This glamorous TV star has led a life filled with many ups and downs, including a successful career, an infamous divorce, and finding love again in her 60s. Take a closer look at her journey and stunning transformation over the years.
This well-known television star first captured public attention in the late 1970s with her breakout role as the glamorous and clever secretary Jennifer Marlowe on “WKRP in Cincinnati.”
The famous TV star and the cast of “WKRP in Cincinnati,” circa 1978. | Source: Getty Images
Her combination of beauty and sharp comedic timing made her an instant sensation, but her rise to fame wasn’t immediate. Before becoming the blonde bombshell known to millions, she had a humble upbringing in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The actress circa 1970. | Source: Getty Images
The future star was born in 1945 to a chemist father and had jet-black hair in her youth. She attended the University of Minnesota, where she studied art. Still, her striking looks earned her spots in beauty pageants, including being a runner-up in the Miss Minnesota contest in 1964.
The “WKRP in Cincinnati” star during a promotional photoshoot for the series in 1978. | Source: Getty Images
Her life was shaped by early setbacks, including a marriage and divorce before she was 21. She had to take on a teaching position to support herself and her daughter while finishing her college degree.
The Hollywood star during a promotional photoshoot for “WKRP in Cincinnati” in 1978. | Source: Getty Images
Her interest in acting grew through local theater productions. She performed in plays like “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Born Yesterday,” and “The Threepenny Opera.” Determined to pursue acting seriously, she and her second husband, actor Ross Bickell, moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s.