Anita, a talented actress, began her career on the stage at the tender age of six, sharing the spotlight with renowned actor Walter Hampden in the Broadway production of Peter Ibbetson. Under the pseudonym Louise Fremault, she made her film debut at nine in the 1924 movie The Sixth Commandment, marking the start of a long and illustrious career in Hollywood.
As a child actress, Anita continued to appear in films throughout the 1920s, adopting her given name and surname in 1929. Unlike many of her peers, her film career did not slow down as she entered her teenage years. Instead, she blossomed into a star, starring in Warner Brothers' lavish costume dramas, including Madame Du Barry (1934),A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935),The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936),and Marie Antoinette (1938).
Anita's striking blue-eyed blonde looks often hindered her ability to secure more serious roles, and she found herself typecast in ingénue parts throughout the 1940s. Despite her youthful appearance, Anita was already in her mid-20s by 1940, and her film career began to wane, relegated to 'B' movies. Her final film appearance was in the 1947 rehashed Bulldog Drummond at Bay.
In the 1950s, Anita transitioned to television, landing the role of Nell McLaughlin, mother of Johnny Washbrook, on the popular series My Friend Flicka (1955). She also served as a substitute host for The Loretta Young Show (1953) during Loretta Young's recovery from surgery, and hosted other programs, including Theater of Time (1957) and Spotlight Playhouse (1958).
Anita's television guest roles included appearances on Mannix (1967) and Mod Squad (1968). In her later years, she devoted herself to various philanthropic causes, leaving a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry.
