Loni Anderson Movies

Michael Burns plays Freddy Griffith, a brilliant, altruistic and cheerfully goofy young inventor. Though his creations seemingly have value, they usually end up causing nothing but trouble (and bad special effects). Produced by veteran sitcom helmsman Hy Averback, this made-for-TV movie was intended as the pilot for a weekly comedy/adventure series. The first (and last) episode is all about a giant, super-powerful magnet designed to solve the world's energy problems--which predictably winds up in the wrong hands. The Adventures of Freddy was originally telecast as The Magnificent Magical Magnet of Santa Mesa. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bob's prickly patient, Mr. Carlin, is given yet another reason to be neurotic; a woman from his past has slapped him with a paternity suit. But upon meeting his "son" for the first time, Carlin hasn't the heart to tell the boy that the suit is a phony. Meanwhile, Bob has troubles of his own with a recalcitrant telephone paging service. Future WKRP in Cincinnati co-star Loni Anderson appears as "wronged woman" Leslie Greeley, Sparky Marcus plays Billy, and occasional Star Trek supporting player Mark Lenard is seen as Earl S. Plummer. Written by Andrew Smith, "Carlin's New Suit" originally aired on October 22, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Debuting September 18, 1978 on CBS, WKRP in Cincinnati was a weekly, half-hour "ensemble" sitcom largely set in the offices of a Major-Market radio station. Languishing at the bottom of the ratings chart with its moribund "beautiful music" format, WKRP was given a major shot in the arm with the arrival of ambitious new program director Andy Travis (Gary Sandy), who tossed out all the old Lawrence Welk records and installed an ultrahip Top-40 rock format. As WKRP's ratings rose slowly but steadily, Andy and the other staffers did their best to keep the momentum flowing despite an unprepossessing lineup of sponsors (ranging from nursing homes to funeral parlors) and the formidable opposition of WKRP's wealthy, imperious owner, Mrs. Lillian Carlson (played by Sylvia Sidney in the pilot episode, and thereafter by Carol Bruce). The other regulars included station manager Arthur "The Big Guy" Carlson (Gordon Jump), a well-meaning but ineffectual oaf who kept his job only because he was the owner's son; WKRP's sales manager Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner), whose boorish behavior was rivaled only by his garish wardrobe; prissy, uptight and incredibly naïve newscaster Les Nessman (Richard Sanders), whose mission in life was to win the coveted Buckeye Newshawk Award; Dr. Johnny Fever, aka Johnny Caravella (Howard Hesseman), the station's mercurial, all-but-burned-out morning DJ; Venus Flytrap, aka Gordon Sims (Tim Reid), the funky, low-key nighttime platter-spinner; and Ms. Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers, Andy's ebullient young assistant and traffic-and-billing expert, a classic example of "still waters run deep." Ultimately emerging as the true star of the series was Loni Anderson as WKRP's blonde, curvaceous receptionist Jennifer Marlowe, who though she refused to type or take dictation was the station's most efficient and level-headed employee, forever running interference for her bosses and coming up with last-minute solutions to otherwise insoluable problems (appropriately, Jennifer was the station's highest-paid staffer). One of the series' many running gags found Jennifer forever fending off the advances of the libidinous (and very married) Herb Tarlek, while simultaneously dating a never-ending parade of elderly millionaires. Created by Hugh Wilson, who drew extensively from his own professional experiences at various local radio stations (notably in the classic first-season episode "Turkeys Away"), WKRP in Cincinnati almost instantly built up a loyal critical and fan following, though thanks to CBS's haphazard scheduling practices it never truly clicked in the ratings. Nevertheless, the series lasted four seasons, ending its network run on September 20, 1982, and later yielding a moderately successful first-run syndicated spinoff (with a largely different cast), The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1991-1993). The catchy opening-theme music for the original WKRP was written by Tom Wells and Hugh Wilson, and performed by Steve Carlisle, while the closing-credits rock tune was composed and peformed by Jim Ellis.
~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this made-for-TV movie, a singer (Loni Anderson) travels to Chicago during the 1920s to seek revenge against the gangster who killed her boyfriend. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

The action and stunts in this fourth racing vehicle for Burt Reynolds could be accurately foreseen by most youngsters. Stroker Ace (Reynolds) is a race car driver who gets the short end of a contract with a fried-chicken entrepreneur (Ned Beatty) but can be expected to end up with the woman (Pembrook) in compensation -- and actually did (Pembrook is played by Loni Anderson in her first movie with Reynolds). By this time, the formula of racing cars, wild stunts, blond co-stars (Goldie Hawn, Farrah Fawcett, and Dolly Parton were the most recent) was wearing thin and Reynolds starred in only one more "Cannonball" film, ending his car-chase series there. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Made for television, A Letter to Three Wives is a modernized version of the classic 1949 theatrical film of the same name. While on a charity picnic, the wives of three well-to-do men each receive a letter from a fourth woman, a flashy divorcée named Addie (who is never seen). With calculated sweetness and sympathy, Addie informs the ladies that she is about to run off with the husband of one of them. In flashback, each wife recalls her marriage, wondering if it is she who is about to be divested of her husband (and simultaneously asking herself why this might be happening). Loni Anderson, Michele Lee, and Stephanie Zimbalist star in the roles played by Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, and Jeanne Crain (respectively) in the 1949 film. Ann Sothern herself is seen as the mother of Anderson's character, a part originally essayed by Connie Gilchrist. Johnny Mandel earned an Emmy nomination for his musical score, which is virtually the only real improvement on the 1949 version. A Letter to Three Wives first aired December 16, 1985, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this comedy, two rival ad executives find themselves marooned on a South Pacific during a balloon accident. Comic mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A remake of the 1945 Gene Tierny vehicle Leave Her to Heaven, Loni Anderson plays a newlywed whose over-possessiveness of her husband's attentions takes on a dangerous edge. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

One of the most expensive of Don Bluth's animated cartoon features, All Dogs Go to Heaven was also among the most successful. Set in late-'30s New Orleans, the story centers upon a roguish German shepherd named Charlie B. Barkin (voice of Burt Reynolds), who is killed early in the proceedings by his business partner, Carface (voice of Vic Tayback). Charlie travels to Heaven, and is promptly warned that if he heads back to Earth, he can never return; he does decide to go back to Earth, however, to exact revenge on Carface, who has kidnapped Anne-Marie, a little orphan girl who can talk to Animals.
The film also includes the vocal skills of Dom DeLuise, Charles Nelson Reilly, Vic Tayback, Melba Moore, Loni Anderson, and a host of others. All Dogs Go to Heaven was the first production of the Dublin-based Sullivan Bluth Studios. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Loni Anderson stars as a woman who must confront her Mafioso husband if she is to retrieve her kidnapped child. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

Based on the book Hot Toddy, by Andy Edmunds, this made-for-TV movie revolves around the mysterious death of '30s film star Thelma Todd (Loni Anderson). ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi