St. Paul-born actress Loni Anderson, beloved as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, passed away Sunday from an undisclosed acute prolonged illness, two days shy of 80. Behind the scenes she fought a years-long respiratory struggle rooted in her parents’ COPD, becoming a national anti-smoking voice and leaving four children, four grandchildren, and a 50-year screen legacy.
Loni Anderson, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress who became a household name as Jennifer Marlowe on the classic sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, died on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at a Los Angeles hospital, just two days before her 80th birthday. The official cause of death has been described by her long-time publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, as “an acute prolonged illness”. No further medical specifics have been released, and the family has requested privacy as they grieve.
A Private Battle, A Public Farewell
While Anderson’s illness was never publicly detailed, her family’s statement expressed their heartbreak at “the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother”. Friends and colleagues remembered the St Paul, Minnesota, native as a resilient performer who balanced Hollywood glamour with a fierce work ethic. “Loni was a class act—beautiful, talented, witty, and always a joy to be around,” said Steve Sauer, her manager for more than 30 years.
COPD Advocacy Rooted in Family History
Although the precise nature of her final illness remains undisclosed, Anderson’s lifelong advocacy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) awareness has resurfaced in tributes. Both of her parents, heavy smokers, suffered from COPD; Anderson became a national spokesperson for COPD Together in 1999 after watching them struggle to breathe. “I just saw how they were suffering,” she recalled in a 2020 interview, adding that the experience spurred her to educate others about the dangers of smoking .
Career Highlights and Legacy
Anderson rocketed to fame in 1978 as Jennifer Marlowe, the shrewd, satin-clad receptionist who kept Cincinnati’s dysfunctional WKRP radio station on track. The role earned her two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods and redefined the “blonde bombshell” stereotype by making intelligence the character’s sharpest asset. She later starred opposite Burt Reynolds in Stroker Ace (1983); their headline-making marriage and 1994 divorce were chronicled in her candid 1995 memoir, My Life in High Heels. She is survived by her fourth husband, folk musician Bob Flick; daughter Deidra Hoffman; son Quinton Reynolds; and four grandchildren.
According to sources close to the family, Anderson had been hospitalised “on and off” over the past year, undergoing treatments that sapped energy but never dimmed her trademark humour. “Even in her last weeks, she was quoting Jennifer Marlowe one-liners to the nurses,” a friend told People. Funeral arrangements will be private, with a public memorial planned for later in the month to celebrate both her screen legacy and her tireless charity work.
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