BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 17: Actress Loni Anderson attends the 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 17, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
FilmMagic
Loni Anderson, who rose to fame in her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated role as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, died Sunday in Los Angeles following an acute prolonged illness, surrounded by family, according to publicist Cheryl Kagan. She was two days short of turning 80.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, and grandmother,” the family said in a statement.
A familiar face in American television during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Anderson was born on August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She made her film debut in 1966 with a small role in the Steve McQueen Western Nevada Smith. But it would be nearly a decade before her career began to gain traction. During that time, she balanced her Hollywood aspirations with sporadic guest roles on shows such as S.W.A.T., Harry O, Phyllis, and Police Story.
Anderson was briefly considered for the role of Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company, which ultimately went to Suzanne Somers. Her audition, however, led to guest appearances in two episodes of the show and helped boost her visibility.
Her breakthrough came in 1978 with WKRP in Cincinnati, where she played the smart, poised, and glamorous Jennifer Marlowe for the show’s four-season run. Her performance upended the “dumb blonde” stereotype and earned her three Golden Globe nominations and two Primetime Emmy nods. The series, centered on a struggling radio station, became a cult favorite and cemented Anderson’s place in pop culture history.
LOS ANGELES – SEPTEMBER 18: (Pictured left to right) Richard Sanders (as news director Les Nessman), Frank Bonner (as advertising salesman Herb Tarlek), Loni Anderson (as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe), Gordon Jump (as general manager Arthur ‘Big Guy’ Carlson),Howard Hesseman (as morning disk jockey Dr. Johnny Fever), Gary Sandy (as radio program director Andy Travis), Jan Smithers (as assistant and traffic coordinator Bailey Quarters) and Tim Reid (as nighttime disc jockey Venus Flytrap) star on WKRP in Cincinnati, a CBS television situation comedy about characters at a radio station. Originally broadcast September 18, 1978. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
CBS via Getty Images
Outside of WKRP, Anderson maintained a steady presence in both television and film. She starred in short-lived series such as Partners in Crime (alongside Lynda Carter) and Easy Street, and portrayed Jayne Mansfield in the 1980 made-for-TV film The Jayne Mansfield Story, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. More guest appearances on television following, included series The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Melrose Place, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Later in life, Anderson turned her attention to advocacy, particularly for COPD awareness, following her parents’ battles with the disease. She chronicled her personal and professional journey in her 1995 memoir, My Life in High Heels.
Anderson was married four times, most famously to actor Burt Reynolds. The couple adopted a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, during their marriage. In 2008, she wed Bob Flick, a founding member of the folk group The Brothers Four, whom she remained with until her death.
In addition to Flick and Quinton, Anderson is survived by other family members who were by her side in her final days.
Funeral arrangements will be private, the family said. A public celebration of her life is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.