RIP, Herb Tarlek

• Actor Frank Bonner, best known and loved for his all-too-real portrayal of loudly plaid-suited Sales Manager Herb Tarlek on that classic radio sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati, has died of Lewy body dementia at the age of 79.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Bonner played the inept but lovable Tarlek, “who was quite fond of polyester, plaid and station receptionist Jennifer Marlowe (played by Loni Anderson),” on 88 episodes over all four seasons of WKRP in Cincinnati, which was created by former radio sales exec Hugh Wilson. Bonner later reprised his role on The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which ran from 1991-93.

It was during the run of the original WKRP when Bonner first branched out into directing, helming six episodes of the series, and seven of the reboot as well as episodes of Just the Ten of Us and Saved by the Bell: The New Class. And from 1997-2001, he directed 105 episodes of NBC’s City Guys. His other directing credits included Family Ties, Who’s the Boss?, Head of the Class, Evening Shade and Harry and the Hendersons.

Bonner’s daughter announced his death on Facebook, writing that her dad “was still signing autograph requests up until the last few weeks of his illness. Thank you to all who followed his career. He will be forever missed.”

To quote that great philosopher Venus Flytrap, gazing upon one of Herb’s outlandish suits, “Somewhere out there’s a Volkswagen with no seat covers.”