Interested in stage and film at an early age, Annie attended
Stephens College in Missouri, in their theater studies course,
followed by graduate work in California. At the age of 20 she
married her college sweetheart Steven Hartley. Only a short time
later she and her husband were in a serious automobile accident in
New Mexico - their Volkswagen bus was demolished by two drivers who
were drag racing. Steve lost a leg, and Annie had multiple
fractures (resulting in a traumatic arthritis that still persists).
Early roles were primarily in television, such as _Black Market
Baby (1977) (TV)_ (qv), but her presence moved up with an
appearence in the megahit _Ghostbusters (1984)_ (qv) and a
seven-year stint as one of the _"Designing Women" (1986)_ (qv). A
brief period in _"Love & War" (1992)_ (qv) ended with the
cancellation of the show, about which she remains resentful. Then
in 1996 the critically acclaimed _"Dangerous Minds" (1996)_ (qv)
found her in a role based on the real-life marine sergeant 'LouAnne
Johnson' (qv), as a teacher trying to educate a group of
dysfunctional high schoolers.
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