‘WKRP In Cincinnati’ Star Loni Anderson Dies At 79

• Loni Anderson died on Sunday, August 3, at the age of 79.
• Her passing follows a battle with a “prolonged” illness.
• Anderson is remembered as an actress whose resume spans almost six decades, and most memorably a powerful performance as Jennifer Marlowe in ‘WKRP in Cincinnati.’

 

On August 3, actress Loni Anderson died. She was 79 years old when she passed. According to her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, her death follows a battle with a “prolonged” illness. Anderson passed at a Los Angeles hospital, and news of her death comes from a family statement, as reported by AP.

Across almost six decades of work, Anderson became known for her timeless role as Jennifer Marlowe in the CBS program WKRP in Cincinnati. She maintained the role from 1978 to 1982, and her performance earned Anderson three Golden Globe Awards nominations and two Emmy Awards nominations.

Mourning the passing of Loni Anderson

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” shared Anderson’s family in a statement. Anderson is survived by her husband since 2008, Bob Flick, daughter Deidra, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, son-in law Charlie Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.

Besides Flick, Anderson had been married three times previously: first to Bruce Hasselberg from 1964 to 1966, then to Ross Bickell from 1974 to 1981, and then to Burt Reynolds from 1988 to 1994. 1983’s Stroker Ace had seen Anderson star alongside Reynolds, almost a decade before the two would star in a media firestorm laser-focused on their messy divorce. This particular relationship became one of the driving topics behind her 1995 autobiography, My Life in High Heels, which Anderson described as being about “the growth of a woman, a woman who survives,” according to AP.

Tuning in for television greatness

Loni Anderson began her acting career in the early 1970s with guest roles on television series such as S.W.A.T., Police Woman, and The Bob Newhart Show. A former Miss Minnesota runner-up, she moved to Los Angeles with modeling experience and quickly found steady work in TV, often cast for her striking looks. Her big break came in 1978 when she was cast as Jennifer Marlowe, the glamorous receptionist on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Producers reportedly cast her after seeing a publicity photo of her in a bikini—highlighting both the era’s casting dynamics and the immediate magnetism she brought to the screen.

As Jennifer Marlowe, Anderson became one of the most recognizable TV stars of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her portrayal broke expectations by making the “blonde bombshell” character witty, composed, and highly competent, often outsmarting her male colleagues. WKRP in Cincinnati ran for four seasons and earned Anderson two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods. She also starred in TV movies like The Jayne Mansfield Story, where she played Mansfield opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mickey Hargitay, and took leading roles in made-for-TV films throughout the ’80s and ’90s. Though she never landed a long-term follow-up sitcom hit, she remained a familiar name and face in television for decades.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Anderson took on recurring roles in series such as Melrose Place and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and appeared in various reality and variety specials. She became equally well-known for her personal life, particularly her high-profile marriage to actor Burt Reynolds, which ended in a bitter and widely publicized divorce in 1993. Later in life, she shifted her focus to advocacy, particularly raising awareness for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a personal topic as it affected her parents. While she never returned to starring roles, Anderson maintained a steady presence in pop culture through interviews, retrospectives, and public appearances celebrating her place in television history.