The ultimate "WKRP in Cincinnati" quiz!

By: Torrance Grey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The ultimate "WKRP in Cincinnati" quiz!
Image: Youtube

About This Quiz

Baby, if you've ever wondered how well you remember this classic comedy, it's time to find out! We've created a quiz on this beloved show about a program director trying to rejuvenate a failing radio station. Tune in now!
What year did "WKRP" premiere?
1975
1976
1977
1978
WKRP launched in 1978, and its hair and clothing styles reflect the times.

Advertisement

Where is the subject of WKRP's theme song living?
On the streets in Cinncinnati
On the air in Cinncinnati
An urban legend circulated that actor who played Les sang it, but it wasn't true.
On the dial in Cinncinnati
by his wits in Cinncinnati

Advertisement

What event kicks off the pilot of "WKRP"?
Andy Travis's arrival as program director
The resignation of station boss Mr. Carlson
a format change from easy listening to Top 40
#1 and #3
Andy was hired to turn the struggling station around, and the format change was part of that.

Advertisement

Which character was known as "Big Guy"?
Herb Tarlek
Andy Travis
Mr. Carlson
Herb Tarlek was "little guy," though this nickname was rarely used.
Venus Flytrap

Advertisement

What was reporter Les's last name?
Moore
Friedman
Leenerts
Nessman
DJ Johnny Fever calls WKRP the station with "more music and Les Nessman."

Advertisement

Which two characters had military experience?
Andy Travis and Herb Tarlek
Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap
Herb Tarlek and Bailey Quarters
Mr. Carlson and Venus Flytrap
Actor Tim Reid says that "WKRP" was the first show to deal with the topic of Vietnam.

Advertisement

Which character wore unusually tacky clothes?
Jennifer Marlowe
Herb Tarlek
Honestly, much of the 70s gear looks tacky now, with the possible exception of Mr. Carlson's and Les's conservative suits.
Mr. Carlson
Johnny Fever

Advertisement

Which character persistently hit on receptionist Jennifer?
Andy Travis
Herb Tarlek
Herb, the station's smarmy sales manager, was played by Frank Bonner.
Johnny Fever
The UPS delivery guy

Advertisement

What was Les Nessman's signature article of clothing?
a rodeo belt buckle
a cravat
a bow tie
Les also wore a Band-Aid in every episode, although it often wasn't prominent.
a Cinncinnati Bengals jacket

Advertisement

Who played bleary-eyed DJ Johnny Fever?
Henry Winkler
David Cassidy
Howard Hesseman
David Cassidy was actually offered the role. Bonaduce would have been a bit young.
Danny Bonaduce

Advertisement

Who did station boss, Mr. Carlson, fear?
his receptionist Jennifer
the sales manager, Herb
his older brothers
his mother
Her wealth allowed him to "run" the station, though he preferred fishing to the radio business.

Advertisement

Which of the following was NOT one of Johnny Fever's other on-air names?
Steve Songz
His rarely-used real name was John Caravella.
Rip Tide
Johnny Sunshine
Johnny Midnight

Advertisement

What word got Johnny Fever fired from his previous radio job?
titicaca
booger
Andy assures Johnny it's okay to say it now, and Johnny immediately does.
bollocks
craptastic

Advertisement

What goes wrong with Bailey's first "Cinncinnati Beat" program?
The interviewee believes that she's been abducted by aliens
The interviewee believes that he's really Dwight Eisenhower
The interviewee is a fake child psychologist
Bailey doesn't realize "Dr." Hy Monroe is nuts until he's on the air.
Bailey can't find anyone to interview at all

Advertisement

What did Mr. Carlson have thrown out of a helicopter as a Thanksgiving promotion?
origami turkeys
turkey feathers
frozen turkeys
live turkeys
A shell-shocked Carlson says, "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

Advertisement

What event causes a near-suicidal Les to go out on a ledge?
it's rumored that he's a Communist
it's rumored that he's gay
A Cinncinnati Reds player calls Les "a queer little guy," which gets misinterpreted.
he misses a chance to work for The CBS Evening News
he blows an interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez

Advertisement

What was the name of Herb's wife?
Madge
Lillian
Dolly
Lucille
Lucille was played by veteran comic actress Edie McClurg.

Advertisement

Which song does Andy use to win a debate on religious censorship?
Blondie's "Heart of Glass"
Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Southern Cross"
John Lennon's "Imagine"
A Jerry-Falwell-like moral leader objects to the song's premise of a world without heaven, hell or religion.
Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"

Advertisement

What private demon afflicted Herb Tarlek?
a gambling problem
alcoholism
This episode was a rare human moment for Herb, who was often comic relief.
cocaine addiction
closet homosexuality

Advertisement

What does Johnny Fever say on the air that makes his L.A. job short-lived?
booger, once again
defenestrate
pubes
we never learn this
"Defenestrate" isn't even a dirty word -- it means to throw or fall out a window.

Advertisement

What was the prize for the "unwinnable" contest?
$50
$500
$5000
Andy tries to make the contest unwinnable in order to not give away the $5000, but of course, he fails.
a date with Jennifer

Advertisement

What is the name of the man who (briefly) captures Jennifer's heart?
Harlan
Steel
Unfortunately, Steel is a gold-digger, like Jennifer herself is implied to be.
Davis
James

Advertisement

When Johnny Fever hears the voice of God, what does God want him to do?
give away all his possessions
go into TV broadcasting
stop using drugs
be a golf pro
The full announcement: "John, I love you, I want you to seek knowledge, and I want you to be a golf pro."

Advertisement

Les takes Jennifer to the awards banquet for which prize?
the Golden Voice
the Silver Sow
Les held several other minor awards.
Cinncinnati's 10 Best Dressed
Cinncinnati's Most Eligible Bachelor

Advertisement

Why does Venus Flytrap rethink a job offer from a competing station?
They play only classical music
They play only R&B
He learns they only want him as an affirmative-action hire
Unsurprisingly, Venus stays behind the mike at WKRP.
His disapproves of them advertising "diet pills" that are thinly-disguised amphetamines

Advertisement

Who was the only person unfazed by imperious Mama Carlson?
Herb
Bailey
Mr. Carlson's son, Arthur Jr.
her butler, Hirsch
Andy, however, tended to hold his own with her when he negotiated in the interests of the station.

Advertisement

In the two-part bomb-threat episode, where was the bomb actually planted?
under Jennifer's desk
Mr. Carlson's car
the transmission tower
Andy thought he was being clever by having Johnny and Venus broadcast from the tower.
the break room

Advertisement

What's the hitch when Les meets a woman through a dating service?
it's a cover for prostitution
It was Les who had a giant dog, Phil, he lived in fear of.
she used to be a man
she's already married
she has a giant aggressive dog

Advertisement

What disturbing thing does Les learn about his biological father?
he was imprisoned for murder
he is homeless
he was a Communist
Frank Bonner, who played Herb, directed the episode.
he works for WPIG

Advertisement

How does Venus persuade a teenage boy not to drop out of school?
he tells him about his Vietnam experiences
he teaches him the structure of the atom
Venus makes a nifty analogy about three competing gangs, which turn out to be protons, neutrons and electrons.
he offers to mentor him as a DJ trainee
he takes him to tour the Ohio State campus

Advertisement

In the series' final episode, what do we learn Mama Carlson always wanted WKRP to be?
a reason to attend broadcasting awards banquets
an easy job for her son Arthur
a failure, so it could be a tax writeoff
Because the show was expected to be renewed, this last episode wasn't notably a farewell.
a station that always played music she liked

Advertisement

Which character could be seen later as the Maytag repairman?
Richard Sanders (Les Nessman)
Gordon Jump (Mr. Carlson)
A longtime Mormon, Jump also appeared in several films made by the LDS church.
Gary Sandy (Andy Travis)
Frank Bonner (Herb Tarlek)

Advertisement

Which actor also co-wrote five episodes of the show?
Jan Smithers
Tim Reid
Richard Sanders
Many actors try their hand at directing -- as Sanders also did -- but writing episodes is rarer.
Gary Sandy

Advertisement

Which of the following is actually true about "WKRP"?
Jan Smithers met her husband, James Brolin, on the set
Richard Sanders sings the opening theme song
then-mayor Jerry Springer was mentioned by name
the "Turkeys Away" episode was based on a real incident
Series creator Hugh Wilson, who had worked in radio, heard several versions of the story.

Advertisement

What is "WKRP's" end-credits song about?
a dance-off
a beautiful, unavailable woman
a fast car
who can tell?
Studio musicians faked incomprehensible lyrics expecting them to be replaced later, but the show's producers were fine with the demo as it was.

Advertisement

You Got:
/35
Youtube