Gordon Jump, 1932-2003

Gordon Jump, who played the befuddled station manager on WKRP in Cincinnati and made his mark in commercials as the lonely Maytag repairman, died of pulmonary fibrosis at age 71.

His cousin, Katherine Jump Wagner, said the illness caused scarring of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to heart or respiratory failure.

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 of 2003 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.

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.

"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 such as 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 before landing the role as Arthur Carlson in 'KRP.