Loni Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loni Anderson
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Anderson in 2019
|
|
| Born |
Loni Kaye Anderson
August 5, 1945 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
|
| Died | August 3, 2025 (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1966–2023 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 2 |
Loni Kaye Anderson (August 5, 1945 – August 3, 2025) was an American actress. She was widely recognized for her role as the charming receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982). This role earned her nominations for important awards like the Golden Globe Awards and Emmy Awards.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Loni Anderson was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on August 5, 1945. Her father, Klaydon Carl "Andy" Anderson, was an environmental chemist. Her mother, Maxine Hazel, was a former model. Loni grew up in suburban Roseville, Minnesota. When she was a senior at Alexander Ramsey Senior High School, she was chosen as the Queen of the Valentine's Day Winter Formal in 1963. In her autobiography, she shared that her father originally wanted to name her Leilani. However, he decided to change it to Loni to avoid teasing when she became a teenager.
A Career in Acting
Loni Anderson started her acting journey with a small part in the film Nevada Smith (1966). This movie starred the famous actor Steve McQueen. For almost ten years after that, she mostly looked for acting jobs. In the mid-1970s, she began getting guest roles on TV shows. She appeared in series like S.W.A.T., Phyllis, and Police Woman. She also tried out for a role on the sitcom Three's Company. She didn't get that part, but her guest appearance on the show in 1978 caught the attention of the ABC network.
Becoming Jennifer Marlowe
Loni Anderson's most famous role was playing the glamorous receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982). Producers offered her the role after seeing a poster of her. The show's creator, Hugh Wilson, felt she had a special charm and innocent appeal. For her performance, she was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards.
Even though WKRP in Cincinnati didn't always have the highest TV ratings, it was very popular with teens, young adults, and radio disc jockeys. Loni Anderson became a big reason why people watched the show. During a break in 1980, she asked for a higher salary. While she was discussing her contract, she starred in the TV movie The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980). The network agreed to her requests, and she returned to the show until it ended in 1982.
Other Notable Roles
Beyond WKRP in Cincinnati, Loni Anderson continued to act in many projects. She appeared with actor Burt Reynolds in the comedy film Stroker Ace (1983). She also voiced Flo, a collie dog, in the animated movie All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989).
In the 1980s, she worked with Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter in the TV series Partners in Crime (1984). She also starred in the comedy series Easy Street (1986–1987). Loni Anderson received praise for her role as the comedian actress Thelma Todd in the TV movie White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991).
In the early 1990s, she returned as Jennifer Marlowe for two episodes of The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which was a follow-up to the original series. In 1993, she joined the cast of the sitcom Nurses as hospital administrator Casey MacAffee.
Loni Anderson continued to act in television series into the 21st century. She played a main role in the web series My Sister is So Gay from 2016 to 2018. On October 3, 2023, it was announced that Anderson would appear in the Lifetime film Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas. This movie features five soap opera stars who try to play matchmakers during Christmas. The cast included Anderson, Linda Gray, Morgan Fairchild, Donna Mills, and Nicollette Sheridan.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Loni Anderson was married four times. Her husbands included Bruce Hasselberg, Ross Bickell, and actor Burt Reynolds. On May 17, 2008, she married musician Bob Flick. He is one of the founding members of the folk band The Brothers Four. They first met at a movie premiere in Minneapolis in 1963.
Loni Anderson had two children: a daughter named Deidra and a son named Quinton. Quinton was adopted with Burt Reynolds. She also had a sister, Andrea. Loni Anderson's autobiography, My Life in High Heels, was published in 1995.
Both of Loni Anderson's parents smoked, and she saw how it affected their health. In 1999, she became a spokesperson for COPD Together. This organization helps people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease often caused by smoking.
Loni Anderson died on August 3, 2025, in a Los Angeles hospital. She was 79 years old and passed away after a long illness, just two days before her 80th birthday.
See also
In Spanish: Loni Anderson para niños
