Loni Anderson is a well-known American actress who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978 until 1982. She won three Grammys for the part, and streaming platforms resurrected the show’s popularity. “I think women liked the fact that I was gorgeous and clever,” Anderson stated in an interview in 2011. “I know that sounds odd to folks today, but when we first came on in 1978, there weren’t many women doing both in comedy.”
She is now 78 years old and lives a tranquil life, being picky about the parts she accepts. Her personal life was frequently covered in tabloids, particularly her marriage and divorce from late actor Burt Reynolds. But she’s as beautiful as ever, thanks to a healthy and active lifestyle she shares with Bob Flick, her fourth husband and the joy of her life.
“This gorgeous individual who may also be the smartest”
Loni Anderson was born into an upper-middle-class household in Minnesota. She had an interest in performing at a young age. Despite the fact that her bombshell physique became part of her brand, she despised it during puberty. “I was the first girl in my class to wear a bra.” And it was a chore. It was quite excited at first, and everything was fantastic. Then I discovered I wasn’t the only one who had to go through all of that. “I was humiliated,” Loni admitted in 1980. “A lot was made of my physical appearance. “I’ve put up with a lot.”
In 1966, Anderson made her film debut as a brunette with Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith. She also appeared in shows such as S.W.A.T., Phyllis, Police Woman, and Harry O. Although being a sex symbol contributed to her popularity, she was also aware of how it affected how people treated her. She was considering becoming blond and tested the waters by wearing a wig to a theater bar.
“No one regarded me the same way. I had a lot of beverages in front of me from people who were sending me drinks, but no one was paying attention to what I was saying. I simply wasn’t included in the dialogue; I was treated more like an object. So I concluded at the time that I shouldn’t go blonde since blondes weren’t respected.”
She went to read for WKRP with this incident fresh in her mind. She wasn’t interested in the position at first since it sounded like “window dressing,” and she told show creator Hugh Wilson so. And he liked her character idea and hired her. “I felt so instrumental in convincing them that this attractive person could also be the smartest person,” Anderson remarked. “And you know what else? It was fantastic. As a result, I had a sizable female following. And knowing that it did have an effect on women has always been one of my most treasured recollections.”
Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson
Anderson was married four times, the most famous of which was to Burt Reynolds. From 1988 through 1994, they were married for six years. They adopted a son named Quinton and briefly became Hollywood’s ‘it’ couple. Their marriage, however, ended in a messy and widely known divorce. Anderson declined to “engage in a media fight” for the sake of her son while Reynolds spoke to the press about their private life. She broke her silence, however, in 1995, when she accused Reynolds of physical abuse and failed to pay his $15,000 child support on time.
She had blamed the physical abuse on the drugs he was using at the time. Yet the worst thing happened a month before they split up. “Burt slammed me all over the room, then flung me to the floor, unlocked the drawer, and pulled out a loaded revolver,” she told a reporter in 1995. “He handed me the gun and instructed me to shoot myself to save us all. I was scared. Burt always claimed that no one would ever believe him since he was Mr. Wonderful and the entire world adored him.”
Despite their feud, Anderson paid her condolences to Reynolds after he died in 2018. “Quinton and I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from friends and family all across the world,” she said. “Burt was a fantastic director and actor.” For twelve years, dad was a huge part of my life, and for thirty years, he was Quinton’s father. We’ll miss him and his infectious laugh.”
Anderson, Loni Today
Loni Anderson became a spokesman for groups dealing with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Both of Anderson’s parents died as a result of smoking-related illnesses, and when she witnessed her son imitate a TV character smoking, she began working with the National Lung Health Education Program. She has visited nursing homes and schools to spread awareness and provide support. Her most recent appearance was in the 2016-2020 sitcom My Sister is So Gay.
In May 2008, she married her fourth husband, Bob Flick. “In 1963, I married the man I should have married,” Anderson explained. “But then I wouldn’t have had all of these lovely individuals in my life.”
