LA
Loni Anderson
Actor
Born August 5, 1945Died August 3, 2025 (79 years)
Loni Kaye Anderson (August 5, 1945 – August 3, 2025) was an American actress who played the role of Jennifer Marlowe on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.
Anderson was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, August 5, 1945, the daughter of Maxine Hazel (née Kallin), a model, and Klaydon Carl "Andy" Anderson, an environmental chemist and grew up in suburban Roseville. As a senior at Alexander Ramsey Senior High School in Roseville in 1963, she was voted Valentine Queen of Valentine's Day Winter Formal. She attended the University of Minnesota. As she says in her autobiography, My Life in High Heels, her father was originally going to name her "Leiloni," but then realized to his horror that when she got to her teen years it was liable to be twisted into "Lay Loni." So it was changed to just plain "Loni." Anderson's most famous acting role came as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati. Her pinup photo in a bikini became one of the best-selling wall posters of the 1970s. She and husband Burt Reynolds made one film together, the 1983 stock-car racing comedy Stroker Ace, a huge box-office failure. Shortly after her divorce from Reynolds, she appeared as a regular in the final season (1993–1994) on the NBC sitcom Nurses. Anderson portrayed actress Jayne Mansfield in a made-for-TV biopic with Arnold Schwarzenegger as her husband, Mickey Hargitay. She teamed with Lynda Carter in a 1984 television series, Partners in Crime. Anderson made a series of cameo appearances on television shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as the Spellmans' "witch-trash" cousin on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Vallery Irons' mother on V.I.P. Anderson has been married four times; her first three marriages were to: Bruce Hasselberg (1964–1966), Ross Bickell (1973–1981), and actor (and one-time co-star) Burt Reynolds (1988–1993). On May 17, 2008, Anderson married musician Bob Flick, one of the founding members of the folk band The Brothers Four. The couple had met at a movie premiere in Anderson's native Minneapolis a few years after Flick's group hit No. 2 on the pop charts with "Greenfields" in 1960. The ceremony was attended by friends and family, including son Quinton Reynolds. She has two children: a daughter, Deidra Hoffman (from her first marriage), who is a school administrator in California; and a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds (born August 31, 1988), whom she and Burt Reynolds adopted. Her autobiography, My Life in High Heels, was published in 1997.
She died at a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness on August 3, 2025.
Anderson was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, August 5, 1945, the daughter of Maxine Hazel (née Kallin), a model, and Klaydon Carl "Andy" Anderson, an environmental chemist and grew up in suburban Roseville. As a senior at Alexander Ramsey Senior High School in Roseville in 1963, she was voted Valentine Queen of Valentine's Day Winter Formal. She attended the University of Minnesota. As she says in her autobiography, My Life in High Heels, her father was originally going to name her "Leiloni," but then realized to his horror that when she got to her teen years it was liable to be twisted into "Lay Loni." So it was changed to just plain "Loni." Anderson's most famous acting role came as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati. Her pinup photo in a bikini became one of the best-selling wall posters of the 1970s. She and husband Burt Reynolds made one film together, the 1983 stock-car racing comedy Stroker Ace, a huge box-office failure. Shortly after her divorce from Reynolds, she appeared as a regular in the final season (1993–1994) on the NBC sitcom Nurses. Anderson portrayed actress Jayne Mansfield in a made-for-TV biopic with Arnold Schwarzenegger as her husband, Mickey Hargitay. She teamed with Lynda Carter in a 1984 television series, Partners in Crime. Anderson made a series of cameo appearances on television shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as the Spellmans' "witch-trash" cousin on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Vallery Irons' mother on V.I.P. Anderson has been married four times; her first three marriages were to: Bruce Hasselberg (1964–1966), Ross Bickell (1973–1981), and actor (and one-time co-star) Burt Reynolds (1988–1993). On May 17, 2008, Anderson married musician Bob Flick, one of the founding members of the folk band The Brothers Four. The couple had met at a movie premiere in Anderson's native Minneapolis a few years after Flick's group hit No. 2 on the pop charts with "Greenfields" in 1960. The ceremony was attended by friends and family, including son Quinton Reynolds. She has two children: a daughter, Deidra Hoffman (from her first marriage), who is a school administrator in California; and a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds (born August 31, 1988), whom she and Burt Reynolds adopted. Her autobiography, My Life in High Heels, was published in 1997.
She died at a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness on August 3, 2025.
Known For
Loni Anderson Filmography
| 2023 | Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas · as Lily Marlowe |
| 2017 | Love You More · as Jean Carlyle-Dixon |
| 2017 | Love You More (TV Series) · as Jean |
| 2016 | My Sister Is So Gay (TV Series) · as Frances |
| 2012 | Baby Daddy (TV Series) · as Nana Lyle |
| 2006 | So NoTORIous (TV Series) · as Kiki Spelling |
| 2003 | The Mullets (TV Series) |
| 2001 | Three Sisters (TV Series) · as Janet |
| 1999 | Movie Stars (TV Series) · as Audrey Wyatt |
| 1998 | A Night at the Roxbury · as Barbara Butabi |
| 1998 | V.I.P. (TV Series) · as Carol Irons |
| 1998 | 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain · as Medusa |
| 1997 | Fast Track (TV Series) |
| 1996 | Sabrina, The Teenage Witch (TV Series) · as Racine |
| 1996 | Clueless (TV Series) |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) |
| 1995 | Deadly Family Secrets · as Martha |
| 1994 | Without Warning · as Actress In Opening Movie Segment |
| 1994 | Gambler V: Playing for Keeps · as Fanny Porter |
| 1994 | Burke's Law (1994) (TV Series) · as Claudia Loring |
| 1993 | Bob Hope's Bag Full of Christmas Memories · as Christmas Guest |
| 1992 | Melrose Place (TV Series) · as Teri Carson |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Jay's Mom (segment: Cop 'n Kitty) |
| 1992 | Munchie · as Cathy Dobson |
| 1992 | The Price She Paid · as Lacey |
| 1991 | Nurses (TV Series) · as Casey Macafee |
| 1991 | The New WKRP in Cincinnati (TV Series) |
| 1991 | White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd · as Thelma Todd |
| 1990 | Coins in the Fountain · as Leah Crawford |
| 1989 | All Dogs Go to Heaven · as Flo (voice) |
| 1989 | Blondie & Dagwood: Second Wedding Workout · as Blondie Bumstead (voice) |
| 1989 | Sorry, Wrong Number · as Madeleine Stevenson |
| 1989 | B.L. Stryker (TV Series) |
| 1988 | Too Good to Be True · as Ellen Berent |
| 1988 | Empty Nest (TV Series) · as Casey Macafee |
| 1988 | Whisper Kill · as Liz Bartlett |
| 1988 | Blown Away · as Lauren Lasalle |
| 1987 | Blondie & Dagwood · as Blondie Bumstead (voice) |
| 1986 | Stranded · as Stacy Tweed |
| 1986 | Easy Street (TV Series) |
| 1985 | A Letter to Three Wives · as Lora Mae Holloway |
| 1985 | Amazing Stories (1985) (TV Series) · as Love |
| 1984 | Partners in Crime (TV Series) · as Sydney Kovack |
| 1984 | My Mother's Secret Life · as Ellen Blake |
| 1983 | Stroker Ace · as Pembrook Feeney |
| 1982 | Country Gold · as Mollie Dean Purcell |
| 1981 | Sizzle · as Julie Davis |
| 1980 | The Jayne Mansfield Story · as Jayne Mansfield |
| 1978 | WKRP in Cincinnati (TV Series) · as Jennifer Marlowe |
| 1978 | Three on a Date · as Angela Ross |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) · as Sheila Cantrell |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Kitty Scofield |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Kim Holland |
| 1976 | Three's Company (TV Series) |
| 1976 | The McLean Stevenson Show (TV Series) |
| 1976 | Vigilante Force · as Peaches (uncredited) |
| 1975 | Phyllis (TV Series) · as Rita |
| 1975 | The Invisible Man (1975) (TV Series) · as Andrea Hanover |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Police Woman (TV Series) · as Waitress |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) · as Waitress |
| 1973 | Harry O (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Joanna Morgan |
| 1972 | The Bob Newhart Show (TV Series) · as Leslie Greely |
| 1966 | Nevada Smith · as Brunette Saloon Girl (uncredited) |
| 2022 | The Love Boat: Happily Ever After · as Self |
| 2021 | History of the Sitcom (TV Series) · as Self - Actress |
| 2020 | I Am Burt Reynolds · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2019 | Valerie · as Self |
| 2014 | Unsung Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Carol Channing: Larger Than Life · as Self |
| 2010 | The Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Co-Host |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | Forever Plaid · as Self |
| 2008 | The Doctors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | I Love The 70s Volume 2 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | CBS at 75 · as Self |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Duck Dodgers (TV Series) · as Herself (voice) |
| 2003 | I Love the 70s (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Good Day Live (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1995 | Women of the House (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Vicki! (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | A Party for Richard Pryor · as Self |
| 1991 | The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1991 | The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1990 | Intimate Portrait (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1987 | Win, Lose or Draw (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1986 | The New Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1985 | All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan · as Self |
| 1984 | The Lonely Guy · as Herself (uncredited) |
| 1982 | All-Star Party for Carol Burnett · as Self |
| 1982 | Night of 100 Stars · as Self |
| 1981 | |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 1981 | The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1980 | Hour Magazine (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | The Magic of David Copperfield II · as Self - Guest |
| 1979 | The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1979 | The Muppets Go Hollywood · as Self |
| 1974 | Dinah! (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1973 | Match Game (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1973 | AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) · as Self - Audience Member |
| 1965 | The Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self - Co-Host |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Nominee |