Table of Biography
Gordon Jump was a prominent actor from the United States. Gordon Jump was widely known for his portrayal of Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982), which he repeated in the spinoff The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1991-1993).
Early Life and Childhood
Gordon Jump was born in Dayton, Ohio, United States on April 1, 1932. His full name was Alexander Gordon Jump. His astrological sign was Aries.
Jump had an American nationality and followed the Christian religion. Besides that, Jump had not shared any information concerning his siblings or parents.
Gordon Jump – Education
Speaking of his educational background, After graduating from Centerville High School, Jump enrolled at Otterbein College to continue his secondary studies.
Following his first year, Gordon transferred to Kansas State University, where he joined the fraternity Kappa Sigma and studied communications and radio.
Career and Professional Life
Talking about his career, Jump started his career in 1957, doing radio and television work in Manhattan, New York. He later relocated to Topeka, where he started reporting the weather for WIBW-TV in 1959.
Moreover, he also began acting in its children’s after-school show, “Wib the Clown,” in 1960.
He went back to Dayton at the beginning of the 1960s, where he began producing and acting in the children’s program “Gordon Jump’s Fun Time” on WLWD.
Further, he made his TV debut in 1965 with a cameo in the television series “Daniel Boone.” He kept doing little parts in television shows like “Get Smart,” “Green Acres,” “Here Come Bride,” “Lancer,” and so on throughout the 1960s.
Caption: Gordon Jump in Making the Grade source: Comfort TV.
He began performing in church-approved plays in the 1960s, including “When Thou Art Converted” (1967), “Pioneers In Petticoats” (1969), and “What About Thad?” (1970).
Moreover, he played the National Editor in the television series “Lou Grant” in 1977, which helped him win his next major role: Arthur Carlson, also known as “The Big Guy,” on “WKRP in Cincinnati.”
More about his career
He made appearances in 88 episodes of “WKRP” between 1978 and 1982, solidifying his reputation as a household name. He kept making appearances in TV shows and movies in the interim, including 12 episodes of “Soap.”
Further, he made two appearances in “Diff’rent Strokes” episodes in 1983 as Mr. Horton, the proprietor of a bicycle shop and a child molester.
He made an appearance as Mr. Harriman in his nineteenth film, “Making the Grade,” the following year.
Moreover, he kept up his career in both large and small screen roles, playing Ed Malone in eleven “Growing Pains” episodes between 1986 and 1991.
Following that, he played Arthur Carlson in 46 episodes of “The New WKRP in Cincinnati” from 1991 to 1993.
Furthermore, His final performance was in the 2004 film “Changing of the Guard,” which was released following his passing.
Net Worth 2024
Gordon Jump has earned a massive amount of money through his hard work and brilliance. His estimated net worth at the time of his death in 2003 was $5 million.
Endorsements
Jump also earned a lot of wealth through brand endorsements and commercials. From 1989 until his retirement in 2003, Gordon starred as the “Maytag repairman” in Maytag commercials.
Personal Life
Regarding his love life, Gordon Jump wed Olinda D. Kandt in April 1954, and the two had a single daughter. However, in 1962 the couple divorced.
Caption: Gordon Jump with his family source: Getty Images.
Moreover, he wed Anna F. Inge in 1963, and the two of them had three kids. In 1992, they got divorced. He wed Betty Sue McKeever in 1993, and they shared a home until his passing.
Jump has three biological daughters, Maggi Jo, Cynthia, and Kiva, and one biological son, Christopher, from his three marriages. In addition, he had a stepdaughter, Laura, whom he eventually adopted.
Death
At his home outside of Los Angeles, California, Jump passed away on September 22, 2003, as a result of respiratory failure brought on by pulmonary fibrosis.
Body Measurements
Gordon Jump was handsome undoubtedly. Jump had a brown pair of eyes and grey hair colour. Besides that, Gordon had not shared any data concerning his height, weight, or other physical measurements.
Social Media
Regarding his social media presence, Gordon Jump was never active on any social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. It seems that Jump was a quiet private person who liked to be far from the limelight.