Loni Anderson, star of WKRP in Cincinnati, has handed away at 79. Anderson was born in Minnesota in August 1945, and at age 21, she made her performing debut within the Steve McQueen-led Western Nevada Smith.
Her performing profession spanned a long time and included a number of well-known titles, like All Canine Go To Heaven, Sorry, Unsuitable Quantity, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. She documented her life, and most notably her marriage to and public divorce from Burt Reynolds, in her 1997 autobiography My Life in Excessive Heels.
On August 3, 2025, Anderson sadly handed away in a Los Angeles hospital from an ongoing sickness, two days earlier than her eightieth birthday. She leaves behind two youngsters. Steve Sauer, Anderson’s supervisor of 30 years and president/CEO of Media 4, shared that “Loni was a class act. Beautiful. Talented. Witty. ALWAYS a joy to be around.” He went on to say:
She was the last word working mom. Household first … and maintained an amazing stability together with her profession. She and I had fantastic adventures collectively that I shall eternally cherish. I’ll particularly miss that infectious chuckle of hers.
Loni Anderson Had An Spectacular Profession
The Actress Collected Quite a few Comedy Credit
Anderson is greatest identified for her work on WKRP Cincinnati, the place she performed Jennifer Marlowe, the sultry receptionist at WKRP radio station. Though she is, on paper, merely “eye candy” for the opposite radio station staff, Jennifer is definitely the neatest workers member. She’s assured, knowledgeable, versatile, and superb at her job. On high of that, she’s variety and pleasant to all of her coworkers.
Appearing alongside Gary Sandy, Richard Sander, Gordon Leap, and Howard Hesseman, to call just a few, WKRP earned a complete of 10 Emmy nominations throughout its 4-year run, of which Anderson was nominated for 2. After WKRP, Anderson had supporting roles within the sitcoms Three’s Firm, Empty Nests, So Infamous, and The Mullets. She additionally starred within the TV reveals Companions in Crime (1994), Straightforward Avenue (1986-1987), and Nurses (1993-1994).
Exterior of her sitcom profession, Anderson lent her voice to Flo in 1989’s All Canine Go to Heaven, starred as Cathy in 1992’s Munchie, a fantasy comedy film a couple of younger boy who meets a pleasant creature with magic powers, starred alongside Hulk Hogan in 3 Ninjas: Excessive Midday at Mega Mountain, and performed Barbara in A Night time on the Roxbury, a film based mostly on “The Roxbury Guys” sketch from SNL.
Most not too long ago, Anderson starred alongside Morgan Fairchild, Nicolette Sheridan, Linda Grey and Donna Mills for Women of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, a Lifetime film that follows 5 cleaning soap opera stars who reunite to shoot one ultimate, Christmas-themed episode of their long-running present. It was Anderson’s final function earlier than her dying.
Remembering Loni Anderson
A number of Stars Have Paid Tribute To the TV Star
Loni Anderson’s passing has come as an enormous shock for a lot of. Barbara Eden, star of I Dream of Jeannie, wrote a heartfelt tribute to Anderson on X:
Morgan Fairchild, who co-starred alongside Anderson within the film Women of the ’80s, described her heartbreak at Anderson’s passing. She described her late buddy as “the sweetest, most gracious lady” in a tribute on X.
Anderson will all the time be remembered for her spectacular TV profession and sheer rebuttal of stereotypes; her function as Jennifer Marlowe broke the mould for a lady on display screen, and the character always challenged sexist stereotypes.
Supply: The Hollywood Reporter
