Hollywood actress Loni Anderson, best remembered for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnatipassed away at the age of 79, leaving behind a legacy of beauty, talent, and intriguing personal stories. Among them was her very first marriage—a relationship that played a lesser-known but formative role in her early life.

Who Was Loni Anderson’s First Husband?

Loni Anderson’s first husband was Bruce Hasselberg, a real estate developer from Minnesota. Unlike Anderson’s later high-profile relationships, Hasselberg was not a Hollywood figure. He grew up in Minnesota, where he led a relatively quiet life before meeting Anderson. His background in real estate suggests he had training in fields like property law, finance, and market analysis, skills that likely supported his career. Hasselberg’s life before marrying Anderson was far removed from the spotlight, making their early romance a more private affair compared to her later marriages.

The Early Marriage of Loni Anderson and Bruce Hasselberg

Loni Anderson and Bruce Hasselberg met in their home state of Minnesota before Anderson became a household name. Their love story began in 1963 when Anderson, then a budding actress and college student, was crowned runner-up in the Miss Minnesota pageant. According to Hasselberg, he met Anderson at a beauty pageant where his sister was also a contestant. He proposed to her on their first date, and the couple married just four weeks and six days later in 1964, when Anderson was only 18 years old.

The whirlwind romance led to a quick marriage, and soon after, the couple welcomed their daughter, Deidra Hoffman. However, the pressures of young parenthood and Anderson’s ambitions as an actress strained the relationship. At the time, Anderson was balancing her studies at the University of Minnesota, a teaching job to support herself and Deidra, and her early forays into acting through local theater and commercials.

The Divorce and Its Aftermath

The marriage between Loni Anderson and Bruce Hasselberg was short-lived, ending in divorce in 1966 after just two years. The reasons for their split were not widely publicized, but the demands of Anderson’s burgeoning career and the challenges of raising a child as a young couple likely contributed. As a single mother post-divorce, Anderson faced significant hardships, working to support Deidra while pursuing her education and acting aspirations. Despite the difficulties, she persevered, eventually moving to Los Angeles to chase her dreams, where she would later achieve fame.

The divorce marked a pivotal moment in Anderson’s life, pushing her to focus on her career and personal growth. It also set the stage for her subsequent marriages, including her high-profile union with actor Burt Reynolds and her eventual marriage to musician Bob Flick in 2008, which lasted until her passing.