<P> Being generally a straightforward, uncomplicated kind of person, Mr. Carlson sometimes acts as a father figure to members of his staff . By using a low - key, friendly approach, he helps Herb face up to his alcoholism problems, and in the episode "Who is Gordon Sims", he assists Venus in coming to terms with his past as an Army deserter (albeit with mixed feelings, as Mr. Carlson himself had served in the Marine Corps and is initially very taken aback at hearing of Venus' desertion). </P> <P> Although genial and rather bumbling, Mr. Carlson does display a quick wit at times . In the episode "Changes", after overhearing Venus and Johnny Fever discuss Venus' racial identity concerns in the station's record library, Mr. Carlson offers some advice to Venus . When Johnny then asks him what he was doing hanging out in the record library in the first place, Carlson replies, deadpan, that he was "looking for old Guy Lombardo records and smoking dope ." </P> <P> Arthur Carlson comes from a successful family of Cincinnati business people . Arthur's grandfather, who is seen in one episode in a dream (also played by Gordon Jump), was a miserly businessman who built up Carlson Industries . He left it to Arthur's father, Hank, a sweet - natured man who was more interested in having a good time than running the business . Hank married Lillian, a former actress in Broadway musicals, who soon proved to have a talent for business and took the family business more seriously than Hank did . Eventually Lillian took over the corporation entirely, and Hank died soon after . Because his father died when he was very young, Arthur Carlson was raised mostly by his mother and by her sarcastic butler, Hirsch (Ian Wolfe). Mr. Carlson served in the Marine Corps as an officer, presumably during the Korean War, however, this is never explicitly stated; he also makes reference to being at Guadalcanal, as well as learning some Japanese, which may be a vague indication that he served during World War II instead . He is explicitly referenced as being 48 in an episode aired in 1979, giving him a birth year of 1931 (or possibly 1930) making Korea a much more likely . At some point he saw combat, a fact he confirmed to Venus Flytrap . </P> <P> Mama Carlson has never shown Arthur any open signs of affection, and constantly puts him down: when he tries to hug her, she pushes him aside and says "keep away from me!" She admits to Andy Travis that she "pushed and bullied" her son this way because she was trying to make him tough and self - sufficient, like her; instead, by her own admission, the tactic backfired, making him even more weak - willed than his father . </P>

Who played arthur carlson jr on wkrp in cincinnati