Loni Anderson, Star of ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ Dies at 79

Loni Anderson, the glamorous television actress best remembered for her breakout role as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died at the age of 79 in Los Angeles after a prolonged illness, her longtime publicist confirmed.

Anderson’s portrayal of the sharp and poised receptionist on the CBS sitcom earned her two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations during the show's original run from 1978 to 1982. Her performance helped redefine the blonde bombshell trope—proving that beauty and brains could go hand-in-hand on prime-time television.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a statement. “She passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.”

Born Loni Kaye Anderson on August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota, she grew up aspiring to act while raising her daughter as a single mother. After moving to Los Angeles in 1975, she quickly found television work, landing roles in popular series such as SWAT, Three’s Company, The Incredible Hulk, and The Love Boat.

Her big break came when WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson cast her as Jennifer Marlowe, a role she famously accepted only after insisting the character be rewritten to be intelligent as well as beautiful. “I was against being like a blond window dressing person,” Anderson told Australian television in 2017. “Jennifer was the smartest person in the room.”

Beyond WKRP, Anderson's television career spanned more than 60 credits, including starring roles in TV movies and mini-series. In 1980, she played Jayne Mansfield in The Jayne Mansfield Story opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. Her film career included the 1983 NASCAR comedy Stroker Ace, where she met her future husband, actor Burt Reynolds.

Their marriage in 1988 and contentious divorce in 1993 became tabloid fodder for years. The couple adopted a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds. Despite the acrimonious split, Anderson would later reflect that they had remained friends in the end. “We were friends first and friends last,” she said in a 2019 interview.

Anderson continued to act into her later years, most recently appearing in the 2023 Lifetime holiday film Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, alongside fellow television legends Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, and Nicollette Sheridan.

“She was a class act,” said Steve Sauer, Anderson’s manager of 30 years. “Beautiful. Talented. Witty. Always a joy to be around. She will be forever missed.”

In 2008, Anderson married Bob Flick, a founding member of the folk group The Brothers Four. The couple had first met in 1963 during a publicity event and reconnected decades later.

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

With her signature bleach-blond hair, sparkling eyes, and comedic timing, Anderson became a defining image of late-’70s television. Yet it was her insistence on playing roles with intelligence and depth that made her a trailblazer for women on screen.

Reflecting on her career, Anderson once said: “We were kind of put into our image. Into our Loni-suit.” But it was a suit she wore with humor, poise, and pride.

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