Loni Anderson: ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Star Who was Once Married to Burt Reynolds Dies Aged 79 After ‘Prolonged Illness’

Loni Anderson, best known for her role as a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the popular sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died on Sunday, days before her 80th birthday. Anderson, who was married to the late Hollywood icon Burt Reynolds from 1988 to 1994, died at a Los Angeles hospital after a “prolonged illness,” her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, said.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a heartbreaking statement. Airing from 1978 to 1982, “WKRP in Cincinnati” was set against the backdrop of a struggling radio station in Ohio trying to reinvent itself by switching to rock music.

A Star Is Gone

The show’s cast included Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner, and Jan Smithers, with Anderson portraying the clever and glamorous Jennifer Marlowe. As the receptionist at the radio station, the blonde and stylish Jennifer skillfully used her charm to fend off bothersome business calls for her boss, Mr. Carlson.

Her competence frequently held the station together amid the chaos caused by others’ shortcomings.

The role earned Anderson two Emmy nominations and three nods for the Golden Globe Awards.

She also appeared opposite Burt Reynolds in the 1983 comedy Stroker Ace. The pair later married and became regulars in the tabloids until their highly publicized split in 1994.

During the 2021 unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds’ Hollywood gravesite, she said that their son, Quinton Reynolds, was “the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship.”

“I think back to the beginning of our relationship; it was so, oh, gosh, tabloidy. We were just a spectacle all the time. And it was hard to have a relationship in that atmosphere. And somehow, we did it through many ups and downs,” Anderson told The Associated Press.

Troubled Marriage

Anderson opened up about their rocky marriage in her 1995 memoir “My Life in High Heels”, which she described as a story about “the growth of a woman, a woman who survives.” “I think if you’re going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all,” Anderson told the AP while promoting the book.

“You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you’re telling the truth.”

Anderson was married four times, with her most recent marriage to Bob Flick in 2008.

Born on August 5, 1945, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she was the daughter of a model and an environmental chemist.

She made her acting debut in 1966 with a small role in “Nevada Smith”, which starred Steve McQueen. Much of her career focused on television, beginning with guest appearances in the 1970s on shows like “S.W.A.T.” and “Police Woman”. After her success on “WKRP in Cincinnati”, Anderson went on to lead the short-lived sitcom “Easy Street” and starred in several TV movies, including “A Letter to Three Wives and White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd.”

Despite her medical diagnosis, Anderson remained committed to her work and took on a co-starring role in “Lifetime’s Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas”, alongside Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, and Nicollette Sheridan. The popular holiday film premiered on December 2, 2023, as part of Lifetime’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” seasonal lineup.

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

According to her publicist, a private family service will be held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.