Loni Anderson, best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the hit CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, died at the age of 79. According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, her cause of death was metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

The beloved actress passed away on August 3, just two days before her 80th birthday. Her remains were cremated and laid to rest in Hollywood on August 7.

What is Uterine leiomyosarcoma?

Uterine leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that begins in the smooth muscle tissue of the uterus. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), it can spread to other parts of the body, most commonly the lungs and liver, often leading to life-threatening complications.

Also Read: Remembering Loni Anderson: From ‘WKRP’ to Hollywood glamour

Who was Loni Anderson?

Loni Anderson rose to fame playing Jennifer Marlowe, the witty and glamorous receptionist on WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired on CBS from 1978 to 1982. Her performance earned her three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations.

In a 2021 interview with Fox News, Anderson reflected on her time in the spotlight and her status as a sex symbol during the height of her career.

“I remember we all did posters back then. Everybody always asks me, ‘What made you do a poster?'” she recalled. “I would say, ‘Because someday my grandchildren will look at this. And I’ll be able to tell them that I really looked like that.’ What you saw is what you got.”

She added: “I never thought I would be Loni Anderson, sex symbol. But I embrace it. I think I was lucky enough to have been able to play so many different things and sex symbol was a part of it. I took whatever my career threw at me.”

Following her television success, Anderson starred in the 1983 racing comedy Stroker Ace, where she met actor Burt Reynolds. The two fell in love during filming and married in 1988 at Reynolds’ ranch in Jupiter, Florida. The couple later adopted a son, Quinton, before divorcing in 1994.