Anna Catinski

Photo of Catinski at the 1986 Institution Awards

Annabelle Catinski (Nee Holcombe March 14th, 1948 - November 5th, 2010) was an American actor, and comedian known for her comedic and dramatic roles in films such as An American Divorce, The Green Hillside and My Leonora. In total, she appeared in over 15 films and 3 sitcoms with a career spanning over 40 years.

After moving to Los Santos in 1966, Catinski made her film debut in *1967s "The Summer of The Chumash Chick". She then was hired to play Mary in 1968s, "Burning From You" and later that year in "Coming To The Canyon" where she played a drug smuggling funeral director named Doris. Her role in Coming To The Canyon caught attention of director Moe DaLohn, and he hired her to play Reba Brickford in the Mixers trilogy films from 1969 to 1971 , she was nominated for a Nelson Award for her role in the first film "Mixers In LS" in 1970.* *In* 1973 she was hired on to the short lived sitcom "The Shop Keeper" as Vickie. When the show was cancelled in 1975 she was cast in the film "Maddy Hit The Road" and did guest episodes on "FEL" and UBC *Afterschool Special, the latter scoring her an Estelle Award*. Her other film appearances from the 70s in include *The Penny Pintchers* (1977), *City Streets* (1978), An American Divorce (1978), and Sigh Of Relief (1979).

In 1980 she took a break from acting to tend to her ill husband, Robby Catinski, and didn't return to acting for 4 years. After Robby's passing in 1984, she once again began her acting career, this time, suffering from a deep depression, she searched for more dramatic and serious roles. She found and was cast in the upcoming Barry Andrews film "My Leonora" where she was to play the real life Leonora Johnson, the late starlet who was murdered by director Peter Dreyfuss in 1975. This role won her the Nelson Award for best actress in 1986. In February of 1986 she met an executive producer by the name of Sheldon Walker, and the two later married in October of that year. In 1988 she starred in another Barry Andrews film, "Tell It To The Wind" and while on set, she introduced her new husband to Andrews. As expected the two men hit it off and quickly formed a tight friendship. So tight that he hired them to work on his upcoming film, "The Shoulder of Orion II" in 1992, Walker was to produce and Catinski to star. The film was met with critical and commercial success and won a Nelson Award for best special effects. Anna's returned to comedy in 1995 with the film "Shhhhh". She then played the mother of Christie Carter's character in the 1996 film *Molly's Bar Mitzvah*, and shortly after she recorded a voice for the animated movie "*The Magic 8 Ball" i*n 1997.

She ended the 90s with the film "Hotline Workers" and signed on to the 2000 sitcom "Lovin Man" where she played a female pimp named Trixie. She appeared on all 4 seasons of the show up until its end in 2004, the same year she divorced her husband Sheldon Walker after he was found cheating. Her most notable and last role came shortly after Catinski learned she had breast cancer, the 2006 film "The Green Hillside" where she starred as Beth Richchild, a wealthy model suffering from breast cancer. This role won her two Nelson Awards and resulted in her name being added to the Vinewood walk of fame in 2009.

On November 5th, 2010, Anna passed away in her Los Santos home. Her public funeral was held at the Oriental Theater on November 10th and her body was later flown to her home state of North Yankton two days later for her private funeral which was held of on November 14th. She was buried next to her parents and grandparents in Lunsford Cemetery in Lunsord, North Yankton.

In 2012 her walk of fame star was accidentally destroyed when a drunken street performer dropped a hand grenade directly on top of it while trying to recreate a movie scene. Though many fans and friends of Anna have requested the star be replaced, the Vinewood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame selection committee have publicly stated they have “bigger more relavent stars to pay attention to”. As of 2022 the star has not been replaced.