Loni Anderson, an acclaimed actress from America, has passed away.
American Actress Loni Anderson Passes Away at 79
After a prolonged illness, American actress Loni Anderson passed away on August 3, 2025, at a Los Angeles-area hospital. She was 79 years old and would have celebrated her 80th birthday just days later.
Anderson was best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe in the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982). This iconic role earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy and three Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical.
Beyond WKRP, Anderson appeared in numerous television shows and movies, including The Love Boat, Partners in Crime, Easy Street, Nurses, Melrose Place, and the 2023 TV movie Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas. She also portrayed the 1950s/1960s star Jayne Mansfield in the 1980 TV movie The Jayne Mansfield Story. Her final credited acting role was in a movie alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Born on August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Anderson began her acting career with guest roles on TV series like S.W.A.T. and Police Woman before her breakthrough with WKRP in Cincinnati. She was also recognised for her advocacy around COPD awareness, a cause that became personal due to caring for chronically ill parents.
Anderson was known to many as the ex-wife of Hollywood legend Burt Reynolds. The production timeline for WKRP in Cincinnati was not specified to be the time of her death. Her representative confirmed her death to dpa, and U.S. media had previously reported her passing.
The family described Anderson as a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. They announced her passing just days before her 80th birthday. Specific details about her medical condition have not been publicly disclosed.
Sources:
[1] AP News. (2025, August 4). Loni Anderson, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' star, dies at 79. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-obituaries-loni-anderson-wkrp-in-cincinnati-605f4e2f7e1306f954d79f5d5b973789
[2] Variety. (2025, August 4). Loni Anderson, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' star, dies at 79. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/loni-anderson-wkrp-in-cincinnati-star-dies-at-79-1235367782/
[3] The Hollywood Reporter. (2025, August 4). Loni Anderson, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' Star, Dead at 79. Retrieved from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/loni-anderson-wkrp-in-cincinnati-star-dead-at-79-1235368054/
[4] IMDb. (n.d.). Loni Anderson. Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000556/
In the midst of her acting career, spanning across various television shows and movies like 'Movies-and-TV' series WKRP in Cincinnati and the TV movie Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas, Loni Anderson also provided service to COPD awareness advocacy. Later in her career, she was seen in a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
