TV actress Loni Anderson known for "WKRP in Cincinnati" dies at 79

Loni Anderson, best remembered for playing the savvy receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the beloved sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, has died. She was 79.

Her family shared the news in a statement:

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother.”

Anderson passed away Sunday in a Los Angeles hospital after a prolonged illness, according to her longtime publicist Cheryl J. Kagan. Her 80th birthday would have been just days away.

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

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A closer look at Loni Anderson’s life on and off screen

Loni Anderson was pop culture fixture of the late '70s and early '80s, who rose to fame on WKRP in Cincinnati, a workplace comedy about a struggling Ohio radio station switching to a rock format.

The show ran from 1978 to 1982 and developed a cult following with its quirky ensemble cast, including Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner, and Jan Smithers.

As Jennifer Marlowe, Anderson portrayed more than just a glamorous face at the front desk. She was clever, confident, and one step ahead of the station’s chaos, often the only one who truly kept things running.

The actress' comedic timing and charm earned her two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods.

Offscreen, Loni Anderson’s life also captured headlines, especially during her marriage to actor Burt Reynolds. The two starred together in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and became tabloid regulars throughout their relationship. They divorced in 1994.

In 2019, Anderson revealed that she and Reynolds were on good terms before he passed a year prior. She told Closer Weekly:

“We were friends first and friends last. It’s time to move on.”

She added:

“We have this wonderful child together. Having a son was a big event in our lives and so everything revolved around him.”

Despite declaring in 1995 that their marriage was far from a fairy tale, the reconciliation was made possible with the help of their son Quinton.

In 2023, the actress made a rare public appearance in Beverly Hills with her husband Bob Flick. The couple was among the stars invited to the It's A Wonderful Lifetime Christmas event.

Anderson and Flick tied the knot in 2008, but their connection began long before their marriage. The two first crossed paths at a movie premiere in Minneapolis, Anderson’s hometown, where she had been assigned by a local paper to pose as a “lucky young fan” with his folk group, The Brothers Four.

Meanwhile, apart from WKRP in Cincinatti, Loni Anderson also appeared in numerous shows and films, such as Partners in Crime (1984), Nurses (1993-1994), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1997), The Mullets (2003-2004), My Sister is So Gay (2016-2020), and more.