Gordon Jump

Alexander Gordon Jump (April 1, 1932 – September 22, 2003) was an American actor best known for playing Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the series WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982); he reprised the role in its spinoff The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1991–1993). He also played Chief Tinkler in the sitcom Soap (1977–1978) and Mr. Horton on a two-part episode of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1983). He appeared in Maytag commercials as the "Maytag repairman" from 1989 until he retired in 2003.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Early life

Born Alexander Gordon Jump, Jump was raised in Centerville, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Centerville High School and enrolled in Otterbein College. After his first year, he transferred to Kansas State University studying broadcasting and communication; he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He got his first television job with WIBW-TV in Topeka. He dabbled in "writing, producing, and directing" while at the station.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Jump was the title character in WIBW's "WIB the Clown", an educational children's program. He reported the weather on the channel and was not always able to get his clown makeup off in time.

In September 1961, he returned to Dayton and joined WLWD as the station's director of special broadcast services.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He continued as a producer and on-air personality at WLWD, hosting Gordon JumpTemplate:'s Fun Time, a popular show for younger children,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and High Time, a variety series,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> before moving to Los Angeles in 1963 to pursue acting.<ref name=":2" />Template:Rp Later in his life, Jump converted and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp

Career

Jump's acting career began when he was 32. Jump participated in a theatre production at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale, California, where he was noticed and offered an agent.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp The theatre was owned by Nathan and Ruth Hale, who were members of the LDS Church. It was there that Jump first learned about the LDS Church.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="meridian obituary">Template:Cite news</ref>

Jump's first break on television was his guest role as Marcus Clements in CBS's Daniel Boone,<ref name=":2" />Template:Rp where he had eight lines.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp During the 1960s, he landed minor roles in television on such shows as Get Smart,<ref name=":3"/> Lancer,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Here Come the Brides,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and Green Acres.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="actors credits">Template:Cite book</ref>

In the 1960s, Jump converted to the LDS Church. He acted in several church-produced instructional and educational productions, including When Thou Art Converted (1967), Pioneers In Petticoats (1969),<ref name="meridian obituary" /> and What About Thad? (1970),.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1967, he played the role of Lehi in the Burbank pageant People of the Book.<ref>"People of the [Other] Book" by Michael Hicks. Spencer Kimball's Record Collection: Essays on Mormon Music. Signature Books. 2020. 9781560852865.</ref> He appeared as Peter, the apostle, in a 1969 film which was used in some of the church's temple ceremonies.<ref name=":4" /> He also acted in The Singles Ward in 2002, a LDS comedy series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He and Robert Starling, an independent filmmaker, began Associated Latter-day Media Artists.<ref name="meridian obituary" />

Jump's first recurring role came in 1977, as Chief of Police Tinkler in Soap.<ref name=":2" />Template:Rp<ref name=":3" /> In 1978, he landed his signature role of Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson on the situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, portraying a bumbling radio station manager.<ref name=":2"/>Template:Rp Jump stated that the character of Arthur Carlson was based on a real-world WQXI executive.<ref name=":2"/>Template:Rp

After WKRP in Cincinnati was cancelled in 1982, Jump made appearances on many other shows.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> These appearances include The Love Boat, Night Court, The Golden Girls, Murder, She Wrote, and Who's the Boss?. He had a recurring role as Maggie Seaver's father on Growing Pains.

On a two part episode of Diff'rent Strokes, titled "The Bicycle Man". He played Mr. Horton, the owner of a bicycle shop who attempts to molest series protagonist Arnold Jackson and his friend, Dudley.<ref name=":1" /> While his Los Angeles Times obituary called this role a "daring career turn",<ref name=":1" /> Genevieve Koski at the AV Club's roundtable found the laugh track that played during the scene in which the boys see nude photographs "horrifying".<ref name="av round">Template:Cite news</ref> Koski's fellow roundtable member Donna Bowman disagreed, stating that the special humanized the situation.<ref name="av round" />

In 1989, Jump took over the Maytag repairman role from Jesse White. In the 1990s, Jump starred in a short-lived revival of WKRP in Cincinnati<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> entitled The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He appeared in the ninth and final season of Seinfeld, in which he played George Costanza's boss at a playground equipment company over two episodes. His last movie role was in the 2004 film Changing of the Guard, released after his death.

Inspiration and Spirituality

Jump believed the film and television industry to be "the most powerful tool" that can "communicate" and "give... a positive outlook of life to many people."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite archive</ref>Template:Rp According to his personal religious faith, he also believed theatre and television had the ability to uplift and edify individuals and felt that God uses a similar medium to guide his children.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp

When scripts required Jump to act in ways that went against his religious convictions, he said that his acting required the same "honesty and judiciousness" as the rest of his life.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp He portrayed the fictional character as accurately as possible to deliver an honest representation of the story to his audience. He warned against portraying all theatrical characters like "missionaries", and instead encouraged actors to "stay true to their craft", through which their inner virtue would shine through.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp Additionally, Jump did not believe in censorship, claiming that "if you teach people correct principles, they can govern themselves", which is a paraphrase of a teaching by Joseph Smith.<ref name=":2" />Template:Rp<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

When Jump was offered the role of Chief Tinkler in Soap, he and the LDS Church bishop of his church were wary that the content of the program was contrary to his faith. Jump returned to the producers the next day with the intention of refusing the role. The directors heard his concerns and suggested that the underlying messages of the show were more aligned to his beliefs as a Latter-day Saint than he realized; he was encouraged to read the "retribution scenes" in the script. Impressed by the depth of the lessons told through humor,<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp Jump took the role in Soap and recommended that viewers of faith evaluate the lessons taught by the finished artistic product of a film or show rather than evaluate whether an actor would actually do some of the things which they portray on screen.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp

Death

Jump died on September 22, 2003, from pulmonary fibrosis that led to respiratory failure at his home near Los Angeles. He is interred at the El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest, California.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Citation
1965	Marriage- What Kind For You?	Business Man at the New Years party	LDS Church film	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
1967	When Thou Art Converted	Typewriter Boss and Elders Quorum President		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1969	Pioneers In Petticoats			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	What About Thad?	Bishop in the LDS Church		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Flareup	Security Guard		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple Film	The Apostle Peter		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1970	Ransom Money			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1972	Conquest of the Planet of the Apes	Auctioneer		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Trouble Man	Salter		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Rolling Man			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
1975	A Cry For Help	Lloyd Hogan		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1976	Sybil			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1977	Skateboard	Harris		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1978	Ruby and Oswald			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Guilty		LDS Church film.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	The Fury	Nuckells		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	House Calls	Dr. O'Brien		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	The Small One	Joseph	Voice, Short animated film	citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
1979	Goldie and the Boxer	Alex		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Evidence of Power	Dr. Lawson		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1980	Mr. Krueger's Christmas	Narrator	LDS Church film	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1981	Midnight Offerings			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
1982	For Lovers Only	Harvey Pugh		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Families are Forever		LDS church film	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1984	Making the Grade	Mr. Harriman		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1985	Darlin' Clementine			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987	Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
	On Fire			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
1988	Moving	Simon Eberhart		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Justin Case	Sheldon Wannamaker		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="actors credits"/>
1990	Honeymoon Academy	Mr. Nelson	Alternative title: For Better or For Worse	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994	Bitter Vengeance	Arnold Fulmer		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	A Dog's Tale	Professor Thadeus A. Widstone		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2002	The Singles Ward	An Airline Passenger		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Dismembered			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Citation
1965	Daniel Boone	Marcus Clements	1 episode	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1966	Get Smart	Hobson	2 episodes "Casablanca" "Maxwell Smart, Private Eye"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1967	T.H.E. Cat		1 episode
1968	Green Acres	Surveyor	1 episode: "How to Get from Hooterville to Pixley Without Moving".	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Lancer		1 episode "The Homecoming"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1970	Mannix	Charlie	1 episode "Once upon a Saturday"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1970–1974	The Partridge Family	Man #2 / Zack Feldman / Father	7 episodes	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1970	The Brady Bunch	Mechanic / Collins	2 episodes	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Young Rebels		1 episode "The Hostages"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1970–1973	Love, American Style			<ref name=":3"/>
1971	The Doris Day Show	Mr. Robinson	1 episode	<ref name=":3"/>
	Bewitched		2 episodes "The Return of Darrin the Bold" "Money Happy Returns"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Cade's County		1 episode "Violent Echo"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1971-1974	Partridge Family		4 episodes "The Strike-Out King (1973)" "Art For Mom's Sake (1974)"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1971-1973	Love, American Style		2 episodes "Love and the Bowling Ball (1971)" "Love and the Suspicious Husband (1973)"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	The New Dick Van Dyke Show		1 episode	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1972–1973	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Hank Morton / Judy's Father	2 episodes "The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter (1972)"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1973	A Touch of Grace	Greenwald	1 episode	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Paul Lynde Show	Larry	1 episode "The Congressman's Son"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1974	Chase		1 episode "$35 Will Fly You to the Moon"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Kojak	Jonas	1 episode "Slay Ride"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Apple's Way			<ref name=":3"/>
	McCloud			<ref name=":3"/>
	Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers	Mr. Mead	1 episode	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Girl With Something Extra		1 episode "Guess Who's Feeding the Pigeons?"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1975-1976	The Rockford Files	Freddie	2 episodes "Just By Accident (1975)" "A Bad Deal in the Valley (1976)"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1974–1975	That's My Mama	Officer O'Reilley	3 episodes "The Last Haircut (1974)"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1975	Harry O		2 episodes "Anatomy of a Frame" & "Lester II"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Police Woman		1 episode "No Place to Hide"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Starsky and Hutch			<ref name=":3"/>
	The Streets of San Francisco	Sergeant Lacy	1 episode
	Switch		1 episode "Stung From Behind"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	ABC Afterschool Special		1 episode "Fawn Story"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Lost Saucer	The Mayor	1 episode "The Tiny Years"
1976	The Bionic Woman	Charles Butler	1 episode "Welcome Home, Jaime"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	McMillan & Wife			<ref name=":3"/>
	Rich Man, Poor Man	Dr. Simms	1 episode
	Alice	Sheriff McElroy	1 episode	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	McDuff, the Talking Dog	Amos Ferguson	11 episodes	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Archie	Mr. Andrews	1 episode "Pilot"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1977	Black Sheep Squadron		1 episode "Last One for Hutch"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Good Times			<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Lou Grant	National Editor	6 episodes	<ref name=":3"/>
	The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries	Officer Hooper	1 episode "Mystery of the Diamond Triangle"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1977-1978	Soap	Chief of Police Tinkler	12 episodes	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1978	The Incredible Hulk	Mac	1 episode	<ref name=":3"/>
1978–1982	WKRP in Cincinnati	Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson, Station Manager	88 episodes (90 in syndication)	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1980-1987	The Love Boat		6 episodes "The Invisible Maniac (1980)" "Putting on the Dog (1983)" "Aerobic April (1983)" "Frat Wars (1986)" "Who Killed Maxwell Thorn? (1987)"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1981	Project Peacock		1 episode "The Big Stuffed Dog (special)"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1983	Diff'rent Strokes	Mr. Horton	2 episodes: "The Bicycle Man" (two parts)	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Just a Little More Love		(NBC special)	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Great Day		1 episode "Pilot"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1984	Second Edition		1 episode "Pilot"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1985	CBS Children's Mystery Theatre		1 episode "The Dirkin Detective Agency"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Night Court	American agent	1 episode "World War III"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	Amazing Stories		1 episode "Guilt Trip"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Tall Tales & Legends	Mr. Ripple	1 episode
1986–1991	Growing Pains	Ed Malone	11 episodes	<ref name=":3"/>
1986	Simon & Simon	Ross Garrett	1 episode "Camp Apollo"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
	New Love American Style		1 episode "Love and the Balcony"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	The Golden Girls	Leonard Barton	1 episode	<ref name="actors credits"/>
	Murder, She Wrote	Mayor Tilly	1 episode: "If the Frame Fits"	<ref name=":3"/><ref name="actors credits"/>
1987	What a Country		1 episode "The Love Potion"	<ref name="actors credits"/>
1988	Who's the Boss?	Archie	1 episode
1989	Sister Kate	Lucas Underwood	1 episode
1991–1993	The New WKRP in Cincinnati	Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson	46 episodes
1994	Baywatch	Max Edelman	2 episodes	<ref name=":3"/>
	Kino's Storytime	Himself, narrator of Horton Hatches the Egg	1 episode
1995	Empty Nest	Bud	1 episode
1997	Married... with Children	Mr. Tot	1 episode	<ref name=":3"/>
	Seinfeld	Mr. Thomassoulo	2 episodes	<ref name=":3"/>
1998	Mike Hammer, Private Eye	Augustus Hancock Sterling, The General	2 episodes

External links

• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0432410

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• The MSN Entertainment entry on Jump
• The USA Today Obituary on Jump
• Kansas State Historical Society biography of Gordon Jump
• Template:Find a Grave
• Gordon Jump papers, MSS 3711 in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University