Interested in stage and film at an early age, Annie Potts attended Stephens College in Missouri, enrolling in the 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, but her presence moved up with an appearance in the mega-hit Ghost Busters and then she hit the big time with a seven-year stint as one of the stars of Designing Women. A brief period in Love & War ended with the cancellation of the show, about which she remains resentful.



Three sons: Clay Senechal (b. 1981), Doc (b. 1992), & Harry (b. 1996). Original choice for Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction (1987), but dropped out to star in the TV series "Designing Women" (1986). Glenn Close eventually took the part.