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Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
April 21st marks exactly 40 years since the best TV show about radio left the air, and many here still recall their favourite episodes. ("As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly...")
TV Insider honours the occasion by highlighting some of the lesser-known facts about the series - with even a nod to SOWNY member Scott Fybush for pointing out who really owns that tower in the opening credits.
10 Fun Facts About ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ Which Ended 40 Years Ago
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WKRP in 1978 - as it appeared for the very first time in TV Guide's Fall Preview issue of brand new shows. Notice the band-aid on Les Nessman's hand. He explained he decided early on that the character would never appear without a bandage somewhere on his body - even if the audience couldn't always see it. It was part of the quirkiness - and klutziness - of the Silver Sow Award winner.
Another article they did in 1981 tells the origin stories of some of the best-known characters. 
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Thread Starter- Jody Thornton
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
Way too spooky how things work sometimes. I hadn’t watched WKRP since it was in syndication on WKBW Channel 7 in Buffalo, and before that during it’s run on Channel 4 (CBS), so I decided to binge on it.
Just as I saw RA post this, I was watching the Season 2 episode of Les’ Groupie. I’m not kidding. I feel like I’m in a weird WKRP universe.
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Jody Thornton
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
Jody Thornton wrote:
Way too spooky how things work sometimes. I hadn’t watched WKRP since it was in syndication on WKBW Channel 7 in Buffalo, and before that during it’s run on Channel 4 (CBS), so I decided to binge on it.
Just as I saw RA post this, I was watching the Season 2 episode of Les’ Groupie. I’m not kidding. I feel like I’m in a weird WKRP universe.
Sounds like you should be watching The Twilight Zone, instead!
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Thread Starter- AspectRatio
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
I feel like I’m in a weird WKRP universe.
Can turkeys fly in it? 
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
I guess this is a bigger milestone than I realized. Here's another article about the show's 40th anniversary demise, complete with a summary of what that last episode was about - and why it was never intended to be the final one.
It also reveals how CBS' constant meddling with the show almost guaranteed it would never become the ratings hit it deserved to be.
40 Years Ago: CBS Yanks WKRP In Cincinatti
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Thread Starter- betaylored
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
Watched part of the last episode today.
I was reminded what a perfect cast they pulled together and how strong the writing was because you could throw the show onto a streaming service today and it would find a whole new audience. Family Affair, I Love Lucy, the original Star Trek are just some of the shows available now, it's a shame this one can't join them.
.... 🚁
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
I guess this is a bigger milestone than I realized. Here's another article about the show's 40th anniversary demise, complete with a summary of what that last episode was about - and why it was never intended to be the final one.
Well thankfully WKRP came back in the early 90's without all the CBS crap.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Glen Warren
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
I guess this is a bigger milestone than I realized. Here's another article about the show's 40th anniversary demise, complete with a summary of what that last episode was about - and why it was never intended to be the final one.
Well thankfully WKRP came back in the early 90's without all the CBS crap.
or, as we have learned from the above, "without all the CBS ckrp."
- mace
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
When WKRP premiered in Sept 1978, it ran Monday at 8pm against Kotter and Little House. In early 1979, CBS moved the series to Monday between MASH and Lou Grant, an ideal timeslot.. Now the tinkering begins. In mid season 2, it goes back to it's original Monday 8pm slot against Little House and Laverne & Shirley. Season 3 finds the show on the least night watched, Saturday 8pm. The final season found the show Wednesday at 8:30, then 9pm where it battled The Fall Guy and Facts of Life. If only CBS had left KRP in the Monday 9:30pm slot after MASH, the series might have lasted more than four seasons.
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
Some Ratings info on WKRP: It's first two seasons found it ranked 35th and 12th. I couldn't find details on season 3 other than it was out of the top 30 ranked series. The final season ranking was 56th, just behind Barney Miller and just ahead of Police Squad. NOW there is a series that should have lasted longer than six episodes!!
- Chrisphen
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Re: Exactly 40 Yrs. After It Left Air, 10 Facts About "WKRP In Cincinatti"
Police Squad! Now that was comedy.
Last edited by Chrisphen (April 22, 2022 8:45 am)