I know Frank passed away last week but I finally worked in the time to give him his proper due instead of rushing it.
Like many in Gen X, I knew Frank mostly for his role as Herb Tarlek, the inept sales guy from WKRP in Cincinnati whose outrageous wardrobe would make Don Cherry blush. We can blame that SitCom for my initially poor choice of careers too. After the show was cancelled despite being loved by all the people struggling to survive as FM radio would be destroyed by Lee Abrams. Then he popped up as a money-grubbing priest in a SitCom called Just the Ten of Us. How I managed to see at least a couple episodes while I was in college is beyond me. It was also memorable because I remember Dr. Thorn (one of my Journalism professors) complaining in class about how it was a show propping up Catholic stereotypes, aka, large families. Personally, I think he was a generation behind. Where I grew up seeing the Baptists, Mormons and Hispanics as being the groups raising small armies or personal softball teams.
There was more to Frank though. He started out get one-shot parts in the early Seventies, rather typical for many actors. WKRP was his first cast member role. This made him more recognizable and in the decade of ugly appliances, he got guest shots on game shows, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat and made-for-TV movies. After WKRP‘s cancellation, he still had enough clout to carry on through Prime Time in bit roles in which you’d go, “Hey! Isn’t that Herb?”
He also got into directing thanks to WKRP. When he wasn’t being a cop, doctor, whatever, Frank helmed the actors on numerous SitComs you may have heard of: Family Ties, Who’s the Boss?, Head of the Class, Evening Shade and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.
Thanks for everything Frank! I apologize for typecasting you as Herb, but dammit, you played the bumbling, sleazy guy who was really a coward so well. Believe me, it was a great turn when your Herb chickened out when Jennifer (Lonnie Anderson) pushed him to put up or shut up. I also loved hearing from your wife on a game show that you stored Herb’s wardrobe at your house. You became an inspiration for dressing tacky and loud without being ironic.