Loni Anderson, smart and sexy star of 'WKRP in Cincinnati,' dies at 79
Loni Anderson, best known for her role on the 1970s and '80s TV sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati," has died at 79.
Anderson, who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS comedy about the staff of an AM radio station in Ohio, died in a Los Angeles hospital at noon PT on Sunday, Aug. 3, after "an acute prolonged illness," the actress' representative, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed to Paste BN.
She was surrounded by her family, who wrote in a statement: "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother."
Anderson earned two Primetime Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods for her performance as Marlowe during the four-year run of "WKRP."
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Aug. 5, 1945, to environmental chemist Klaydon Carl Anderson and model Maxine Hazel Kallin, Anderson got her showbiz start on the beauty pageant circuit. She was a runner-up in the Miss Minnesota competition, and she collected the titles Miss Thermo-Jac Clothing, Miss County Style Ford and Queen of the Hole-In-One.
Anderson, who studied art at the University of Minnesota, transitioned to an acting career with appearances in local commercials and theater shows. After her first marriage to Bruce Hasselberg, Anderson married fellow actor Ross Bickell, and the couple moved to Los Angeles in 1975 to pursue their dreams of stardom in the film and television industry.
The budding actress, who was born a brunette, dyed her dark locks platinum blonde as she cut her teeth with minor roles on the 1970s series "Barnaby Jones," "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Three's Company."
Anderson landed the role of Marlowe on "WKRP" toward the end of the decade, insisting that the character be rewritten from a stereotypical dumb blonde before she'd accept it. The savvy bombshell proved to be her breakout role and helped transform Anderson into a sex symbol. A pinup photo of the actress in a skimpy white bikini was one of the best-selling posters of the '70s.
She garnered a reputation as the "Queen of Made-for-TV Movies" and starred as Jayne Mansfield in 1980's "The Jayne Mansfield Story." In her later years, she appeared in Lifetime's "Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" with Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan.
Anderson and Bickell divorced in 1981, and the actress's next marriage was to movie star Burt Reynolds. The couple, who met on the set of the 1983 racing comedy "Stroker Ace," married in 1988 and later adopted a child, a son named Quinton.
Anderson and Reynolds divorced in 1994. Their split was defined by a headline-making court battle over their son, which included accusations of a tumultuous marriage.
Despite their contentious breakup, she remembered Reynolds fondly after his death in 2018 and praised him as "a wonderful director and actor."
"He was a big part of my life for 12 years and Quinton's loving father for 30 years," Anderson said in a statement at the time. "We will miss him and his great laugh."
In 1995, she published her autobiography, "My Life in High Heels," a New York Times bestseller.
Anderson is survived by her husband, Bob Flick (they wed in 2008), daughter Deidra, son Quinton, stepson Adam Flick and four grandchildren.
A private family service will be held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at a future date.
Contributing: Kim Willis and Bryan Alexander
(This story has been updated to add new information and video.)