CINCINNATI (WKRC/AP) – Nearly three weeks after her passing, the cause of death for Loni Anderson has been disclosed. The actress died at age 79 on August 3, two days before she would turn 80.
Anderson succumbed to metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ. This rare cancer originates in the uterus and can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and liver, often leading to life-threatening complications, per the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
Anderson’s remains were cremated and buried in Hollywood on August 7.
Anderson gained fame for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” which aired from 1978 to 1982. As the station’s receptionist, the blonde and high-heeled Jennifer routinely deflected unwanted business calls for her boss, Mr. Carlson. Her efficiency often kept the station running in the face of others’ incompetence.
The role earned Anderson two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.
Anderson starred on the big screen alongside Burt Reynold s in the 1983 comedy “Stroker Ace,” and the two later married and became tabloid fixtures before their messy breakup in 1994.
Their son, Quinton Reynolds, was “the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship,” she said during the unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds’ Hollywood grave site in 2021.
“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 told The Associated Press.
Anderson detailed their tumultuous marriage in the 1995 autobiography, “My Life in High Heels,” which she said was about “the growth of a woman, a woman who survives.”
“I think if you’re going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all,” Anderson told the AP while promoting the book. “You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you’re telling the truth.”
She married four times, most recently to Bob Flick in 2008.
Anderson was born Aug. 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her father was an environmental chemist, and her mother was a model.
Her first role as an actress was a small part in the 1966 film “Nevada Smith,” starring Steve McQueen. Most of her career was spent on the small screen with early guest parts in the 1970s on “S.W.A.T.” and “Police Woman.” After “WKRP,” Anderson starred in the short-lived comedy series “Easy Street” and appeared in made-for-TV movies including “A Letter to Three Wives” and “White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd.”
In 2023 she co-starred in Lifetime’s “Ladies Of The 80s: A Divas Christmas” with Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan.
Anderson is survived by Flick, her daughter Deidra and son-in law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.
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