Was Loni Anderson a smoker? Health struggles explored as WKRP in Cincinnati star dies at 79

Actress Loni Anderson has passed away just two days before she would have turned 80. Anderson's longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed the unfortunate news in a statement to the Daily Beast, adding she died in a Los Angeles hospital surrounded by her family on Sunday, August 3, 2025.

Per Kagan, she died following an "acute prolonged illness," adding:

"While facing her diagnosis with determination she continued working."

Kagan did not elaborate on the illness further. The statement continued to include a message from her family, reading:

"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother."

Notably, Loni Anderson had been vocal in raising awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Her parents were heavy smokers, and she became their primary caregiver before their death. In an interview with Lynne Daggett for Future of Personal Health (a wellness blog), Anderson revealed she did not smoke.

"That’s often what people with COPD do; they slowly stop doing things": Loni Anderson about seeing her parents struggling with COPD

Loni Anderson made her acting debut in the 1966 Steve McQueen flick Nevada Smith. However, her most memorable role remains playing receptionist Jennifer Marlowe in the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. It earned her two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Award nominations. Some of her other acting credits include Stroker Ace (1983), Partners in Crime (1984), Melrose Place (1996), and So Notorious (2006).

On the personal front, she was married four times. This included her tumultuous marriage to actor Burt Reynolds between 1988 and 1994. They adopted a son, Quinton. Loni also shares daughter Deidra with her first husband, Bruce Hasselberg. In 2008, she married The Brothers Four member Bob Flick.

In her interview with ABILITY magazine's Chet Cooper, Lia Martirosyan, and Nancy Viller in December 2013, Loni Anderson discussed her parents and their struggles with COPD. Noting that it was a lifestyle, she stated:

"The reason I’m involved of course is because both of my parents were smokers. My mom started when she was 11, my dad when he was 14. That was back in the ’40s and ’50s when cigarette smoking was considered to be incredibly glamorous."

Anderson explained that her father developed chronic bronchitis in his late twenties, which later developed into emphysema. The actress explained that the condition affected his daily life, making it difficult to continue normal activities as he was constantly trying to catch his breath. Loni Anderson elaborated:

"That’s often what people with COPD do; they slowly stop doing things, not even noticing it."

Her mother, too, had chronic bronchitis but mistook it for asthma, Anderson told ABILITY.

In her conversation with Lynne Daggett for Future of Personal Health, Loni Anderson revealed her parents didn't want to quit smoking despite their health condition. Referencing their "coughing fits," the actress explained:

"My mom would say, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,’ and my dad said, ‘I feel like I’m drowning.’ And I would think to myself, ‘And yet, you want another cigarette.’ And that was really shocking to me."

Anderson continued to add that she was not a smoker, and that made it "hard(er) for her to relate to the addiction. But she noted that she could see their "suffering."

While talking to ABILITY, Anderson elaborated on her role as a caregiver and how it affected her mentally. Stating that caregivers should not hesitate to reach out for support, she added:

"I used to go to the basement and have a little freak-out where I’d just cry, because I felt so—like I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to help, and I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I felt so sad, then I’d come back up, and I was the cheerleader again, because as a caregiver that’s what you are."

Loni Anderson is survived by Flick, Deidra, and son-in-law Charlie Hoffman, Quinton, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, and her grandchildren.

A private service at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life ceremony, will be announced at a later date. Anderson's family has requested that contributions in her memory be made to the National Lung Health Education Program or the American Cancer Society.