Anita Louise

Anita Louise

Anita Louise in Call It a Day (1937)
Born Anita Louise Fremault
(1915-01-09)January 9, 1915
New York, New York, U.S.
Died April 25, 1970(1970-04-25) (aged 55)
West Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death stroke
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Other names Anita Fremault
Occupation Actress
Years active 1921–1970
Spouse(s) Buddy Adler
(m. 1940–1960; his death) 2 children
Henry Berger
(m. 1962–1970; her death)

Anita Louise (January 9, 1915 – April 25, 1970) was an American film and television actress best known for her performances in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935), Anthony Adverse (1936), Marie Antoinette (1938) and The Little Princess (1939). She was named as a WAMPAS Baby Star, and frequently described as one of the cinema's most fashionable and stylish women.

Louise had delicate features and blonde hair, with ageless grace, which saw her through thirty years before the Motion picture camera, beginning as a child actress before becoming a featured player during Hollywood Golden Age.

Life and career

Anita Louise was born Anita Louise Fremault on January 9, 1915 in New York City.[1] She made her acting debut on Broadway at the age of six, and within a year was appearing regularly in Hollywood films. By her late teens she was being cast in leading and supporting roles in major productions, and was highly regarded for her delicate features and blonde hair. Louise made her first credited screen debut at the age of nine in the film The Sixth Commandment (1924).In 1929, Louise dropped her Freamault surname, billing herself by her first and second names only, Anita Louise.

As her stature in Hollywood grew, she was named as a WAMPAS Baby Star, and was frequently described as one of cinema's most fashionable and stylish women. Her reputation was further enhanced by her role as Hollywood society hostess, with her parties attended by the elite of Hollywood, and widely and regularly reported in the news media

Among her film successes were Madame Du Barry (1934), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935), Anthony Adverse (1936), Marie Antoinette (1938), The Sisters (1938), and The Little Princess (1939).

By the 1940s, she was reduced to mostly secondary roles and her film career started to slow.Some of her films during this time are Casanova Brown (1944), Nine Girls (1944), The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946), Blondie's Big Moment (1947), and Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1947). Her last appearance on big screen in the 1952 war film Retreat, Hell.In 1950s. Louise was reduced to minor roles and acted very infrequently until the advent of television in the 1950s provided her with further opportunities. In middle age she played one of her most widely seen roles as the gentle mother, Nell McLaughlin, in the CBS television series My Friend Flicka from 1956–1957, with co-stars Johnny Washbrook, Gene Evans, and Frank Ferguson.Louise was also the substitute host of The Loretta Young Show (1953) when Loretta Young was recuperating from surgery. Other shows Anita hosted include The United States Steel Hour (1962) and Playhouse 90 (1957). Her last television appearance was in 1970 was in an episode of the Mod Squad.

Personal life and death

Louise virtually retired after My Friend Flicka, which was rebroadcast thereafter for a generation. Her husband of twenty years, the film producer Buddy Adler, died in 1960.[1] They had two sons. She married Henry Berger in 1962. Louise died of a stroke on April 25, 1970 in West Los Angeles, California. She was buried next to Berger at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[2] She was 55 years old.

Louise has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her contribution to Motion Pictures at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

Film

Louise in The Little Princess (1939)
Anita Louise in The Gorilla (1939)
Louise with Roger Pryor in Glamour for Sale (1940)
Year Title Role
1922 Down to the Sea in Ships (uncredited)
1924 The Sixth Commandment
1924 Lend Me Your Husband
1927 The Music Master
1927 Memories
1928 4 Devils Louise
1928 A Woman of Affairs Diana as a Child (uncredited)
1929 The Spirit of Youth Toodles Ewing
1929 Square Shoulders Mary Jane
1929 Wonder of Women Lottie
1929 The Marriage Playground Blanca Wheater
1930 The Florodora Girl Vibart Child
1930 What a Man Marion Kilbourne
1930 Just Like Heaven Mimi
1930 The Third Alarm Milly Morton
1931 Everything's Rosie Rosie Droop
1931 The Great Meadow Betty Hall
1931 Millie Constance 'Connie' Maitland
1931 The Woman Between Helen Weston
1931 Heaven On Earth Towhead
1932 The Phantom of Crestwood Esther Wren
1933 Our Betters Elizabeth 'Bessie' Saunders
1934 The Most Precious Thing in Life Patty O'Day
1934 Are We Civilized? Norma Bockner
1934 Cross Streets Clara Grattan
1934 I Give My Love Lorna March
1934 Judge Priest Ellie May Gillespie
1934 Madame DuBarry Marie Antoinette
1934 The Firebird Mariette Pointer
1934 Bachelor of Arts Mimi Smith
1935 Lady Tubbs Wynne Howard
1935 Here's to Romance Lydia Lubov
1935 Personal Maid's Secret Diana Abercrombie
1935 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania, Queen of the Fairies
1936 The Story of Louis Pasteur Annette Pasteur
1936 Brides Are Like That Hazel Robinson
1936 Anthony Adverse Maria
1937 Green Light Phyllis Dexter
1937 Call It a Day Vera, the maid
1937 The Go Getter Margaret Ricks
1937 That Certain Woman Florence 'Flip' Carson Merrick
1937 First Lady Emmy Page
1937 Tovarich Helene Dupont
1938 My Bill Muriel Colbrook
1938 Marie Antoinette Princesse de Lamballe
1938 The Sisters Helen Elliot Johnson
1938 Going Places Ellen Parker
1939 The Little Princess Rose Hamilton
1939 The Gorilla Norma Denby
1939 These Glamour Girls Daphne 'Daph' Graves
1939 Hero For a Day Sylvia Higgins
1939 Main Street Lawyer Honey Boggs
1939 Reno Mrs. Joanne Ryder
1940 Wagons Westward Phyllis O'Conover
1940 Glamour for Sale Ann Powell
1940 The Villain Still Pursued Her Mary Wilson
1941 The Phantom Submarine Madeline Neilson
1941 Two in a Taxi Bonnie
1941 Harmon of Michigan Peggy Adams
1943 Dangerous Blondes Julie Taylor
1944 Nine Girls Paula Canfield
1944 Casanova Brown Madge Ferris
1945 Love Letters Helen Wentworth
1946 The Fighting Guardsman Amelie de Montrevel
1946 The Bandit of Sherwood Forest Lady Catherine Maitland
1946 The Devil's Mask Janet Mitchell
1946 Personality Kid Laura Howard
1946 Shadowed Carol Johnson
1947 Blondie's Big Moment Miss Gary
1947 Bulldog Drummond at Bay Doris Hamilton
1952 Retreat, Hell! Ruth Hansen

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1950 Stars Over Hollywood 1 episode
1952 Footlights Theater 1 episode
1953 Your Favorite Story
1952–55 The Ford Television Theatre Marie McCoy, Mother
1955 Lux Video Theatre
1956 My Friend Flicka Nell McLaughlin
1956 Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1957 The Millionaire Nancy Wellington
1957 Playhouse 90 Mabel Seymour Greer
1957 Letter to Loretta Laura
1962 The United States Steel Hour Mrs. McCabe
1969 Mannix Althea Greene
1970 The Mod Squad

References

  1. 1 2 "Anita Louise". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  2. Anita Louise at Find a Grave

External links

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