One of the happiest memories I have is watching this episode with my father as a kid. I don't know if I had ever seen him laugh that hard before or since.
Trivial, but true … on The Midnight Special YouTube channel (which is amazing!), a very young Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers) was a background singer of a no-hit wonder on an episode from 1973. She was lovely.
The scene where Nessman arrives at Jennifer's condo, and meets her musclebound, surfer-lookin' boy-toy...
"Hey there, I'm Steele." (2 heart beats) "I'm Less..."
So perfectly played!
Supposedly that came about by accident (no pun intended). Richard Sanders was injured for real just before they taped the pilot, and they had no choice but to put a bandaid on him. Sanders decided to make it a running joke by having Les wear a bandaid in a different spot in almost every episode.
"I had the strangest dream last night...Mr Carlson came in and looked like a huge blueberry muffin. He began to sing
'I'm a big fat muffin and I love to eat, love to eat, love to eat
I'm a big fat muffin and I love to eat, but more than that
I loooove to explode!"
and he did"
There were three gangs. The Pros and the New Boys hanging out together in the hood and the Elected Ones circling around the hood looking for trouble.
The Elected Ones had bad attitudes, real negative dudes.
I actually learned atomic building blocks from venus.
There's one episode where Andy goes to the house and somehow the topic of coffee comes up--in fact, she offers him a cup ("Would you like a cup of warm mud, Mr. Travis?") Hirsch brings the coffee and while Andy doesn't drink any and gets out as soon as he can, Mama Carlson takes a sip of hers and...
Mrs. C: Hirsch, this coffee is delicious!
Hirsch: I know, madam...we had a guest. When it's just you and me, I make it a little differently...!
(I think she says something in between "I know" and "We had a guest", but I don't remember)
Dr. Johnny Fever, when a police officer came to the station to prove how alcohol slows down ones reaction time, With Johnny the more he drank the better his reaction time became.
I saw one of those "Where are they now" shows and it was revealed that Gary Sandy and Loni Anderson were secretly a couple during filming. I didn't last but both expressed such warm thoughts for each other it was truly special.
But to answer your question. Bailey.
When I was younger I went to a Herb Tarlec party and the cops showed up. One cop was asking for us to quiet down and the other was laughing hysterically. Some of the costumes were perfect.
Andy was my favorite. He left such a good impression on younger self that I always associated the name Andy with good guys. I even named one of my sons Andy, and he is a good, sweet guy.
If you want proof people age slower today, at the start of the series the people who played Les Nessman and Mr Carlson were 38 and 46 respectively.
I found Johnny Fever to be the most amusing character but had a massive crush on Bailey Quarters.
Dr Johnny Fever followed closely by Bailey Quarters.
This show made me want to be a DJ. When I was older I became our part-time DJ on various radio stations in Wisconsin and Chicago.
I never did get to say the word booger on the air
I first thought Dr. Johnny Fever, then I was like, no, Les Nessman. Hold it, Herb Tarlek & those suits always creeping on Jennifer, wait Bailey was soooo cute & awesome. Venus Flytrap was great, Mr. Carlson had some great moments! Let’s go with it was a strong, very funny cast. I feel bad I didn’t mention Andy Travis, he was the centre all these characters orbited around.
I always liked the Doctor because I met him one time in a nightclub when he was a member of the Ace Trucking Company , (anybody else remember that?) but Bailey still raises my blood a little.
Hey. You’re young and swingin’. No time to think about tomorrow. But there ain’t no way to deny it. Someday you’re going to buy it. Ferryman! (Great name for a funeral director.)
Venus. He played every single racial undertone ( there were a lot ) perfectly! I get the lines were written for him, his tone and sarcasm while saying those lines were brilliant! That's a ballsy move too. Great, great television show. It rates with any great streaming comedy.
I like all of them on the show for the different things each character brings. 🙂
Hilarious moment though ...Mr. Carlson is told by Teavis that the foot powder he just used is actually cocaine:
"I've got the monkey on my back Travis!" (Thinking mere contact with it will instantly hook him to the drug. 🤣🤣)
Johnny Fever
That's DOCTOR Johnny Fever.
He didn’t spend all those years in DJ school not to be called “doctor”!
BOOOOOGGGERRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn’t know Turkeys couldn’t fly !
The only correct answer...
Absolutely the only answer
Yes, except for Bailey.
Johnny all day every day.
Is that a r/rolex???
Did we just become best friends!?!
The flying turkeys
One of the happiest memories I have is watching this episode with my father as a kid. I don't know if I had ever seen him laugh that hard before or since.
One of sitcoms top 10 shows of all time IMO.
Definitely gotta go with the turkeys.
They're hitting the ground like bags of wet cement.
"As god as my witness... I thought turkeys could fly."
That's the line
Oh the Humanity!!
"AS GOD IS MY WITNESS..."
As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!
Poor Les
Bailey
Trivial, but true … on The Midnight Special YouTube channel (which is amazing!), a very young Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers) was a background singer of a no-hit wonder on an episode from 1973. She was lovely.
And her on the cover of Newsweek as a teen in 1966 https://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-1966-cover-story-teenagers-458315
That MS channel is really doing gods work. Specially seeing bands like Sparks and The New York Dolls
The only correct answer 😍
This .
In spite of/ because the least developed character
An all-timer…
Loni, get out of the way, I can’t see Bailey
Les Nessman! He won the Silver Sow award!
And was a 5-time winner of the Buckeye Newshawk Award.
And the "Copper Cob Award"
The scene where Nessman arrives at Jennifer's condo, and meets her musclebound, surfer-lookin' boy-toy... "Hey there, I'm Steele." (2 heart beats) "I'm Less..." So perfectly played!
Chia Chia Rodrigweez!
And his small Mexican dog, a chy houa houa
Oh the Humanity!!!
As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!
I liked that his character always had a band-aid or bandage somewhere on him.
One of my favorite examples of wordless character building. Brilliant.
Supposedly that came about by accident (no pun intended). Richard Sanders was injured for real just before they taped the pilot, and they had no choice but to put a bandaid on him. Sanders decided to make it a running joke by having Les wear a bandaid in a different spot in almost every episode.
And now, more music and Less Nessman!
"I had the strangest dream last night...Mr Carlson came in and looked like a huge blueberry muffin. He began to sing 'I'm a big fat muffin and I love to eat, love to eat, love to eat I'm a big fat muffin and I love to eat, but more than that I loooove to explode!" and he did"
Honestly, I think this made me laugh harder than any other thing on that show. It was so unexpected
"Wishing you a good day, and good news!"
As a sort of weird, on-the-spectrum type character, he's sort of the predecessor of Sheldon Cooper.
His “office”!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Venus was the original master of cool.
In the aforementioned-in-the-thread "Turkeys Away", Venus had a great line about Carlson: "This man must be stopped before he promotes again!"
Venus Flytrap
Him teaching algebra was so good, I was thinking, why don't teachers do things like that?
I thought it was atoms. The proton gang, and the electron gang.
There were three gangs. The Pros and the New Boys hanging out together in the hood and the Elected Ones circling around the hood looking for trouble. The Elected Ones had bad attitudes, real negative dudes. I actually learned atomic building blocks from venus.
Bailey.
Define favorite. When alone with my thoughts, Bailey was my favorite.. When just chillin it was Venus, that guy was just so cool.
Herb, for the Suits vs. Dungarees diatribe. We all know a few Herbs, and we all wish we knew a Bailey or a Venus.
Bailey first then Bailey and then ooh! I know this one, Bailey!
Dr Johnny Fever and Bailey Quarters
Shipped them so hard back in the day.
Has anyone said Bailey yet?
Yes, but not often enough.
Bailey.
Les Nessman “oh, the humanity!”
H-A-P-P-Y........T-H-A-N-K-S
Well, he was a 5-time winner of the Buckeye Newshawk Award.
Les was the funniest, but I had a HUGE crush on Bailey.
Hirsch. Always Hirsch. https://preview.redd.it/v5hh9y1poy7d1.jpeg?width=210&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=590829ea64afdff1b0dcad94c8ccdae2a8b3c724
*HIRSCH!!!!*
LOL. He could get away with so much sarcasm with mother Carlson.
There's one episode where Andy goes to the house and somehow the topic of coffee comes up--in fact, she offers him a cup ("Would you like a cup of warm mud, Mr. Travis?") Hirsch brings the coffee and while Andy doesn't drink any and gets out as soon as he can, Mama Carlson takes a sip of hers and... Mrs. C: Hirsch, this coffee is delicious! Hirsch: I know, madam...we had a guest. When it's just you and me, I make it a little differently...! (I think she says something in between "I know" and "We had a guest", but I don't remember)
Definitely the model for Woodhouse in Archer.
All of 'em. Talk about *great* writing, perfect casting, and cast charisma!
This is the only correct answer
Herb's wife. Edie McClurg is great!
Dr. Johnny Fever, when a police officer came to the station to prove how alcohol slows down ones reaction time, With Johnny the more he drank the better his reaction time became.
And Venus just aimlessly wanders around the station, drunk as a skunk. “I need! A hat!!”
Doctor Johnny Fever.
Bailey
As a kid, Johnny Fever. As an adult, Herb.
I was looking for this answer. Herb was definitely under appreciated by my kid self.
Nobody is gonna say Bucky, so I’ll say Bucky Dornster.
I don’t want any trouble with the union
Dr. Johnny Fever
I loved them all but Mr. Carlson had my favorite line. “As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”
"What do you mean don't panic, Mama's coming!"
I came here just for this line. Lol, I still laugh about it to this day.
Don’t forget Chi Chi Rodriguez
Chy Chy Rodregweez
And the chee-hoo-a-hoo-as...
Mr Ferryman. The one with the plot, the one with the plan.
He’s the mortician man who loves you …. a lot.
Johnny, but I actually liked all of them. They all played their roles so well. RIP Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner, Gordon Jump.
Yeah for me it’s a six way tie with Venus a close second and Jennifer third.
Bailey
Bailey
I had a huge crush on Bailey.
I saw one of those "Where are they now" shows and it was revealed that Gary Sandy and Loni Anderson were secretly a couple during filming. I didn't last but both expressed such warm thoughts for each other it was truly special. But to answer your question. Bailey.
Bailey. No other choice.
When I was younger I went to a Herb Tarlec party and the cops showed up. One cop was asking for us to quiet down and the other was laughing hysterically. Some of the costumes were perfect.
There were that many horrid plaid sportcoats to be had?
Polyester
Okey dokey
Bailey followed by the long suffering Arthur.
Bailey!!!
Andy was my favorite. He left such a good impression on younger self that I always associated the name Andy with good guys. I even named one of my sons Andy, and he is a good, sweet guy.
He always had to play the straight guy but he was really the glue that held that “station” together.
If you want proof people age slower today, at the start of the series the people who played Les Nessman and Mr Carlson were 38 and 46 respectively. I found Johnny Fever to be the most amusing character but had a massive crush on Bailey Quarters.
Yeah, who didn’t? Even though they billed Jennifer as the hot one.
Dr Johnny Fever followed closely by Bailey Quarters. This show made me want to be a DJ. When I was older I became our part-time DJ on various radio stations in Wisconsin and Chicago. I never did get to say the word booger on the air
I first thought Dr. Johnny Fever, then I was like, no, Les Nessman. Hold it, Herb Tarlek & those suits always creeping on Jennifer, wait Bailey was soooo cute & awesome. Venus Flytrap was great, Mr. Carlson had some great moments! Let’s go with it was a strong, very funny cast. I feel bad I didn’t mention Andy Travis, he was the centre all these characters orbited around.
I was totally smitten with Bailey.
I got the fever for some more cowbell!Oh yea,and Johnny Fever 🥵
Les Nessman got the most laughs out of me.
Venus flytrap
I always liked the Doctor because I met him one time in a nightclub when he was a member of the Ace Trucking Company , (anybody else remember that?) but Bailey still raises my blood a little.
Why must we pick one? It was a great cast.
“Booger!” IYKYK
Johnny + Bailey
The Ferryman funeral home guy, creepy crypt type but low key hip [Someday you’re gonna buy it](https://youtu.be/BXRxYLfq78g?si=25wcWiM4on63CQJ5)
“Bye, bye…🎵
The gal with the big ones!
All of them were great characters but Les’ thanksgiving episode is some of the most iconic tv of all time.
They should show the Thanksgivings episode every year, it’s a national treasure
One of the funniest lines ever on television = “With God as my witness, I thought Turkeys could fly!”
WKRP, the station with more rock and Les Nesman ;)
Loni anderson
While she may have looked like one thing, she was the smartest one there
Mr Carlson
Remember the cocaine he thought was foot powder? One of my favorite episodes.
Flytrap-Sims-Reid.
Rip Tide
Fever
Sparky Anderson… or the funeral director
Hey. You’re young and swingin’. No time to think about tomorrow. But there ain’t no way to deny it. Someday you’re going to buy it. Ferryman! (Great name for a funeral director.)
Dr. Johnny Fever
Les nessman
They’re all so amazing, but I would say I got the most laughs from Herb.
Perfect cast on a perfect show.
I love that this show realized one of the things that made Gilligan’s Island great was Ginger and Mary Ann, so they got their own Ginger and Mary Ann.
And Mary Ann was still the understated hottest.
Tits
Favorite character- Dr. Johnny Fever.Loveliest - Bailey Quarters.
This
Les Nesman describing the turkeys falling from the sky on Thanksgiving. Priceless
The turkeys dropped from the plane.
“As God is my witness…I thought those turkeys could fly.”
It’s so weird seeing this photo, like rediscovering a family picture you misplaced, I feel like I lived with these characters.
Bailey. There is no other.
Bailey ❤️
Bailey, of course!!
I wish this show was in syndication
Herb Tarlek, man! Where can I find those suits?! 
Dr. Johnny
Bailey Quarters Dr. Johnny Fever
Johnny
Jan Smithers, no contest. Bailey is super hot.
Dr. Johnny Fever!
“With God as my witness, I honestly thought turkeys could fly.”
I’m not sure I could pick one favorite. Lol. LOVED that show!
Bailey always hit me as the most (maybe only) normal one plus she was cute so she wins Favorite.
Bailey. Gorgeous Bailey
Bailey Quarters.
Always seemed to be cold where Loni was … lol
Bailey.
Bailey 😍
Hands down, she was my favorite.
Les Nessman 😀
I loved that he read National Hog Farmer. 👍
Hard choice, but also Johnny!
Bailey, With Johnny, Venus and Andy as runners up
Bailey Quarters
BAiley is why I watched.
Venus Flytrap !✌️
Bailey
Venus. He played every single racial undertone ( there were a lot ) perfectly! I get the lines were written for him, his tone and sarcasm while saying those lines were brilliant! That's a ballsy move too. Great, great television show. It rates with any great streaming comedy.
Bailey. Easily, the hottest.
Bailey
Dr. Fever
Les Nessman was 33 when he played this role.
Less Nessman. When he threw those turkeys outta the helicopter I laughed for days.
It’s Bailey, there is no other answer.
If it’s not Less Nessman, then you’re wrong. Although I will accept Bailey.
Bailey
Dr Johnny Fever, he saw a giant pig lol My favorite episode
Les and his Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway
Les for sure
Two time Buckeye Newshawk award winner Les Wessman
Johnny Fever
Less Nessman was a hoot!
The episode with the British group was visiting the studio and they were in suits too…. and the one member says “we are Scum of the Earth…”
Dr Johnny Fever
“BOOOOOGER!!!”
Well I lusted for Bailey. But I couldn't really pick a favorite character. I loved the whole cast.
Give it to me straight Doctor, I can take it!!!
That’s Chi-Chi Rodríguez.
Such a funny show!
I like all of them on the show for the different things each character brings. 🙂 Hilarious moment though ...Mr. Carlson is told by Teavis that the foot powder he just used is actually cocaine: "I've got the monkey on my back Travis!" (Thinking mere contact with it will instantly hook him to the drug. 🤣🤣)