Loni Anderson biography: death, career

Loni Anderson (August 5, 1945  – August 3, 2025) was an American actress celebrated for her iconic portrayal of Jennifer Marlowe, the smart and glamorous receptionist on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–82). She earned three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nods, rising to fame as a 1980s television icon.

Loni Anderson – Early Life

She born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to an environmental chemist father and former model mother, Loni grew up in Roseville. She was crowned Queen of her high school’s Valentine’s formal in 1963. Initially her father planned to name her Leilani, but opted for Loni due to teenage teasing concerns.

She attended the University of Minnesota studying art, financed by winning local beauty pageants like Miss Roseville, Miss Thermo‑Jac Clothing, and more. At 18, she married Bruce Hasselberg and had her daughter Deidra, later divorcing and balancing motherhood and teaching while pursuing college.

Loni Anderson – Career

Her first screen role was an uncredited bit part in Nevada Smith (1966) with Steve McQueen. After nearly a decade off‑screen, she returned through guest television roles in the mid‑1970s on S.W.A.T., Phyllis, Police Woman, Harry O., and an appearance on Three’s Company which put her on the network’s radar.

In 1978 she landed her breakthrough role as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati. The producers selected her after seeing a swimsuit poster that evoked Farrah Fawcett, noting her resemblance to Jayne Mansfield combined with Monroe‑style innocence. She insisted on portraying Jennifer as intelligent and self‑possessed—not a one‑note blonde caricature. That performance earned her multiple awards recognition and made her a household name.

She also starred in TV movies and series like The Jayne Mansfield Story, Partners in Crime, Easy Street, Nurses, So NoTORIous, and voiced Flo in All Dogs Go to Heaven. Her final appearance was in 2023’s Lifetime holiday film Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas.

Loni Anderson – Death

Loni Anderson passed away on August 3, 2025, in a Los Angeles hospital after what was described as a “prolonged illness,” just two days shy of her 80th birthday. She was 79.
Her family released a heartfelt statement:
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother.”

Loni Anderson – Personal life

Loni Anderson was married four times—first to Bruce Hasselberg (1964–66), with whom she had a daughter, Deidra; then to actor Ross Bickell (1974–81), with whom she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting; followed by a high-profile marriage to Burt Reynolds (1988–94), her Stroker Ace co-star, with whom she adopted a son, Quinton; and finally to Bob Flick (2008–2025), a folk musician from The Brothers Four and longtime friend. She had two children and was a proud grandmother. A passionate advocate for COPD awareness, Anderson’s activism was driven by her parents’ battles with smoking-related lung disease.

Filmography

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