Loni Anderson’s Cause of Death Revealed Weeks After She Died at Age 79
The cause of death for actress Loni Anderson has been confirmed less than three weeks after she died at age 79.
Anderson died of metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ on Friday, August 22. The death certificate doesn't list any other contributing factors.
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, uterine leiomyosarcoma begins in the uterus and can spread "to other areas of the body, especially the lungs and liver," which often causes "life-threatening complications."
Following her death earlier this month, Anderson's remains were cremated and buried in Hollywood on August 7, according to the death certificate.
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Anderson’s family shared the news of her death on August 3, telling the Associated Press in a statement, “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother.”
Anderson’s longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, said that she died at a Los Angeles hospital after suffering from a “prolonged” illness, though Kagan did not disclose the specific condition at the time.
Anderson died just two days before she was set to celebrate her 80th birthday on August 5.
Anderson was known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe — a receptionist with beauty and brains — on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which she starred on for four seasons from 1978 to 1982. She earned nominations for two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards for her performance on the show.
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In addition to WKRP in Cincinnati, Anderson’s acting credits included Partners in Crime, Easy Street, White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd, Nurses and Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas.
As for her personal life, Anderson was married to Bruce Hasselberg from 1964 to 1966, Ross Bickell from 1974 to 1981, Burt Reynolds from 1988 to 1994 and Bob Flick from 2008 until her death. She shared daughter Deidra with Hasselberg and son Quinton with Reynolds.
Anderson’s marriage to Reynolds — who died in September 2018 at age 82 after a heart attack — propelled her to further fame. The two met on The Merv Griffin Show in 1981 and began dating the following year. They went on to star in 1983’s Stroker Ace together, five years before tying the knot.
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“I think back to the beginning of our relationship, it was so, oh, gosh, tabloid,” she told the Associated Press prior to her death. “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.”
During a 2021 unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds’ grave site in Hollywood, Anderson gushed over the pair’s son, Quinton, whom she described as “the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship.”
Less than two years before her death, Anderson shared what she wanted her legacy to be, telling Us Weekly in an exclusive November 2023 interview, “I hope that I’ll be remembered for changing the whole look of a young woman with a career.”