Anita Louise

2.1. Early Life and Education

Born Anita Louise Fremault on January 9, 1915, in New York City, she was the daughter of Louis and Ann Fremault. She received her education at the Professional Children's School. Louise began her acting career at a remarkably young age, making her Broadway debut at seven in the play Peter Ibbetson. Her first film appearance was in the 1922 production Down to the Sea in Ships, though uncredited. She received her first credited screen role at the age of nine in the 1924 film The Sixth Commandment. In 1929, she chose to drop her surname, billing herself solely by her first and middle names.

During her childhood, at the age of nine, an alarming incident occurred when she was nearly abducted. As quoted in a 1937 St. Louis Star-Times interview, Louise recounted that while leaving the Bristol Hotel in Vienna, a man seized her and attempted to pull her into a waiting automobile. Two hotel staff members intervened, rescuing her. The hotel manager subsequently warned her mother that around thirty children had reportedly been kidnapped and taken across the Italian frontier, where they were sold, some to later become victims of white slavery when they reached adulthood.

2.2. Early Career and Rise to Fame

As her presence in Hollywood grew, Anita Louise earned the esteemed designation of a WAMPAS Baby Star, a group of young actresses selected for their potential for stardom. Her public profile was further elevated by her prominent role as a Hollywood society hostess. Her lavish parties became well-known events, frequented by the elite of the entertainment industry, and were regularly and widely covered in news media, solidifying her status within Hollywood's social circles.

2.3. Film Career

Anita Louise achieved notable successes in a series of films during the 1930s. Among her major film appearances 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, the trajectory of her film career began to shift, with her roles increasingly limited to secondary characters. During this period, she appeared in films such as Casanova Brown (1944), Nine Girls (1944), The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946), Blondie's Big Moment (1947), and Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1947). Her final appearance in a motion picture was in the 1952 war film Retreat, Hell!.

2.4. Television Career

Following the decline of her film career in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the burgeoning medium of television provided Anita Louise with new acting opportunities. She took on the role of Nell McLaughlin in the television series My Friend Flicka, appearing in 39 episodes from 1956 to 1957 alongside co-stars Johnny Washbrook, Gene Evans, and Frank Ferguson. She also served as a substitute host for The Loretta Young Show in 1953 while Loretta Young was recovering from surgery. In 1957, she hosted Theater Time on ABC-TV. Her other television hosting credits included The United States Steel Hour in 1962 and Playhouse 90 in 1957. Anita Louise's final television appearance was in a 1970 episode of Mod Squad.

5.1. Hollywood Walk of Fame

In recognition of her significant contributions to motion pictures, Anita Louise was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is located at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard, within the Motion Pictures section, solidifying her place among Hollywood's celebrated figures.

5.2. Public Image and Style

Throughout her career, Anita Louise cultivated a distinctive public image, often described as one of the most fashionable and stylish women in cinema. She was noted for her delicate facial features, blonde hair, and an enduring, youthful elegance that remained with her through her three decades in film, beginning as a child actress and continuing into Hollywood's Golden Age. This refined and graceful appearance contributed significantly to her allure and influence within the film industry, setting her apart as an icon of style.

6.1. Film

6.2. Television