<Tr> <Th> Occupation </Th> <Td> General Manager of WKRP </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Nationality </Th> <Td> American </Td> </Tr> <P> Arthur Carlson, aka "The Big Guy" is a fictional character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati (1978--82), the general manager of the low - rated Cincinnati radio station WKRP . The character was also a regular on the "revival" series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1991--93), still working as general manager of WKRP . He was played by Gordon Jump in both shows . </P> <P> Mr. Carlson is a well - meaning, bumbling, childlike man who is completely out of touch with the changes that have occurred in the radio and music business . He keeps his job as general manager of WKRP only because his mother, Lillian Carlson, better known as "Mama Carlson", owns the station . Unbeknownst to him, his mother has set up WKRP as a tax write - off that is intended to lose money, and she keeps him at the station not because she wants him to succeed but because she expects him to fail . </P>

Who played mr. carlson on wkrp in cincinnati