Hollywood in the 1960s was full of stars whose careers seemed destined for greatness.Anjanette Comer was one of them — a striking young actress who suddenly found herself being offered roles that could have changed her life forever.But now, sad news has emerged that the actress, best known for her roles in The Loved One, The Appaloosa and The Baby, has died at 86.For a brief moment in the 1960s, Anjanette Comer appeared to be on the fast track to becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Her Texas determination, natural acting talent, and striking looks — often compared to a young Elizabeth Taylor — were helping turn her dream into reality.The striking, brunette beauty rose to fame after landing leading roles in The Appaloosa, Guns for San Sebastian and Lepke.
But then, Comer made a few unexpected choices that would shape the rest of her career.She declined both.Jane Fonda ultimately took the role in Barefoot in the Park, while Faye Dunaway landed the part in Bonnie and Clyde. Both movies became major successes and helped cement their stars as Hollywood icons.Looking back years later, Comer was remarkably candid about why she had made those decisions. In a 1981 interview with UPI, she explained that she had been involved in what she described as a “very important relationship” with an actor who did not want her working in movies.“At that time I was young and naive,” she said.She also admitted something that might surprise fans looking back at her promising early career:“I hated my career.”Comer had arrived in Hollywood with remarkable speed. Born Aug. 7, 1939, in Dawson, Texas, she studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse after growing up in the small Texas community.While other young actresses were drawn to Hollywood’s glamour and nightlife, Anjanette took a very different approach. She focused on honing her craft and preparing for the right opportunity.In fact, during her first two years in Hollywood, she never actively pursued a professional job or even visited a film studio. Instead, she simply practiced, studied and worked on becoming a better actress.
