Actress Loni Anderson dies just days before her 80th birthday
Tributes have been paid to actress Loni Anderson who died on Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday.
Listen to this article
Anderson's publicist Cheryl J Kagan said the actress died aged 79 at a Los Angeles hospital following a 'prolonged illness'.
"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother," her family said in a statement.
She was married to fellow actor Burt Reynolds for six years and starred alongside him on the big screen.
Anderson is best known for playing receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, for which she was nominated for multiple awards.
Her character Jennifer used her sex appeal to deflect unwanted phone calls for her boss.
Producers offered her the role after they saw a photo of her in a red swimsuit.
She has starred in many tv shows and films throughout the years. Her last role was in the Lifetime television film Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas in 2023.
This festive comedy sees five soap opera stars reuniting to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running TV series.
Anderson is survived by two children.