Loni Anderson's Relationship With Burt Reynolds: What to Know

Loni Anderson's whirlwind marriage to Burt Reynolds resurfaced after her death.

On August 3, Anderson's longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, confirmed that the WKRP in Cincinnati star died at a Los Angeles hospital following a "prolonged" illness. She died just days before what would have been her 80th birthday.

Her death follows that of Reynolds, who died of a heart attack on September 6, 2018.

Anderson and Reynolds first met on the set of The Merv Griffin Show while she was still married to actor Ross Bickell. The Gunsmoke star was also still involved with Sally Field at the time.

They began dating and later worked together in the film Stroker Ace.

"Whether this relationship will go any further than it has right now, I have no idea. Loni and I are both trying very hard to get acquainted and to like each other without too many explosions and broadsides from the press," Reynolds said in a June 1982 interview with People.

Years after they moved in together, Anderson and Reynolds exchanged vows during a private ceremony at his Jupiter, Fla., ranch in 1988. They later adopted their son, Quinton.

Their marriage hit rock bottom when Reynolds announced their shocking split in June 1993. At the time, a representative for the Navajo Joe actor said the union was "irretrievably broken" and that, though Reynolds had "the highest respect and regard for Miss. Anderson … he feels his priorities and hers have become different."

During an appearance on Good Morning America: Evening Decision, Reynolds claimed he caught Anderson cheating on him.

"And so I just … I made the decision to call it off," he added.

For months, Anderson and Reynolds exchanged tirades in court as part of the divorce proceedings. Although they finalized it in 1994, a Los Angeles Times article noted the process had cost him more than $2 million on top of the $47,000 per month of divorce-related expenses.

"I'm very happy that we were able to sell papers for a year and a half. Why that doesn't translate into money, I don't know. ... I'm glad America is curious about us," said Reynolds.

As part of their settlement, the Deliverance actor bought Anderson a house. Per the Nevada Smith actress, her ex-husband sometimes failed to pay the mortgage and did not always settle the agreed-upon $15,000 child support.

Meanwhile, Reynolds filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996 after his financial burdens became unbearable.

Their lawyers continued working on the case for years until he ended their financial ties by writing a $154,520 check in September 2015.

Speaking in a 2015 interview with People, Reynolds noted how marrying the A Night at the Roxbury actress was "a really dumb move" on his part.

"I should have known that you don't marry an actress," he said. "It wasn't lollipops and roses."

He shared additional details with Men's Health in 2016, claiming his mother, Fern, also thought the marriage was a mistake.

Reynolds recalled, "I remember when we got married, it was in a chapel I'd built specifically for our wedding. I was walking down the aisle, and Perry Como was walking with me."

He reportedly saw his mother shaking her head, but he "didn't pay attention."

"But my mom was always right," he continued.