Loni Anderson, best known for her iconic role as Jennifer Marlowe on the hit sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati", has died at the age of 79. Her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed that Anderson passed away Sunday at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, just days before her 80th birthday on August 5.
"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, and grandmother," her family said in a statement.
Anderson became a household name in the late 1970s thanks to "WKRP in Cincinnati", which aired from 1978 to 1982. The series centered around a struggling Ohio radio station attempting to reinvent itself with a rock music format. As the station's poised and alluring receptionist, Jennifer Marlowe, Anderson brought both comedic timing and intelligence to a role that could have easily been a stereotype. Her portrayal was widely praised for breaking the mold of the typical "blonde bombshell," blending charm with confidence and smarts.
Born on August 5, 1945, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Anderson was the daughter of an environmental chemist and a model. She began her acting career with a small role in the 1966 film Nevada Smith, starring Steve McQueen, and went on to appear in various television shows during the 1970s, including "S.W.A.T." and "Police Woman".
After WKRP, Anderson starred in the short-lived series "Easy Street" and appeared in numerous TV movies, including "A Letter to Three Wives" and "White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd". Most recently, she co-starred in Lifetime's 2023 holiday movie "Ladies Of The 80s: A Divas Christmas", alongside fellow TV icons Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, and Nicollette Sheridan.
"I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of the wonderful Loni Anderson!" Fairchild wrote on social media. "The sweetest, most gracious lady! I'm just devastated to hear this."
Off-screen, Anderson's personal life often made headlines, especially her high-profile relationship with actor Burt Reynolds. The two starred together in the 1983 comedy Stroker Ace and were married from 1988 until their highly publicized divorce in 1994. Despite their ups and downs, Anderson later reflected on their son, Quinton Reynolds, as "the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship."
"I think back to the beginning of our relationship, it was so, oh, gosh, tabloidy. We were just a spectacle all the time. And it was hard to have a relationship in that atmosphere. And somehow, we did it through many ups and downs," she told the Associated Press in 2021, while attending the unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds' Hollywood gravesite.
In 1995, she released her candid autobiography "My Life in High Heels", which chronicled her journey through Hollywood and personal adversity. "I think if you're going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all," she said. "You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you're telling the truth."
Anderson was married four times, most recently to musician Bob Flick, one of the founders of the folk group The Brothers Four, in 2008.
She is survived by Flick, her daughter Deidra and son-in-law Charlie Hoffman, her son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and his wife Helene, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.
A private family service is planned at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, according to her publicist.
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