Loni Anderson, Star of 'WKRP in Cincinnati,' Passes Away

Loni Anderson, who played the empowered receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the hit TV comedy "WKRP in Cincinnati," died Sunday just days before her 80th birthday. She was 79.

Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan.

"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother," Anderson's family said in a statement.

"WKRP in Cincinnati" aired from 1978 to 1982 and was set in a flagging Ohio radio station trying to reinvent itself with rock music. The cast included Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner, and Jan Smithers, alongside Anderson as Jennifer Marlowe, whose good looks were matched by her intelligence.

As the station's receptionist, Jennifer routinely deflected unwanted business calls for her boss, Mr. Carlson. Her efficiency often kept the station running in the face of others' incompetence.

The role earned Anderson two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.

Anderson starred on the big screen alongside Burt Reynolds in the 1983 comedy "Stroker Ace," and the two later married and became tabloid fixtures before their messy breakup in 1994.

"The best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship" was having son Quinton Reynolds, she said during the unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds' Hollywood grave site in 2021.

"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," Anderson told The Associated Press.

Anderson detailed their tumultuous marriage in her 1995 autobiography, "My Life in High Heels." She married four times, most recently to Bob Flick in 2008.

Anderson was born Aug. 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her first role as an actress was a small part in the 1966 film "Nevada Smith," starring Steve McQueen. Most of her career was spent on the small screen with early guest parts in the 1970s on "S.W.A.T." and "Police Woman."

In 2023, she co-starred in Lifetime's "Ladies Of The 80s: A Divas Christmas" with 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 Instagram. "The sweetest, most gracious lady! I'm just devastated to hear this."

Anderson is survived by Flick, her daughter Deidra and son-in-law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.

A private family service is planned at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Kagan said.