Loni Anderson is no longer with us

[samhexum]

Loni Anderson, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' Star, Dies at 79

APPLE.NEWS

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She received two Emmy noms for being "the smartest person in the room" on the CBS sitcom and tons...

 

[samhexum]

Any excuse is a good excuse to post a good bulge pic: 

The TRUE star of WKRP, Gary Sandy's pants.

[+ jeezopete]

Interesting that she didn't get the role of Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and then went on to play the antithesis of the dumb blonde on WKRP.

I watched the show to see her almost as much as to see Gary Sandy in his tight jeans. 😜

2 hours ago, samhexum said:

The TRUE star of WKRP, Gary Sandy's pants.

 

[ICTJOCK]

I saw this yesterday,  very sad indeed.

[Johnrom]

She was on her fourth husband when she passed. Just a few days short of 80th birthday. .  Burt was the third husband.  And that one got very nasty. 😱😳🫣

[CuriousByNature]

On 8/4/2025 at 8:19 AM, Johnrom said:

She was on her fourth husband when she passed. 

That must have been quite traumatizing for him...  

[+ Snbrd]

On 8/4/2025 at 11:19 AM, Johnrom said:

She was on her fourth husband when she passed. Just a few days short of 80th birthday. .  Burt was the third husband.  And that one got very nasty. 😱😳🫣

Gay/Bi rumors about him have circulated. Any basis in fact, or just that he had the 70's clone look?

[+ purplekow]

Best friends with Dom DeLuise probably helped fuel those rumors.  They seem like an unlikely pair to be best friends.  Strange but not as strange as Marlon Brando and Wally Cox being best friends. 

Edited August 6 by purplekow

[samhexum]

9 minutes ago, purplekow said:

  Strange but not as strange as Marlon Brando and Wally Cox being best friends. 

If you'd have thrown in a reference to Martha Raye (or Judy Garland) I would have thought @WilliamM had come back.    

[Ali Gator]

On 8/6/2025 at 5:45 PM, purplekow said:

Best friends with Dom DeLuise probably helped fuel those rumors.  They seem like an unlikely pair to be best friends.  Strange but not as strange as Marlon Brando and Wally Cox being best friends. 

He was also best friends with Charles Nelson Reilly. I believe they were living together in Florida when Burt met Loni*. She moved in and the three of them shared his house for a while, until CNR moved out. When Burt split with Loni, and things got ugly, he went to CNR for advice and support on how to handle it all.

*It could have been Sally Field. It's been a while since I read the book on CNR, but I remember an 'odd' living situation for that time. 

[Ali Gator]

On 8/3/2025 at 10:47 PM, jeezopete said:

Interesting that she didn't get the role of Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and then went on to play the antithesis of the dumb blonde on WKRP.

According to the book "Come and Knock On Our Door: The True Story of Three's Company", Anderson auditioned for the role, went to a few call-backs, and made it to the finalists. When the producers were deciding among the three finalists (Suzanne Somers was one of them, of course) they asked John Ritter for his opinion of the three actresses. He narrowed it down to two: Loni and Suzanne.

Ritter's honest opinion was that Anderson played the character as smart, sexy and sensible (the way she played Jennifer on 'WKRP' a couple of years later). He said that audiences wouldn't believe Anderson's 'Chrissy' couldn't afford a beachside apartment on her own, and she would need two room-mates to help with rent and living expenses. He said she would come across as 'sensible enough' to have a well-paying job with control over her finances, or a 'sugar daddy' who would take care of her, and let her live independently.

Suzanne, on the other hand, played her as the 'dumb blond' who needed help from others, and couldn't survive independently. The other room-mates would have to guide her, because she couldn't really figure out life on her own and make smart choices. 

He was right. The producers listened to what he had to say and went with Somers over Anderson. They did bring Anderson back as a guest star - playing an air line stewardess who once had a relationship with Jack. And she played her as smart, sexy and sensible - and it worked perfectly for that 'guest' character.

[+ purplekow]

On 8/3/2025 at 4:49 PM, samhexum said:

Any excuse is a good excuse to post a good bulge pic: 

The TRUE star of WKRP, Gary Sandy's pants.

Gary Sandy, I think more Pecan Sandy judging by the size of his nuts