Loni Anderson, WKRP in Cincinnati Star, Dies Just Days Before Her 80th Birthday

Loni Anderson has passed away just days before turning 80.

Her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed the news, stating that the beloved actress died at a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness, according to the Associated Press.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” her family said in a statement.

Anderson rose to fame as Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired from 1978 to 1982. Her performance earned her three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nods.

In a 2021 interview, the St. Paul, Minnesota native reflected on the role that cemented her as a sex symbol. “I never thought I would be Loni Anderson, sex symbol. But I embrace it,” she told Fox News. “I think I was lucky enough to have been able to play so many different things and sex symbol was a part of it.”

She added, “I took whatever my career threw at me. So I embrace it. And my granddaughters think it’s a hoot!”

Following the success of WKRP in Cincinnati, Anderson starred in the 1983 comedy Stroker Ace, where she met actor Burt Reynolds. Their on-set chemistry blossomed into a high-profile romance, and the couple married in 1988 during a private ceremony at Reynolds’ Florida ranch, as documented by PEOPLE.

“I’m a very lucky man,” Reynolds said at the time. “I’m surrounded by love and dear friends, and I married my best friend today.”

Anderson added, “I feel like Cinderella. I married Prince Charming.” Together, they adopted a son, Quinton.

The couple’s marriage eventually ended in divorce in 1994. In a candid 2015 interview with PEOPLE, Reynolds admitted, “It was a really dumb move on my part. I should have known that you don’t marry an actress.”

In his memoir But Enough About Me, Reynolds recounted financial tensions and lifestyle differences, writing, “She bought everything in triplicate, from everyday dresses to jewelry to china and linens… I gave her a platinum American Express card with a $45,000 credit limit. She maxed it out in half an hour.”

Anderson addressed their troubled relationship in a 1995 interview with SFGate, alleging that Reynolds physically abused her multiple times while under the influence. She also claimed he often failed to pay child support on time. Their divorce was not fully resolved until Reynolds wrote a $154,520 check in 2015, TMZ reported.

Despite the acrimony, Anderson paid tribute to Reynolds following his death in 2018, telling FOX News, “Quinton and I are extremely touched by the tremendous outpouring of love and support… Burt was a wonderful director and actor. He was a big part of my life for 12 years and Quinton’s father for 30 years. We will miss him and his great laugh.”

After her divorce from Reynolds, Anderson appeared in a variety of television roles, including stints on Nurses, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, V.I.P., and as Tori Spelling’s mother in So noTORIous.

In 1995, she published her memoir My Life in Heels, which explored her personal life, including her relationship with Reynolds and her efforts to hold her family together.

Anderson was married four times. Her first marriage was to Bruce Hasselberg in 1964, with whom she shared a daughter, Deirdra. The marriage ended in 1966. She later married actor Ross Bickell from 1974 to 1981, followed by her marriage to Reynolds. In 2008, she wed musician Bob Flick.

She is survived by her husband and two children.