Being Bailey

Bailey Quarters was definitely a fan favorite and this video shows why!

[@RidgeRunner10]

Bailey over Jennifer without hesitation

[@morthedgebuckle227]

Honey bears.

[@YD-uq5fi]

I thought I was the only one.

[@mikepaul1216]

both bailey & jennifer 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@mikerawls9619]

That is a good vision

[@markross2124]

I had a crush on her too, I'd knock over Loni to get to her

[@badbiker666]

I had the world's biggest crush on Jan Smithers from the very beginning of the show. Loni Anderson is gorgeous, no question. But Smithers had something special. It's one of those "can't quite put your finger on it, but you know it when you see it" qualities. It doesn't hurt that the character of Bailey Quarters had the same quality; Smithers was the perfect fit for that part. I can think any number of actors that could have played Jennifer, but no other person could have played Bailey like that.

[@deedubya286]

I've had a crush on Bailey ever since the show was first run. I still think of her every time I hear "Tiny Dancer".

[@Mokkari77]

I think of her when I hear "After the Love has Gone" by Earth, Wind & Fire!

[@deedubya286]

@@Mokkari77 I understand completely. I've never forgiven Johnny Fever for standing her up, and I never will!

[@chrishansen9357]

me too.

[@johnkeith2450]

She will always be our Tiny Dancer

[@DonSchmidt-hj2gd]

Now, so will I.

[@babooll5632]

Bailey was gorgeous

[@johnstreet1812]

Can never get enough of Bailey.

[@morthedgebuckle227]

A honey bear.

[@funone8716]

Loni flaunted it and in real life too. Look what she put Burt thru. Jan had a subdued sexy persona....she oozed sexiness without flaunt. What a gorgeous babe.

[@DrJohn-rl9zg]

Just a heads-up to the young women out there: Jennifer is the woman you want to spend a few hours with, Bailey is the woman that you want to spend a lifetime with.

[@thinkingoutloud6741]

I confirm, and tell you that I’ve spent my life wishing I’d had the chance to meet this beautiful woman.

[@DrJohn-rl9zg]

@@Stillstoned1 actually, neither did I, I was being kind.

[@iVenge]

I never wanted to spend any time with Loni Anderson, who never appealed to me in the least.

[@DrJohn-rl9zg]

@@iVenge funny how those in the industry tried to sell everyone on Loni, the personification of what feminist would call "objectification". But it was Bailey that men fell for. No doubt that Jan is a beautiful woman, but moreover, her character, Bailey is genuine. And those few times that Jennifer let herself be vulnerable, I, and no doubt many others thought "maybe she isn't so bad". As much as the network tried to objectify Loni, it was Bailey that we men loved.

[@Sunspot1225.]

Well said. Dint tell my wife of 55 years. 😊

[@Don-n6o]

Jan Smithers was an absolutely gorgeous woman. I always looked forward to the “ Bailey” scenes on WKRP.

[@frankjames8475]

Decades channel plays the repeats at 1230am

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

I was very fascinated with her as a 12 year old boy--and I haven't stopped.

[@garytorresani8846]

When I worked at KOME in San Jose, the staff would get together every week to watch the show. It was more real than you would believe. And yes, we had our own Bailey who did over nights for us. If you ever see the movie FM that came out in the 70s, that film was based on KMET and its program director Mikel Harrington who later became our boss at KOME in San Jose. The best PD I ever had. Sadly, radio is a mess today and dying. And well it should, the big corporations destroyed it just like they’ve destroyed everything in this culture where greed, the investors are more important than people.

[@danoneil8867]

Denis erectus 🤣.. Grew up in Cupertino .. prior to it becoming what it is today .. beautiful days . Your station brought me and all our friends great rock and great memories cruising around in the 70’s 🙏 Thank you 🙏

[@fredgarv79]

loved that movie FM, it was a realistic depiction of the early days of FM radio. I remember one show back in the late 70's they did by a guy named Rockin Ron Chavis in Seattle called "Your mother won't like it" and he played early Scorpions, Judas priest, etc. How much I wish I could have worked at a radio station back then

[@jonncockrell3606]

The whole history of the USA in a nutshell. Corporate Greed dismantling the lives of the people for profit is the M.O. of the USA.

[@eflanagan1921]

Bain Capital( IHeartRadio) owns 1200 stations ,wouldn't have been legal pre Reagan era. Republicans changed the laws on monopolies and labor .

[@garytorresani8846]

@@eflanagan1921 add the Cumulous boys from Georgia who destroyed every station they got their hands on. They had a chef engineer who was into the loudness wars and destroyed the quality signal their stations had before being taken over. And, wasting a 50,000 watt blowtorch like KGO in San Francisco, the last local talk station, for a sports betting channel is what these guys do. Reagan and Clinton turned broadcast properties into just another commodity to be brought and sold. Isn’t Bain Capital Romney’s company

[@dennisdose5697]

She was a gem. The whole show was brilliant, you watch some old shows and are disappointed, not so with WKRP.

[@timmotel5804]

It was a Great TV show. "Oh the humanity"!! "I swear to God. I thought they could fly"!

[@crooker2]

Bailey was my childhood crush. Loved Jan Smithers. So cute. :)

[@xaenon]

9:38 I had always had a thing for Bailey on the show, but seein her dressed like that damn near stopped my heart. Tight jeans, T-shirt, and wild hair.... And that flirtatious smile she gave Herb and the wink she threw at Les..., and then the little-girl pout. oh, damn, where are my pills.....

[@ericjay6021]

I think they started featuring her more when they realized how popular she was on the show.

[@timmcreynolds2734]

I had such a crush on Bailey. What an underrated beauty. Stunning.

[@musicluvr70]

It wasn't even close, Bailey was the girl dreams are made of.

[@kyle381000]

Stunning. Simply stunning.

[@Jdwify]

Jan Smithers is, was, and always will be freaking luscious.

[@user-uv8qn3qw4e]

Bailey.. the person that reminded of a girl a reconnected with a high school reunion. Simple, class, and warmth. Still friends to this day. Who didn't have a crush on Bailey.

[@oldjarhead386]

Bailey is why I loved the show!

[@mafmaf6417]

Bailey was like Mary Ann. The girl next door type.

[@Sean-wp7st]

Exactly. Maryann vs Ginger. No contest.

[@williammitchell4417]

Mary Ann vs Ginger, Betty vs Veronica,

[@r.kellycoker1981]

Yes! Both very yummy!

[@thegraphite]

Bailey is the Betty Rubble and Mary Ann of WKRP! Bailey was/is my favorite character on WKRP! She was one of the few characters on the show not inspired by a real-life person in the radio industry. (Except that, according to some associated with the show, Bailey could be considered to be based on Jan Smither herself, as they said the two are strongly similar.) Although she started out meek, I have a feeling that eventually, someday Bailey likely ended up a station manager!

[@jackbenimble1373]

Funny how television execs thought blonde bombshells were everything men wanted. Meanwhile, viewers were actually looking at Bailey. Jeans beat a dress any day of the week.

[@vernturnquist6729]

Some people just do one great work and that’s all we really need. What a perfect lady. Shame we don’t get more like her these days.

[@Eduardo99922]

I really love Bailey Quarters.

[@dwightdodd3734]

me too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! still.................

[@kid5Media]

Loved Bailey.

[@jammergreg]

Back when women were women… Bailey was a pure knockout!

[@paulbarham1038]

Definitely a great 1a & 1b with Jennifer and Bailey! I watched an episode recently where Bailey was wearing a pair of tight jeans and I think a long-sleeve button- up...that was a home-run for me

[@richc767]

This brought back great memories of the 70's

[@artdeco64]

I honestly believe that WKRP would not be remember as well as it is if not for Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers). The rest of the actors, though perfectly cast, could have been replaced or differently cast and the show would remain the same. If she was gone, however, it would be just another, of many, sitcom’s from the late 70’s / early’80’s. Every scene she was in, even if just atmosphere for the scene, all attention went to her. I’ll give an example. The Bangles song, Walk Like an Egyptian, is nothing more than any other pop song of that era. The reason the song is so well remembered is because of those few seconds in its video when Susanna Hoffs pans her eyes. Without her doing that the song would hold no more value than any other song of that time.

[@11Stucat]

They definitely kept her under "wraps" compared to Loni. Gary Sandy mentioned in a recent interview Bailey was stacked! Down home and wholesome were her best traits. Who didnt like her?

[@doylebrockman8225]

All the different sides are covered brilliantly produced by all the characters doing their roles.

[@Zak6959]

I would take Bailey out for a business lunch in a New York minute. I wouldn’t even use the company card.

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

No joke. She wants lobster? That's cool with me.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@Skank_and_Gutterboy She'd learn fast.

[@timbungarner3842]

She was like a little sister that you keep care of no matter what

[@seththomas9105]

This and Taxi were shows my parents never missed in the late 70's-early 80's.

[@ralph0901]

your parents had great taste!

[@andrewgrove1691]

2 great shows

[@melenatorr]

@@andrewgrove1691 Add to this line-up "Barney Miller" and "Night Court".

[@timmotel5804]

I was always in Love/Lust with Bailey. Never understood why we didn't see her more on the show. She's always been beautiful. Thanks

[@bobjohnson205]

I don't think the writers knew how to write for her.

[@timmotel5804]

@@bobjohnson205 Intimidated by her Loveliness i guess.

[@bobjohnson205]

@@timmotel5804 Probably more the fact that the main writers for the show were guys. Writing for Jennifer was easy, but writing for Bailey was much more complicated.

[@andrewgrove1691]

She's beautiful

[@KSparks80]

WKRP was one of the few shows that come along that have a perfect cast. It was just "right".

[@colinsmith4453]

Jan Smithers sat behind me on high school (taft high school ( class of 67) l had a total crush on her she was absolutely beautiful. Sh

[@ericjay6021]

You didn't ask her out???

[@rotunda57]

Taft High School in Cincinatti?

[@Jdwify]

Did you ever "accidentally" drop your pencil just so you'd have to bend down and sneak a peek at her great body? I would've been looking at her all I could especially that nice ass.

[@dwightdodd3734]

still is................

[@patriciasamora5600]

​@@rotunda57 Woodland Hills, CA

[@davidcarmack5074]

Almost forgot just how gorgeous Jan Smithers was.

[@mikespencer3518]

I loved her as Ginger, playmate of the year 1975. Slapping Phillip(Johnny) with her glove. Classic 2 part episode.

[@patrickvillers6454]

Ginger or Mary Ann Jennifer or Bailey and the winner is Mary Ann & Bailey never did go for the stereotypes.

[@gz9520]

Yah I’ve always liked the down to earth type myself. Never did go the the whore like hi maintenance type.

[@islandseeker1260]

Video quality has come a long way since those days of network TV. Sure do wish I could re-watch every episode in today's high resolution!

[@ericjay6021]

I fell in love with Bailey when she finally took off her huge glasses

[@TheFremenBlue]

Yes, those beautiful eyes!

[@McRocket]

3:31 - 'That's 'cause your coffee..stinks, Helen.' 🤣 ☮

[@geraldbreetzke8800]

Loved this show. Thanks for these highlights.

[@wolfhors3_660]

Heard my kids laughing hysterically in the TV room. Finally hollered "what are you guys watching". "One of your DVDs dad". I heard and thought " oh I better go see what that is 😂. Turned out it was a WKRP DVD I didn't even know I had. Too bad we have to go back to the 70s to find safe shows for our kids.

[@dwightdodd3734]

precisely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! barney miller, also........

[@wolfhors3_660]

@@dwightdodd3734 you ever fire one of those things? Wojo: yeah in Nam. Oh yeah, outside 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@williamreilly2567]

make sure they see the Thanksgiving episode! I don't know another bit that made me laugh harder, not just then but every time I watch it!

[@wolfhors3_660]

@@williamreilly2567 as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly lol. BTW wild turkeys can fly.

[@blakeschreckenbach679]

What I really loved about all the MTM stable of shows was the diversity of personalities. White Shadow, Lou Grant, Hill Street Blues, WKRP, and of course, the Mary Tyler Moore Show. A lot of the conflicts in these shows were about the others trying to deal with a character's predicament and how they would individually approach resolution. When you have strong ensembles like this it is easy to write episodes. So many castmembers of WKRP either wrote or directed episodes. Speaks of a real sense of inclusion to me.

[@markyoung7470]

Bailey/ Jan Smithers was smoking hot I always thought she was the real Beauty on WKRP I wish the show would have lasted longer it was Hilarious.

[@phoenixmode6909]

I adored this show....felt like this was my tribe, and I so badly wanted to be a DJ when I was a kid.

[@phoenixmode6909]

"hose pail", lol.....back in the day, about the same time this show ran, or shortly thereafter, we had a similar phrase: "hose bag". I'm not sure how that came about, or if we were the ones who originated it back then, but my best friends and coworkers often used "hose bag" in a derogatory manner, lol.... Also, we worked in a shoe store and corporate was really high on us doing suggestive selling with pairs of shoes.....for instance, suggesting coordinating pantyhose or a handbag with a pair of shoes... Suddenly, my vocabulary acquired the word "hose bag", to insult certain people. 🤪😂🤣

[@vassa1972]

Loved the show ever since '78 doctor Johnny fever was the last actor who died from the same operation that I had in February of this year colon cancer surgery I'm now 50 and a stroke and cardiac arrest and colon cancer survivor and use a electrical wheelchair when I'm outside of my apartment building here in Hamilton Ontario Canada

[@richardvervoorn6626]

Hope you’re doing well friend from here in Milton Ontario, Canada !

[@bobjohnson205]

Thankfully all or mostly covered by OHIP!

[@jasonbeard4713]

Bailey is my favorite.

[@garyhoward2490]

Bailey was Soooo adoreable!!!💕 My kinda girl!!

[@doylebrockman8225]

Bailey was the most talented, intelligent, common sense, unsung hero! All the other cast were awesome. Better than todays trash.

[@mikechappell4156]

I had forgotten how funny that show was. Definitely miss that era of television.

[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

The loves of my TV life: Mary Ann Summers (not Ginger) Laurie Partridge Bailey Quarters (not Jennifer) Pam Beesly Lucy Moran (Twin Peaks) *Loves me some hot nerd.*

[@robertfiorellino6070]

The old Maryann/Ginger argument. Maryann/Bailey every time.

[@nancyhey1012]

I always thought they were each individual personalities that worked well together. I don’t know why so many people made it into a contest between them. Same with Maryann and Ginger.

[@robertfiorellino6070]

@@nancyhey1012 really wasn't a contest, just a preference. Girl next door as opposed to hollywood glamour.

[@nancyhey1012]

@@robertfiorellino6070 That’s true, that’s a difference. I just thought that they both had their own merits as characters, they performed different roles, but each fit her role very well.

[@nancyhey1012]

@@robertfiorellino6070 m feeling is the show made Jennifer to have the Hollywood glamour because they thought that was what people looked for in a receptionist, who was the first person people see when they come into the station. But Jennifer was never vain about her looks, and she made it clear that she did not want to be treated just as a sex object. And fortunately, the people did not make Bailey feel like she was less attractive than Jennifer.

[@nancyhey1012]

@@robertfiorellino6070 Is it really true that the producers of WKRP were trying to model Bailey and Jennifer after Maryann and Ginger from Gillian’s Island, or was it just a coincidence that they had similarities to those characters?

[@faithinverity8523]

Fifty years later, I still get worked up when I see her.

[@bobjohnson205]

Not quite 50 years but I know what you mean!

[@user-er2ys7jh7e]

"Hold me closer, tiny dancer."❤❤❤❤

[@troynov1965]

9:40 MMMMMMM I always though Bailey had a knockout bod.

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

Look up "Jan Smithers dress" in Google Images. Yowza.

[@OttoByOgraffey]

*thought

[@timoutlaw9763]

Had such a crush on Bailey

[@mudcatz3564]

A great compilation of a great lady. I could just watch that woman breathe. With so many memorable scenes I expect it was difficult to pick what to include and what had to be left side-lined. Should you ever revisit I'd nominate her performance in the Who Tragedy show. She so tagged her scene. Again, great compilation. Cheers

[@larryradelet1503]

She’s awesome,had a crush on her back in the day.😊😊😊😊😊

[@felderup]

the black death shirt, i suppose they were on the show, i never realised who they were til a few years ago, now i'm interested.

[@willer3399]

I had forgotten the “I west my case” joke.

[@McRocket]

Very, nicely edited together. Thank you. ☮

[@stevenkloepping2953]

Nothing against Loni but Jan was better looking.

[@gz9520]

Loni was across the street hot. She looked good from across the street, but once you were on the same side of the street you could see all the makeup and plastic looking hair. Jan was the kind of women you could spend the rest of your life with.

[@stevenkloepping2953]

@@gz9520 Yep. Kind of the girl next door quality to her.

[@nancyhey1012]

@@gz9520my feeling is she made herself up that way because she thought that’s how the station wanted their receptionist to look.

[@4NINETYSIX]

Love the body style on her .

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

KMET 94.7 The Real life version of WKRP. They where in the same building Metro Media Square . Feb.14, 1987 R.I.P. KMET.

[@michaelmeden9117]

Smart, beautiful girl next door. And she is a buckeye! Perfect

[@willswalkingwest7267]

Sanders was a comedic genius.

[@thebob01]

9:46.......Love that Bailey Quarters

[@jamesstuart3346]

Gonna add "hosepail" to my arsenal of insults

[@davejones67]

Baily was hot!

[@moeshickenyay]

Had a huge crush on her.

[@vassa1972]

Great show

[@harrynilsson8711]

The crazy thing is on WKRP there were a few times where someone implied she was too plain-looking or not attractive enough, which greatly confused me....

[@mikentx57]

My favorite Baily line came from when she was asked once what did she know about God. "Well, I know she is black."

[@BadManWithAMadPlan]

When I was a kid I thought she made Loni Anderson look like a circus clown. When I got older she looked even better but Loni looked even more like a clown

[@salmonella508]

Now: “how come you never take me out to lunch?” “I avoid the HR office as much as possible”.

[@DylansPen]

Loni Anderson was all the rage back at this moment but Bailey was without a question da bomb.

[@louislepage5111]

Bailey was a beautiful lady, hands down 😊

[@mosriteminioncause7741]

Bailey could fool ya'....first the shy proper "news copy girl"...then the strong feminist at times...But when she put on the Black Death "T" and jeans...."She could really turn up the Heat!!!.... Bailey over Jennifer anytime!!!

[@mikearchibald744]

Lets all be fair, Bailey gets picked because guys feel like "at least I have a shot with her". Ranking women is pretty low brow, and for most of us its "here's two women who wouldnt' give us the time of day".

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

Hound dogs publicly pant for Jennifer but Bailey was their real object of attention.

[@arcanondrum6543]

Bailey and Jennifer were deliberate contrasts, of course, a reflection of the times. It's interesting that the question of Rachel or Monica was an update , Rachel and Monica (and the comparison rarely included Phoebe) looked far more alike than not. Women spending hours getting ready had been replaced with the Bailey types like Monica and Rachel, an emphasis on natural beauty versus the glamorous look. Loni Anderson was/is certainly attractive but I believe that even she would be grateful for a more natural look. I always had a crush on Bailey 7:43

[@davidwayne9982]

I think Bailey was WAY more sexy and gorgeous than the blonde.. she was REAL-- and BEAUTIFUL..!!!!

[@HailAnts]

I was 13 when this show started, so yeah, I liked Bailey! Loni Anderson did nothing for me, looks wise. She was a 'bombshell', which by the late seventies was an anachronism. She wasn't cute or pretty, she was just so made-up and funny looking. Big jugs only go so far. Jan Smithers was girl-next-door adorably cute..

[@nancyhey1012]

True, but Jennifer always resisted being stereotyped as a sex object. She put on a certain appearance because she thought that’s what the station wanted a receptionist to look like, but at the same time she wanted people to know that she had brains and not just looks.

[@oksana8100]

Meh...@@nancyhey1012

[@user-tb9rw7dh2t]

Bailey ❤

[@jimcarter6669]

Wow, in that singing shot, she sure did look like Donna Plato.

[@bribigby3539]

I was definitely Bailey over Jennifer 🥰

[@tedmich]

Newsweek cover March 21, 1966

[@temims]

Big time crush... my girl!

[@billthomas8994]

Teenage me had a deep crush on Bailey

[@waldoparsnip1025]

The " glasses "

[@blackrock1961]

Jennifer and Bailey were the new Ginger and Mary Ann.

[@bobjohnson205]

We never knew how good we had it!

[@davidbarraco2045]

Such a good looking woman

[@fluxfaze]

Reminds me of that Kristy MacColl song “Celestine”.

[@wpontius4355]

Jan was a very attractive woman!!