Loni Anderson Recalls Ex Burt Reynolds' Fred Astaire Surprise
Throughout her decades in the spotlight, Loni Anderson has had quite a few wild celebrity encounters.
When I was married to Burt [Reynolds], I had never met Fred Astaire and loved him,” Anderson exclusively tells Us Weekly‘s 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me. She was married to Reynolds from 1988 to 1994 and has been married to Bob Flick since 2008.
The actress says, “As a surprise, Burt invited Fred to dinner. As he came down the stairs, he did a whole tap number.”
However, Astaire isn’t the one who made her feel truly starstruck. “The most famous person in my phone book was Cary Grant. When I met him, I was a blithering idiot,” she admits. “He became a friend, but I never got over my crush.”
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The cast of Anderson’s new film, Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, would leave Us feeling like fangirls. The movie follows former five soap opera stars who reunite to share the spotlight to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera. Anderson stars as one of the ex-drama queens alongside Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills and Nicollette Sheridan.
Fans can watch Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas on Lifetime Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll down to read 25 things you might not know about Anderson:
1. My secret talents are that I play the piano — but not great enough to really astound you with it or do it on a show — and I do impressions.
2. My first car was a turquoise Chevy Impala convertible with white leather interior and moon hubcaps. I talked about it so much that when I was married to Burt [Reynolds], he had a lovely painting done of my car and I still have it hanging up.
3. The most famous person in my phone book was Cary Grant. When I met him, I was a blithering idiot. He became a friend, but I never got over my crush.
4. I had a little thing for Elvis Presley growing up. Everybody liked him, and I didn’t want to be like everyone else, but I was.
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5. I love a black tank top [that’s] stretchy, shapely and goes with everything.
6. I learned to cook from my grandma, so fattening German food is my favorite thing to make.
7. I’m a mystery fanatic. I could sit down anytime and find something new in rereading The Big Sleep.
8. I must see The Uninvited at least once a year.
9. My favorite TV shows are Dateline and Forensic Files.
10. My best subject in school was science.
11. I’m a meditator. To decompress, I close out the world and meditate. That may also include a book. I leave my world and join somebody else’s.
12. The beauty product I swear by is moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer.
13. I’m a great fisherman.
14. My parents were WWII sweethearts and used to sing Louis Armstrong’s “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” in their bedroom, which was right next door to mine. I loved hearing them sing together.
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15. I’m most often mistaken for Dolly Parton, but in the era of all of us in the’80s, [I was mistaken for] Farrah Fawcett.
16. I really don’t drink, but I love champagne.
17. A Christmas doesn’t go by that I don’t make my Swedish meatballs.
18. When I was married to Burt, I had never met Fred Astaire and loved him. As a surprise, Burt invited Fred to dinner. As he came down the stairs, he did a whole tap number.
19. I can’t leave the house without powder, lipstick and my glasses.
20. The proudest moment of my career was a scene that I did with [WKRP in Cincinnati costar] Frank Bonner that will always remain my favorite.
21. Herb Alpert was the first concert I ever went to.
22. Growing up, I wanted to be Doris Day in the worst way. I was gushing when I met her.
23. I realized I had “made it” after WKRP in Cincinnati first aired. My daughter and I went window shopping in Beverly Hills, and I was accosted by people and paparazzi.
24. Italy is my favorite place to vacation, and I love Venice because of the water.
25. My favorite room is my bedroom because I’m close to makeup, hair, wardrobe, intimacy and TV if I want it.
