Actress Loni Anderson, best known for playing receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati, passed away on Sunday at the age of 79.
Her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, said Anderson died from “an acute prolonged illness,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Newsweek contacted Anderson’s representative for comments on Monday.
Why This Matters
Anderson became famous because of her role on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired from 1978 to 1982. She earned two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations for her work on the show.
She also acted in movies like A Night at the Roxbury, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Stroker Ace. During Stroker Ace, she met and later married actor Burt Reynolds in 1988. They divorced in 1994.
More About Her
Anderson died on August 3 in a hospital in Los Angeles, just days before turning 80.
Her family shared a statement saying, “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, and grandmother,” according to The Associated Press.
In a 2021 interview with Fox News, Anderson talked about being seen as a sex symbol on WKRP in Cincinnati.
She said, “I remember we all did posters back then. People always asked me why I did a poster. I said, ‘Because someday my grandchildren will see this, and I can tell them I really looked like that.’ What you saw was real.”
Anderson, from Minnesota, added, “I never thought I would be a sex symbol, but I accepted it. I was lucky to play many different roles, and being a sex symbol was part of that. I took whatever my career gave me.”
What Others Said
Steve Sauer, Anderson’s manager for 30 years, told The Hollywood Reporter, “Loni was classy, beautiful, talented, and funny. She was always fun to be around and the best working mom. Family came first, and she balanced that with her career. I will miss her laugh the most.”
Barbara Eden, star of I Dream of Jeannie and a longtime friend, wrote on social media, “I am shocked and heartbroken. Loni was very talented, smart, funny, and a hard worker. She was also a kind and good person. My condolences to her family and friends.”
Other celebrities like Morgan Fairchild, Robert Hays, and comedian Loni Love also shared their sadness and memories of Anderson.
What’s Next?
There are no public plans yet for Anderson’s funeral.
She is survived by her husband Bob Flick, her daughter Deidra, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, stepson Adam Flick, two granddaughters, and two step-grandchildren.
