tired of packing and unpacking, town to town, up and down the dial"). </Li> <Li> Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump), occasionally called the "Big Guy", is the middle - aged general manager, whose main qualification for the job is that his mother, a business tycoon, is the station's owner . His bumbling, indecisive management style is one of the main reasons the station is unprofitable, although he is a principled, kind, decent and sometimes surprisingly wise man . It is revealed in at least two episodes Carlson was an officer in the United States Marine Corps during WWII, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater . Despite this, Carlson is deathly afraid of his strong - willed mother . Mr. Carlson has far more interest in fishing than he does in the radio station, often trying to prevent people from coming to see him about business . (Coincidentally, Gordon Jump in real life had been a Dayton, Ohio, radio personality .) </Li> <Li> Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman) is a burned - out veteran disc jockey from Los Angeles who came to WKRP after being fired from a major station there when he said "booger" on the air . After WKRP changes its format, one of Fever's first on - air words (after being told by Travis "you can even say' booger' if you want to") is "booger ." Cynical and neurotic, and an occasional insomniac who consumes large amounts of coffee, Fever is usually in one sort of trouble or another . Though the character's real name is John Caravella, Fever occasionally uses other air names, notably Johnny Cool, Johnny Duke, Johnny Style, Johnny Midnight, Johnny Sunshine, Professor Sunshine, Rip Tide and Heavy Early . This role is possibly Howard Hesseman's signature role as an actor (as he had been a disc jockey for a brief time). </Li> <Li> Les Nessman (Richard Sanders), the fastidious, bow - tied news reporter, approaches his job with absurd seriousness, despite being almost totally incompetent (a fact to which he is completely oblivious). For instance, he mispronounces golfer Chi - Chi Rodríguez's name as "Chy Chy Rod - ri - gweeze". His best friend is fellow employee Herb Tarlek, whom Mr. Carlson occasionally addresses as "Little Guy ." As a running gag, Nessman wears a bandage in a different spot each episode . It is suggested these bandages are the result of repeated attacks by Phil, Nessman's monstrous dog (who is never seen but is heard growling in another room in Nessman's apartment). During taping of the pilot, Richard Sanders bumped his head on a studio light and had to wear a bandage to cover the cut . From then on, Sanders decided the character would always wear a bandage . Other gags are Nessman's winning the "Silver Sow" award for hog reporting, and putting yellow lines on the floor around his desk which represent the "walls" of his non-existent office . Johnny Fever ribs him with wordplay by describing WKRP on the air as "the station with more music and Les Nessman ." </Li>

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