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Gordon Jump
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Jump (April 1, 1932 – September 22, 2003), born in Centerville, Ohio, USA, was an American actor, known for his role as the "Maytag Repairman" in commercials for Maytag brand appliances, from 1989 until his retirement from the role in July 2003. He is also well-known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Piece of Chalief Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap. Jump was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jump graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in journalism in 1957, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He began his career working at radio and television stations in Manhattan and Topeka, Kansas. He was a TV producer and on-air personality in Dayton, Ohio, when he decided to move to Los Angeles and study acting.
He took minor roles in television, on such shows as Get Smart, The Partridge Family and The Rockford Files. He also guest-starred on a number of television series, such as the Incredible Hulk in an episode called "Ricky" (October, 1978), and a somewhat infamous appearance playing a child molester on Diff'rent Strokes. After WKRP folded, Jump hosted the PBS series "Make Yourself at Home" and taught voice classes as well as making frequent appearances on the hit 80s television show, Growing Pains. Jump also enjoyed working in theater. In the 1990s, concurrent with his new role as the Maytag Repairman, Jump starred in a short-lived revival of WKRP entitled The New WKRP in Cincinnati.
He died from pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 71 at his home near Los Angeles, California.
- Gordon Jump at the Internet Movie Database
- Gordon Jump at TV.com
- WKRP in Cincinnati Episode Guide
- The MSN Entertainment entry on Jump
- The CBC Obituary on Jump
- The USA Today Obituary on Jump
- Gordon Jump at Find-A-Grave
| Preceded by Jesse White |
Maytag Repairman 1989-2003 |
Succeeded by Hardy Rawls |