Latest news with #CherylJKagan
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Loni Anderson, of WKRP in Cincinnati Fame, Dead at 79
Loni Anderson, who turned heads as the office bombshell on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, has died at the age of 79. Anderson passed away Sunday in Los Angeles after 'an acute prolonged illness,' her publicist Cheryl J. Kagan tells The Hollywood Reporter. More from TVLine Danielle Spencer, Dee From What's Happening!!, Dead at 60 Ray Brooks, Mr Benn Narrator and EastEnders Vet, Dead at 86 Jon Miyahara, Superstore's Silent Scene Stealer, Dead at 83 Born and raised in Minnesota, Anderson went to Hollywood and booked guest-star roles on S.W.A.T., Police Woman and Three's Company (where she actually auditioned for the role of Chrissy Snow, later played by Suzanne Somers). Her big break came in 1978, when she won the role of receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on CBS' WKRP in Cincinnati. Jennifer was beautiful, yes, but she had brains, too, using her sex appeal to her full advantage. WKRP in Cincinnati ran for four seasons and earned three Emmy nominations for best comedy series, but a number of time slot changes led to a steep drop in ratings, with CBS deciding to pull the plug in 1982. WKRP became a hit in syndication, though, with repeats earning big viewership throughout the '80s. Anderson herself earned a pair of Emmy nominations for her work on WKRP, and when it ended, she did more film work, including co-starring in 1983's Stroker Ace with Burt Reynolds, whom she later married. Anderson reprised her role as Jennifer in The New WKRP in Cincinnati, a revival that ran in syndication from 1991 to 1993. She also joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Nurses in 1993 and guest-starred on Melrose Place and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. TV Stars We Lost in 2025 View Gallery57 Images Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Loni Anderson, Emmy-Nominated Star of ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,' Dies at 79
Emmy-nominated actress Loni Anderson, best known for portraying receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on TV series WKRP in Cincinnati, died on Aug. 3 at 79 years old. Anderson, who was only days away from celebrating her 80th birthday, died in a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, according to her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan (via AP). 'We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, and grandmother,' Anderson's family said in a statement. More from Rolling Stone Jeannie Seely, Razor-Sharp Country Singer Known as 'Miss Country Soul,' Dead at 85 Flaco Jiménez, Global Tejano Music Ambassador, Dead at 86 Tom Lehrer, Influential Song Satirist With a Cult Following, Dead at 97 Known for her effervescent personality and matching good looks, Anderson became a fixture of the small screen in the 1970s and 1980s. She was nominated for two Emmys and three Golden Globes for her work on WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired 1978 to 1982 and became her most famous series. Throughout her career, Anderson appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including The Love Boat, Barnaby Jones, and The Bob Newhart Show. In 1983, she famously starred opposite Burt Reynolds in sports comedy film Stroker Ace, which led to the pair getting married. Anderson was born Aug. 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She made her acting debut 1966 film Nevada Smith, starring Steve McQueen, but failed to land subsequent roles for several years. In the mid-1970s, her career began to pick up and Anderson appeared in episodes of S.W.A.T., The Invisible Man, The Love Boat, The Bob Newhart Show, and Police Woman. She joined the ensemble cast of WKRP in Cincinnati in 1978 alongside Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, and Gordon Jump. On the Emmy-nominated series, Anderson played the receptionist of a failing Ohio radio station whose sex appeal was mirrored by her impressively competent skills. WKRP in Cincinnati made Anderson a household name and led to further career opportunities, including portraying Jayne Mansfield in The Jayne Mansfield Story in 1980 and joining Reynolds in Stroker Ace in 1983. Anderson and Reynolds married in 1988 and their relationship was a fixture of the tabloids leading up to their divorce in 1994. 'I think back to the beginning of our relationship, it was so, oh, gosh, tabloidy,' Anderson told AP in 2021. '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 continued acting throughout the 1980s and 1990s. She voiced Flo in beloved animated film All Dogs Go to Heaven in 1989 and co-starred with Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in raucous comedy A Night at the Roxbury in 1998. She appeared in several TV movies, including 1991's White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd and 1995's Deadly Family Secrets. 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. 'I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of the wonderful Loni Anderson!' Fairchild wrote on X. 'We did Bob Hope specials together & a Christmas movie 2 years ago. The sweetest, most gracious lady! I'm just devastated to hear this. Love & condolences to Bob (who was on set every day w her) & her kids and grandkids, who she adored.' In 1995, Anderson authored New York Times-bestselling autobiography, My Life in High Heels, which she said was about 'the growth of a woman, a woman who survives.' She told AP, It's about my childhood, the death of my parents, my career, my divorces, and my children. Then of course, the trauma of my marriage to Burt.' Although she was often considered a sex symbol, Anderson fought to be taken seriously as an actress. She originally turned down the role of Jennifer Marlowe because she didn't want the character to be 'window dressing.' 'I felt it was important for the character to not just be a blonde,' she told Fox News in 2021. 'It was really Hugh Wilson and Grant who were in the room that said, 'You know what? We like it. Let's do it.' I felt so instrumental that they listened to the concept of this glamorous person who could also be the smartest person. And you know what? It was wonderful. I had a huge female following because of that. And that has always been one of my most treasured memories, knowing that it did have an effect on women.' She added, 'I never thought I would be Loni Anderson, sex symbol. But I embrace it. I think I was lucky enough to have been able to play so many different things and sex symbol was a part of it. I took whatever my career threw at me.' Numerous friends and co-stars have paid tribute to Anderson in the wake of her death. 'Like many, I am absolutely stunned and heartbroken,' actress Barbara Eden wrote on X. 'Our friendship has spanned many years, and news like this is never easy to hear or accept. What can I say about Loni that everyone doesn't already know? She was a real talent, with razor smart wit and a glowing sense of humor… but, even more than that, she had an impeccable work ethic. Even beyond that, Loni was a darling lady and a genuinely good person… I am truly at a loss for words.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century Solve the daily Crossword
News.com.au
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Bombshell actress Loni Anderson dies days before 80th birthday
Loni Anderson, who famously portrayed receptionist Jennifer Marlowe in the comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, has died. She was 79. Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a 'prolonged' illness, her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. She was surrounded by her loving family. 'We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,' Anderson's family said in a statement. Over four decades, Anderson starred in various TV shows and films, including Swat, Three on a Date, Three's Company, The Incredible Hulk, The Love Boat, The Bob Newhart Show, and more. Growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, Anderson's greatest ambition was to be an actress. In 1975, Anderson moved to Los Angeles, where she quickly began making a name for herself. She landed the role of the titillating and intelligent Jennifer Marlowe in 1978 and cemented her status as a beloved TV sex symbol. 'I remember we all did posters back then. Everybody always asks me, 'What made you do a poster?' I would say, 'Because some day my grandchildren will look at this. And I'll be able to tell them that I really looked like that.' What you saw is what you got,' she told Fox News Digital in 2021. 'But you know, I had this discussion with Ann-Margret. Will there ever be a time when our names won't be followed by 'bombshell' or 'sex symbol?' It becomes a part of your name,' she continued. 'And you know, I'd never thought I would reach that point. I was so serious. I was doing Fiddler on the Roof for 53 weeks on tour. I never thought I would be Loni Anderson, sex symbol. But I embrace it.' 'I think I was lucky enough to have been able to play so many different things and sex symbol was a part of it. I took whatever my career threw at me. So I embrace it. And my granddaughters think it's a hoot!' In 1982 she co-starred in Stroker Ace, a feature film with then-future husband Burt Reynolds. Loni and Burt adopted their son Quinton Anderson Reynolds in August 1988. In 2019, Anderson said she and Reynolds - who died in 2018 from a heart attack - made peace before his death with the help of their son. 'We were friends first and friends last,' Anderson told Closer Weekly at the time. 'It's time to move on.' The WKRP in Cincinnati actress insisted she and Reynolds put aside the hostility they endured when the marriage came to an end for the sake of Quinton. 'We have this wonderful child together,' she said. 'Having a son was a big event in our lives and so everything revolved around him.' On top of TV and film, Anderson was a prominent member of the musical theatre community and became a New York Times best-selling author with her 1995 autobiography, My Life In Hells. 'Loni was a class act. Beautiful. Talented. Witty. ALWAYS a joy to be around,' Steve Sauer, President/CEO Media Four and Anderson's manager for 30 years, said in a statement. 'She was the ultimate working mother. Family first…and maintained a great balance with her career. She and I had wonderful adventures together that I shall forever cherish. I will especially miss that infectious chuckle of hers. She will be forever missed.' On May 17, 2008, Anderson married Bob Flick, a founding member of the 1960s folk group The Brothers Four. Anderson is survived by her husband, daughter Deidra and son-in law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and his wife Helene, step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian. A private family service will be held at The Hollywood Forever Cemetery followed by A Celebration of Life at a future date.
Malay Mail
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Loni Anderson, ‘WKRP in Cincinnati' star, dies at 79
LOS ANGELES, Aug 4 — Loni Anderson, best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, died Sunday at age 79 in Los Angeles from 'an acute prolonged illness'. Her death was confirmed by publicist Cheryl J. Kagan, according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR). Anderson, a two-time Emmy nominee, rose to fame playing the savvy radio receptionist in the sitcom created by Hugh Wilson. Before that, she appeared in shows like S.W.A.T., Police Woman, Barnaby Jones and Phyllis, and had auditioned for the role of Chrissy Snow on Three's Company. THR reported that she initially turned down the WKRP role, saying in a 2020 interview, 'I don't want to play this part because she's just here to deliver messages and is window dressing.' Creator Hugh Wilson asked her how she'd approach it, and they reimagined the character: 'Let's make her look like Lana Turner and be the smartest person in the room.' Anderson's Jennifer broke the 'dumb blond' mould, refusing to do secretarial tasks and standing out as sharp and self-assured. She appeared in all but one of the show's 90 episodes from 1978 to 1982. Born August 5, 1945, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Anderson was the daughter of Klaydon, an environmental chemist, and Maxine, a model. Naturally dark-haired, she once said, 'I loved being a brunette… there was a mystery. When acting, I could be the bad lady.'
CBS News
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Loni Anderson, actress from hit TV series "WKRP in Cincinnati," dies at age 79
Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station's empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy "WKRP in Cincinnati," died Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday, The Associated Press reported. Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a "prolonged" illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan. "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother," Anderson's family said in a statement. "WKRP in Cincinnati" aired from 1978-1982 and was set in a flagging Ohio radio station trying to reinvent itself with rock music. The cast included Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner and Jan Smithers, alongside Anderson as the sexy and smart Jennifer Marlowe. As the station's receptionist, the blonde and high-heeled Jennifer used her sex appeal to deflect 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 Reynolds in the 1983 comedy "Stroker Ace," and the two later married and became tabloid fixtures before divorcing in 1994. Anderson wrote a 1995 autobiography, "My Life in High Heels," which she said was about "the growth of a woman, a woman who survives. It's about my childhood, the death of my parents, my career, my divorces, and my children. Then of course, the trauma of my marriage to Burt." "I think if you're going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all," Anderson told The Associated Press. "You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you're telling the truth." Anderson is survived by her husband Bob Flick, daughter Deidra and son-in law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.
