1x01 Pilot (1) - WKRP in Cincinnati Episode Guide

WKRP in Cincinnati

- Episode 01x01

Episode: 01x01 (pilot)
Title: Pilot (1)
Type: Regular Episode
Production Code: 001
First Aired: Sep. 18, 1978

Season 1 » Episode #01 - Pilot (1)

Summary: Andy Travis is hired to be the new program manager at the 16th ranked AM radio station in Cincinnati. His first task is changing from a "beautiful music" format to top 40 rock.

Watch Episode Videos

01x01 Pilot, Part 1 (24:53) (Full Episode)

Who appeared in this episode?

Guest Stars:

Mama Carlson

played by Sylvia Sidney

Episode Quotes

Season 1 / Episode 1: - Pilot (1)

Dr. Johnny Fever: [first lines over the air when WKRP goes rock] [first he scratches up the record playing] All right, Cincinnati, it is time for this town to get down! Now, you've got Johnny [thinks for a quick second] Doctor Johnny Fever, and I am burnin' up in here! Whoo! Whoo! We all in critical condition, babies, but you can tell me where it hurts, 'cause I got the healing prescription here from the big 'KRP musical medicine cabinet. Now I am talking about your 50,000 watt intensive care unit, babies! So just sit right down, relax, open your ears real wide and say, "Give it to me straight, Doctor, I can take it!" [starts Ted Nugent's "Queen of the Forest", then puts on his sunglasses] Oh, I almost forgot, fellow babies...”Booger!"

Season 1 / Episode 1: - Pilot (1)

Mama Carlson: Are you the man responsible for the noise eminating from my radio this morning?
Andy Travis: Yes, ma'am, I am.
Mama Carlson: Well, explain yourself!
Andy Travis: Well, I happen to like that kind of music.
Mama Carlson: Young man, this radio station's a business. It is not for your personal listening pleasure.

[More Quotes]

MISTAKES/GOOFS

CONT: In the pilot, WKRP was depicted (both on the map in Jennifer's office and by Dr. Johnny Fever on the air) as a 50,000 watt station. In subsequent episodes, the station was "demoted" to 5000 watts which was probably more appropriate for a "struggling" operation as very few maximum power AM stations have ever had difficulties with format and audience attraction.
CONT: When Johnny plays the first Rock and Roll record, he spins the turn table emphatically to start it up. He then gets into character as Johnny Fever and announces the format change. When we cut back to the long shot, we can clearly see that the needle on the record that is playing was knocked when Johnny spun the turn table. It is now resting up against the spindle. Yet the music is still playing fine.

TRIVIA

Les can be seen wearing a bandage on some part of his body in practically every show. We eventually find out it is because he has a very large (and never-seen) dog that he keeps at home. In real-life, the bandage idea originated when Richard Sanders suffered an injury prior to the taping of the pilot and was forced to wear a bandage on the air; he subsequently decided to make it Les' trademark.
The two artists that Johnny plays before the rock music change, Felix Mandell and the Hallelujah Tabernacle Choir, are both fictitious. The Hallelujah Tabernacle Choir is, of course, a parody of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
You will notice one thing missing from this episode and the others that were taped around the same time: the bullpen. Indeed, the bullpen had not been created before the show went on hiatus around 1979. It had made little sense for staff to have meetings in Andy's office. After the show came back from hiatus, the bullpen had been fully constructed, most meetings were held there, and Andy's office was rarely seen after that.
Scenes from this episode were later re-shot for the fourth season episode "The Creation of Venus", with Carol Bruce playing Mama Carlson.

Episode Screenshots (From Season 1)

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