Loni Anderson, the beloved actress best known for her role on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died just one day before her 80th birthday. News of her passing emerged recently, with her publicist confirming she died following a prolonged illness at a hospital in Los Angeles.
Here’s what we know so far about Loni Anderson’s death.
Loni Anderson cause of death explained
Loni Anderson, known for her role as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, died on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 79 years old, just one day short of her 80th birthday. Her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed that the cause was a prolonged illness. (via The Guardian)
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a statement. A private family service is scheduled at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Anderson was born on August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her television breakthrough came with WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired from 1978 to 1982. The role earned her two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. Her character, Jennifer Marlowe, was portrayed as both glamorous and competent, often managing chaos at the fictional Ohio radio station.
In 1983, Anderson starred with Burt Reynolds in the film Stroker Ace. The pair later married and remained in the public eye until their divorce in 1994. She later described their relationship as “tabloidy” and “a spectacle all the time,” but called their son, Quinton Reynolds, “the best decision that we ever made.”
Anderson authored a memoir in 1995 titled My Life in High Heels, which she described as “about the growth of a woman, a woman who survives.” She said, “You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you’re telling the truth.”
Her final major acting role came in Lifetime’s Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas in 2023. Her surviving family includes her husband Bob Flick, daughter Deidra, son-in-law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, two grandchildren, a stepson, and two step-grandchildren.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon.net.
