Loni Anderson, Iconic ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Star and Hollywood Talent, Dies at 79
Loni Anderson Obituary, Cause of Death, Los Angeles, CA — Loni Anderson, the glamorous, sharp-witted actress who redefined the “dumb blonde” stereotype as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died at the age of 79. Anderson passed away Sunday in Los Angeles following what was described by her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, as “an acute prolonged illness.”
While an exact medical cause of death has not been disclosed publicly, her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, told Deadline that the cause of death was ‘an acute prolonged illness.’ The lack of specific details has led to speculation, but reports confirm Anderson had faced ongoing health challenges in recent years.
Notably, she was a vocal advocate for lung health awareness, having campaigned for COPD prevention due to her parents’ experience with the disease. However, there is no confirmed link between her advocacy and the illness that led to her passing.
An Emmy nominee and a household name through the late ’70s and ’80s, Anderson became a pop culture fixture with her performance as the stylish and savvy radio station receptionist — a role that challenged television norms and earned her critical acclaim.
Breaking the Mold on WKRP
Born Loni Kaye Anderson on August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota, she was raised by her chemist father and model mother. She graduated from Alexander Ramsey High School in 1963 and later attended the University of Minnesota as an art student, finishing second in the 1964 Miss Minnesota pageant.
Anderson launched her acting career onstage in her hometown, where veteran actor Pat O’Brien encouraged her to pursue film and television. She moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s and found steady guest roles on popular series like Barnaby Jones, Police Woman, and S.W.A.T.
But it was her iconic role on WKRP in Cincinnati — created by Hugh Wilson — that made her a star. Initially skeptical of the role, Anderson advocated for a more empowered version of Jennifer Marlowe, refusing to be reduced to eye candy.
“I said, ‘I don’t want to play this part because she’s just delivering messages,’” Anderson recalled in a 2020 interview. “Hugh said, ‘Let’s make her look like Lana Turner and be the smartest person in the room.’”
Her character didn’t type, file, or fetch coffee. Instead, Jennifer commanded the office with intelligence and poise, turning the traditional secretary trope on its head.
She appeared in 89 of the show’s 90 episodes between 1978 and 1982, earning back-to-back Emmy nominations in 1980 and 1981.
Life Beyond WKRP
Anderson’s post-WKRP career included TV movie remakes of Leave Her to Heaven, Sorry, Wrong Number, and Three Coins in the Fountain, as well as portrayals of Jayne Mansfield and Thelma Todd in biopics. She also starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) and appeared in Stroker Ace (1983) with Burt Reynolds, whom she would later marry.
The couple’s 1988 wedding — held on Reynolds’ Florida ranch and sealed with a custom seven-carat canary diamond ring — was widely covered by the press and seemed picture-perfect. However, their relationship deteriorated dramatically.
Their divorce in 1994 was highly publicized and contentious, with allegations of infidelity and abuse traded in tabloids and courtrooms. Financial disputes lingered for decades until Reynolds finally issued a settlement check in 2015. Despite the turbulence, Anderson delivered a eulogy at Reynolds’ 2018 funeral and kept his ashes.
A Television Mainstay
Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Anderson continued working steadily in both comedy and drama. She starred in Partners in Crime with Lynda Carter, played herself in The Lonely Guy (1984), and reunited with WKRP creator Hugh Wilson in Easy Street (1986).
She also had recurring roles on Melrose Place, Nurses, and So Notorious, and lent her voice to All Dogs Go to Heaven alongside Reynolds. While she turned down a role on Designing Women, she reprised her role as Jennifer in The New WKRP in Cincinnati in the early ’90s.
Anderson’s Hollywood career was characterized by versatility, charisma, and a willingness to challenge the status quo for women in television.
Personal Life and Legacy
Anderson was married four times. Her fourth husband, Bob Flick of the folk group The Brothers Four, was a high school sweetheart she reconnected with and married in 2008.
She is survived by her daughter Deidra, her adopted son Quinton (with Reynolds), grandchildren Megan and McKenzie, stepson Adam, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.
A private family memorial will be held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, with a larger celebration of life planned for a future date.
“Loni was a class act — beautiful, talented, witty,” said Steve Sauer, her longtime manager. “She was the ultimate working mother, always putting family first while balancing a remarkable career. I’ll miss her infectious chuckle most of all.”
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations in her name to the National Lung Health Education Program and the American Cancer Society.
