<P> The station's new program director, Andy Travis, tries to turn around struggling radio station WKRP by switching its format from dated easy listening music to rock and roll, despite the well - meaning efforts of the mostly incompetent staff: bumbling station manager Arthur Carlson, greasy sales manager Herb Tarlek, and clueless news director Les Nessman . To help bolster ratings, Travis hires a new disc jockey, New Orleans native Gordon Sims (who takes on the on - air persona of Venus Flytrap); and allows spaced - out former major market DJ Dr. Johnny Fever, already doing mornings in the easy listening format as John Caravella, to be himself . Rounding out the cast are super receptionist Jennifer Marlowe and enthusiastic junior employee Bailey Quarters . Lurking in the background and making an occasional appearance is ruthless business tycoon Lillian Carlson, the station's owner and the mother of Arthur Carlson . </P> <Ul> <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 reluctantly fond . The show's opening theme song is about Andy and his decision to settle down in Cincinnati . In the season 4 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"). Andy usually wears very tight jeans, something to which Jennifer Marlowe alludes, much to Andy's surprise, in the season 2 episode "Most Improved Station". </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 . Mama Carlson adopted strict methods in raising him, in the mistaken belief that it would make him strong . Instead, it made him weak, and his bumbling, indecisive management style is one of the main reasons the station is unprofitable . Despite this, he is a principled, kind, decent and sometimes surprisingly wise man . Mr. Carlson has far more interest in fishing than he does in the radio station, often avoiding people who want to see him about business . </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 from Beautiful Music to Rock, Johnny is initially uncertain he can handle the format, but when Andy gives him permission to say "booger" on the air, Johnny is empowered and quickly adapts to the format, triumphantly saying on the air, "...I almost forgot, fellow babies: BOOGER!". in the season 4 episode "Three Days of the Condo", always broke Johnny surprisingly receives a $24,000 out - of - court settlement from that Los Angeles radio station for wrongful dismissal . Cynical and neurotic, and an occasional insomniac who consumes large amounts of coffee, Johnny is usually in one sort of trouble or another . He has no money sense, with many of those problems due to his debt load . His real name is John R. Caravella, but Fever has used other monikers on the air, mostly to conform to whatever station format he found himself in; most of these nicknames are printed on his custom - made coffee cup that he keeps at the station . </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 . The two of them refer to themselves and Mr. Carlson as "the suits" compared to "the dungarees" (as Andy and Johnny consistently wear jeans at the station). 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 fixation on anything associated with agriculture, especially hogs, as news (he is described as winning several "Buckeye Newshawk" awards for reporting on tap - root vegetable production in the tri-state area and northern West Virginia, with his most prized award, the coveted "Silver Sow", specifically for hog reporting), and putting masking tape on the floor around his desk which represent the non-existent "walls" of his office . Johnny Fever ribs him with wordplay by describing WKRP on the air as "the station with more music and Less Nessman ." </Li> <Li> Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) (full name Jennifer Elizabeth Marlowe) is the station's receptionist and highest - paid employee . Despite people's assumptions she is merely "eye candy" for the station, Jennifer is informed, wise, and able to handle practically any situation, no matter how absurd, with aplomb . She herself sees her main job responsibility as deflecting any business calls (in person or over the telephone) for Mr. Carlson, who she often says is dead when people ask for him . Although very aware of her sex appeal, with various wealthy, powerful men at her beck and call, she is friendly and good - hearted with the station staff . She is very strict about the limits of her job duties: she does not type letters (though she is in fact an expert typist), and neither makes coffee nor brings any to the office staff . </Li> <Li> Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner) is the boorish, tasteless and vain sales manager at WKRP, who is sometimes referred to as "Little Guy" to Mr. Carlson's "Big Guy". He often wears loud plaid suits, with his belt matching his white shoes . He is unable to land the big accounts, but is effective in selling air time for products such as "Red Wigglers--the Cadillac of worms!" Although a married man with children, he persistently pursues Jennifer, who has absolutely no interest in him . While Herb is portrayed as buffoonish most of the time, he occasionally shows a sympathetic side . One of Herb's catch phrases is "no problemo". Herb is based on radio executive Clarke Brown . Bert Parks appears in one episode as Tarlek's father, Herb Tarlek, Sr . The elder Tarlek is very much like his son . </Li> <Li> Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid), the soulful, funky evening DJ, runs his show with a smooth - talking persona and mood lighting in the studio . His real name, Gordon Sims, is almost never used, and he maintains an aura of mystery . In an early episode, it is revealed that Gordon Sims is a Vietnam veteran who is wanted for desertion by the US Army . In later episodes, his backstory is elaborated upon and it is revealed that after deserting, he spent several years as a high - school teacher in New Orleans while working part - time as a radio personality . In spite of the fact that he is a nighttime DJ and Johnny Fever works the early morning shift, the two are often seen together and become good friends as the series progresses, with Venus taking the job in part due to his admiration for Johnny as a DJ . </Li> <Li> Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers), the young ingénue of the radio station, is originally in charge of billing and station traffic . However, having graduated from journalism school with some training in editing, and intent on becoming a broadcast executive, she is later given additional duties as an on - air news reporter, in which she proves more capable than Les Nessman . As the series progresses, she overcomes her shyness and develops her self - confidence . Beginning with the second season two - part episode "For Love or Money", she occasionally becomes linked romantically with Johnny Fever . The dynamic between Jennifer and Bailey has been likened to that between Ginger and Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island . Jan Smithers was one of two WKRP cast members who was the first choice for the role she played, Gordon Jump being the other . Creator Hugh Wilson said that despite Smithers' lack of experience (she had never done a situation comedy before), she was perfect for the character of Bailey as he had conceived her: "Other actresses read better for the part," Wilson recalled, "but they were playing shy . Jan was shy ." </Li> </Ul> <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 reluctantly fond . The show's opening theme song is about Andy and his decision to settle down in Cincinnati . In the season 4 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"). Andy usually wears very tight jeans, something to which Jennifer Marlowe alludes, much to Andy's surprise, in the season 2 episode "Most Improved Station". </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 . Mama Carlson adopted strict methods in raising him, in the mistaken belief that it would make him strong . Instead, it made him weak, and his bumbling, indecisive management style is one of the main reasons the station is unprofitable . Despite this, he is a principled, kind, decent and sometimes surprisingly wise man . Mr. Carlson has far more interest in fishing than he does in the radio station, often avoiding people who want to see him about business . </Li>

Who played mrs. carlson on wkrp in cincinnati