The New WKRP in Cincinnati - Main Characters

Main Characters

• Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump), occasionally called the "Big Guy," is the middle-aged general manager, whose main qualification for the job is that his business tycoon mother is the owner. His bumbling, indecisive management is one of the main reasons the station is unprofitable, although he is a decent man and something of a father-figure to his employees.
• Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner), the boorish, tasteless advertising sales manager, wears loud plaid suits, with his belt matching his white shoes. Though he can't land the big accounts, he displays a remarkable talent of collecting from deadbeat clients. While Herb is portrayed as buffoonish most of the time, he does occasionally show a sympathetic side, particularly towards Art Jr., whom he feels he needs to protect though there's no love lost between the two. Tarlek was based on radio executive Clark Brown.
• Arthur Carlson Jr. (Lightfield Lewis), the rookie advertising executive, groomed to one day take over the management of WKRP after his father retires. Pompous and arrogant (but angelic in his father's presence), he's much like Herb, but lacks Herb's experience when it comes to dealing with potential problem clients, proving himself to be no more competent. His own personality is the complete opposite of his father's: where his father is passive but will stand up for himself and others when pushed, Art Jr. is aggressive but quickly backs down when confronted.
• Les Nessman (Richard Sanders), the fastidious, bow-tied news reporter, approaches his job with absurd seriousness, despite being almost totally incompetent. For instance, he mispronounces golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez's name as "Chy Chy Rod-ri-gweeze". Les is forever trying to win the fictitious Ohio radio news trophy, the "Buckeye Newshawk Award" (though he has already won five times), as well as the "coveted Silver Sow Award" for excellence in farm news, particularly hog reports. He is best friends with fellow employee Herb Tarlek. To protest not having an office of his own, he has marked where walls would be with tape on the floor around his desk, and mimics opening a door whenever he enters or leaves. Mr. Carlson and Herb humor him by "knocking" (clicking their heels together while making a knocking motion with their hands) before entering.
• Donovan Aderhold (Mykelti Williamson), the station's new program director. He arrives at WKRP after the former program director, Steve "The Savage" DeMarco, is fired (after saying on the air "something you can't say on the air"). Aderhold fills the same position held by Andy Travis, who had left the station at the end of the original series; he has also worked with former WKRP morning DJ Dr. Johnny Fever at a radio station in Pittsburgh.
• Mona Loveland (Tawny Kitaen), the station's new nighttime DJ, hired by Aderhold. Beautiful and talented, Mona is also exceptionally intelligent, much like Jennifer Marlowe in the original series. Her dilemma is that though she longs for male companionship, she enjoys her freedom and dedication to her career. Like Jennifer was with Herb, she finds herself constantly rebuffing advances from Art Jr.
• Buddy Dornster (John Chappell), the station's hopelessly lazy chief engineer. He is the brother of Bucky Dornster, who held the same job on the original WKRP and was played twice (on "Holdup" and "Baseball") by series head writer Bill Dial, who reprised the role once in a cameo on the revival. Buddy has served alongside Carlson in the Korean War, and has some shell-shock tendencies, such as diving for cover suddenly when Jack Allen yells "Incoming!" in his direction. John Chappell appeared as Reverend Drinkwater in the "Preacher" episode of the original WKRP.
• Claire Hartline (Hope Alexander-Willis), the station's traffic and continuity director. Unlike her predecessor, Bailey Quarters, Claire's role is that of her job title, unlike Bailey's eventually expanded role as midday and afternoon news anchor and part-time field reporter. Claire is often sarcastic (like the Bailey character evolved into later in the original series), but kind and levelheaded, one of the few competent employees at the station.
• Ronnie Lee (Wendy Davis), the station's attractive receptionist. She finds a kindred spirit in Donovan, as they are the only two black employees at the station. Though Herb for the most part leaves her alone, she often finds herself rebuffing his advances.
• Jack Allen (Michael Des Barres), half of the station's "Burns and Allen"-style morning show with Dana Burns. Their on-air chemistry is similar to George Burns and Gracie Allen, but both are at each other's throats off the air, largely due to their impending divorce. Despite their constant bickering, both know that outside of their morning show together, neither has much of a future in the radio business. They are replaced by Razor Dee in the final season of the series.
• Dana Burns (Kathleen Garrett), half of the station's "Burns and Allen"-style morning show with Jack Allen.
• Mrs. Carlson (Carol Bruce) is Arthur Carlson's ruthless, domineering mother and the owner of WKRP. An extremely successful and rich businesswoman, her only regret is that her approach to parenting (the "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger" school of child-rearing) backfired; her son ended up indecisive, weak-willed and afraid of her. She makes her debut in the new series after the series of events that led to the firing of Donovan's predecessor, where she tells Arthur that she has agreed to sell the station to a new owner. Carlson foils her attempt to sell the station with the help of his former receptionist Jennifer, and former DJ Johnny Fever.