Loni Anderson, the actress best known for her role as the intelligent receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the hit television comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Sunday, August 3, 2025, at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 79 years old, passing just two days before her 80th birthday on August 5.
Anderson died following what her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, described as an acute prolonged illness. Her family released a statement expressing their heartbreak at announcing the passing of their dear wife, mother, and grandmother.
Born Loni Kaye Anderson on August 5, 1945, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Klaydon “Andy” Anderson, an environmental chemist, and Maxine Hazel Kallin, a former model. The family later moved to nearby Roseville, where Anderson attended Alexander Ramsey Senior High School and was voted Queen of the Valentine’s Day Winter Formal in 1963.
Anderson was naturally dark-haired and studied art at the University of Minnesota, initially considering a career as an animator. Her acting career began with a small, uncredited role opposite Steve McQueen in “Nevada Smith” in 1966. After returning home and taking a teaching job, she became involved in community theater, including a pivotal performance in “Born Yesterday” at the Friars Dinner Theatre.
During that production, Anderson purchased a $19.95 blond wig to match her character’s appearance. She concealed her natural hair color from the director until opening night, when she removed the wig backstage. Anderson later reflected, “The lighter my hair got, the more work I got.” This revelation prompted her to dye her hair platinum blond permanently and relocate to Hollywood in 1975.
In 1978, Anderson auditioned for the role of Jennifer Marlowe on “WKRP in Cincinnati,” created by Hugh Wilson for MTM Enterprises. Initially hesitant about the role, Anderson successfully lobbied to transform the character from mere window dressing into the smartest person in the room. The show, which aired from 1978 to 1982, followed a struggling Ohio radio station attempting to reinvent itself with rock music.
Anderson starred in 89 of the show’s 90 episodes during its four-season run, earning two Emmy nominations in 1980 and 1981, along with three Golden Globe nominations. Her portrayal of Jennifer Marlowe subverted the typical dumb blonde stereotype, presenting an elegant, composed character who efficiently managed the radio station despite her colleagues’ incompetence.
Following “WKRP,” Anderson appeared in the 1983 comedy “Stroker Ace” alongside Burt Reynolds, whom she had first met in 1981 on “The Merv Griffin Show.” The two began dating in 1982 and married on April 29, 1988, during a ceremony at Reynolds’ 160-acre ranch in Jupiter, Florida. During the wedding, Reynolds presented Anderson with a seven-carat canary yellow diamond ring surrounded by smaller white diamonds.
The couple adopted a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, in August 1988. Anderson later described Quinton as the best decision they ever made in their relationship. However, their marriage became tabloid fodder and ended in a contentious divorce that was finalized in 1994, with Reynolds ultimately paying Anderson almost a quarter of a million dollars.
Anderson detailed their tumultuous relationship in her 1995 autobiography “My Life in High Heels,” which became a New York Times bestseller. She described the book as being about the growth of a woman who survives, emphasizing her commitment to telling the complete truth about her experiences.
Following her divorce from Reynolds, Anderson continued working in television and film. She starred in the NBC comedy “Easy Street” from 1986 to 1988, playing a former showgirl who inherits wealth after her younger husband’s death. She also appeared in made-for-television movies, including “The Jayne Mansfield Story” in 1980, “White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd” in 1991, and remakes of classic films such as “Leave Her to Heaven” and “Sorry, Wrong Number.”
In 2008, Anderson married Bob Flick, a founding member of the folk group The Brothers Four. Their connection dated back to 1963, when Anderson was still in high school and had been hired by a local newspaper to pose for pictures with Flick’s visiting band at a movie premiere in Minneapolis. They remained married until her death.
Anderson made her final acting appearance in 2023’s “Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas” on Lifetime, starring alongside Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, and Nicollette Sheridan. Fairchild paid tribute to Anderson on social media, describing her as the sweetest and most gracious lady.
Anderson is survived by her husband Bob Flick, daughter Deidra from her first marriage to Bruce Hasselberg, son Quinton, and two grandchildren.