Golden Girls GUEST Cast Member Dies At 71 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

CCH · 09-23-2003, 10:31 AM

Very sad NEWS TODAY

Actor Gordon Jump Dies at 71

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 22) - Gordon Jump, who played a befuddled radio station manager on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" and made his mark in commercials as the lonely Maytag repairman, died Monday. He was 71. Jump suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, said his cousin, Katherine Jump Wagner. The illness causes scarring of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to heart or respiratory failure.

Wagner, of Arcanum, Ohio, said she learned of her cousin's death from her father, also named Gordon Jump. Her cousin was under hospice care at his home southeast of Los Angeles, she said.

Jump played Arthur Carlson in "WKRP in Cincinnati," which aired on CBS from 1978-82 and featured Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman and Richard Sanders as the ragtag station's crew.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jump began his career working at radio and TV stations in the Midwest. He worked behind the microphone and the camera, including jobs as a producer for Kansas and Ohio stations.

Jump portrayed the Maytag repairman "Ol' Lonely," a well-recognized advertising symbol, from 1989 until he retired from the role in July and another actor took over.

"Gordon was an incredibly talented actor and a remarkable human being," said Ralph Hake, chairman and chief executive officer of Maytag Corp.

Jump came to appreciate the attention he got for the ad campaign and the steady work it provided, Wagner said. But his heart was elsewhere professionally. Gordon Jump as the Maytag repairman

"What he loved more than anything was doing theater. He was a marvelous actor," she said, recalling a visit to Florida to watch him perform in "Norman, Is That You?"

Jump began his Hollywood career after moving to Los Angeles in 1963, appearing on series including "Daniel Boone," "Get Smart" and "The Partridge Family."

His dramatic roles included a part in the TV movie "Ruby and Oswald," about the assassination of President Kennedy, and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes."

Jump is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son, Maytag said in a statement. He also had a brother, Wagner said.

jayman75 · 09-23-2003, 11:36 AM

I forgot that he appeared on the show. I hope the boil on his butt wasn't too bad.

He was pretty funny. That's too bad.

CCH · 09-23-2003, 02:47 PM

Yes it's very sad he was a very funny Actor Gordon Jump RIP

HuntingtonM15 · 09-23-2003, 03:27 PM

Good Lord. You shouldn't put "Golden Girls Cast Member Dies". But yes, that is sad. RIP

iloveTV · 09-23-2003, 04:39 PM

I thought I was going to have a heart attack! I thought it was one of the main characters! But just the same it is sad. RIP

TJL · 09-23-2003, 05:45 PM

Very sad news. What a great character actor.

boechsner · 09-25-2003, 12:03 AM

Good grief, at first I thought Estelle Getty passed away!!! Geez, okay Gordon Jump is not a cast member, he only guest starred in one episode.

09-23-2003, 10:31 AM	#1
CCH IT'S MY LIFE Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: RI Posts: 111	Golden Girls Guest Member Actor Gordon Jump Dies At 71 Very sad NEWS TODAY Actor Gordon Jump Dies at 71 LOS ANGELES (Sept. 22) - Gordon Jump, who played a befuddled radio station manager on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" and made his mark in commercials as the lonely Maytag repairman, died Monday. He was 71. Jump suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, said his cousin, Katherine Jump Wagner. The illness causes scarring of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to heart or respiratory failure. Wagner, of Arcanum, Ohio, said she learned of her cousin's death from her father, also named Gordon Jump. Her cousin was under hospice care at his home southeast of Los Angeles, she said. Jump played Arthur Carlson in "WKRP in Cincinnati," which aired on CBS from 1978-82 and featured Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman and Richard Sanders as the ragtag station's crew. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jump began his career working at radio and TV stations in the Midwest. He worked behind the microphone and the camera, including jobs as a producer for Kansas and Ohio stations. Jump portrayed the Maytag repairman "Ol' Lonely," a well-recognized advertising symbol, from 1989 until he retired from the role in July and another actor took over. "Gordon was an incredibly talented actor and a remarkable human being," said Ralph Hake, chairman and chief executive officer of Maytag Corp. Jump came to appreciate the attention he got for the ad campaign and the steady work it provided, Wagner said. But his heart was elsewhere professionally. Gordon Jump as the Maytag repairman "What he loved more than anything was doing theater. He was a marvelous actor," she said, recalling a visit to Florida to watch him perform in "Norman, Is That You?" Jump began his Hollywood career after moving to Los Angeles in 1963, appearing on series including "Daniel Boone," "Get Smart" and "The Partridge Family." His dramatic roles included a part in the TV movie "Ruby and Oswald," about the assassination of President Kennedy, and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes." Jump is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son, Maytag said in a statement. He also had a brother, Wagner said.
	__________________ FEEL YOUR BEST STAY STRONG Last edited by CCH; 09-24-2003 at 05:12 PM.

09-23-2003, 11:36 AM	#2
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	I forgot that he appeared on the show. I hope the boil on his butt wasn't too bad. He was pretty funny. That's too bad.
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

09-23-2003, 04:39 PM	#5
iloveTV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 08, 2002 Location: West Virginia Posts: 261	I thought I was going to have a heart attack! I thought it was one of the main characters! But just the same it is sad. RIP
	__________________ R.I.P. John Ritter Johnny Cash Aaliyah Glenn Quinn Carroll O'Connor

09-23-2003, 05:45 PM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Very sad news. What a great character actor.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

09-23-2003, 02:47 PM	#3
CCH IT'S MY LIFE Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: RI Posts: 111	Yes it's very sad he was a very funny Actor Gordon Jump RIP

09-23-2003, 03:27 PM	#4
HuntingtonM15 That Bothers Me Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 11,060	Good Lord. You shouldn't put "Golden Girls Cast Member Dies". But yes, that is sad. RIP

09-25-2003, 12:03 AM	#7
boechsner Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI Posts: 2,212	Good grief, at first I thought Estelle Getty passed away!!! Geez, okay Gordon Jump is not a cast member, he only guest starred in one episode.