Actress Loni Anderson has died on Sunday, August 3, just a few days before her 80th birthday on August 5.
She was a star of the 80s
The popular 1980s star is known for her role as an empowered receptionist in the hit TV comedy WKRP in Cincinnati.
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Anderson also made appearances on Nurses, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and V.I.P.
She was suffering a ‘prolonged illness’
The Associated Press reports that Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital after a ‘prolonged illness’, according to her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan.
The actress’s family said in a statement, “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother.”
Anderson received award nominations
Anderson’s role in WKRP in Cincinnati saw her play Jennifer, a receptionist to a radio station who was often so efficient that her work ethic kept the station afloat despite other’s incompetence.
The CBS hit aired from 1978 to 1982 and earned Anderson two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.
She married Burt Reynolds before divorcing
Anderson became a household name after the show’s success and went on to star in the 1983 movie Stroker Ace where she met costar Burt Reynolds whom she eventually married in 1988.
Although the two became a Hollywood power couple and were perceived as deeply in love, they divorced in 1994.
The two had bad blood
The former couple didn’t seem to be on the best terms. In a 2015 interview with People, Reynolds said, “I should have known that you don’t marry an actress,” adding that she “bought everything in triplicate.”
And speaking on the divorce with SFGate in 1995, Anderson claimed that Reynolds physically abused her dozens of times while he was allegedly under the influence of drugs.
But she honored him in death
Despite the bad blood, Anderson honored Reynolds in death at the unveiling of a bronze bust at his Hollywood grave site in 2021.
She said that their son Quinton Reynolds was “the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship.”
She spoke about being in the spotlight
Talking to AP at the time, Anderson said, “I think back to the beginning of our relationship, it was so, oh, gosh, tabloidy. We were just a spectacle all the time.”
“And it was hard to have a relationship in that atmosphere. And somehow, we did it through many ups and downs.”
Anderson married four times
The actress was married four times, most recently to musician Bob Flick in 2008. She is survived by her husband and two children.
