A former beauty queen who became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable sex symbols has made a rare public appearance at the age of 75.
The actress and singer was photographed running errands in Montecito, California, alongside her husband of 34 years. Dressed entirely in black, she displayed the same statuesque appearance that helped make her famous during the late 1970s and 1980s.
Her husband, 71, also kept his outfit casual as he carried the couple’s shopping bag.
The woman behind the youthful appearance is Susan Anton, the Golden Globe-nominated star of Goldengirl, while the man beside her is her longtime husband, actor and director Jeff Lester.
Susan Anton maintains her signature look at 75
Anton wore tight black leggings with a long-sleeved black shirt for the couple’s low-key outing. Lester coordinated with his wife in a black T-shirt and jeans.
The pair met during a personal-development and life-coaching course…
in the early 1990s before marrying in 1992. Anton has credited their five-year age difference with helping her feel energetic and youthful.
Long before meeting Lester, Anton had already established herself as an actress, singer and prominent Hollywood personality.
The California native first attracted attention through beauty pageants. She won the Miss Redlands and Miss California titles in 1969 before tying as second runner-up in that year’s Miss America Scholarship Pageant.
Anton made her film debut a decade later in Goldengirl. She played a genetically enhanced young athlete who becomes an Olympic superstar.
Although the movie struggled commercially, Anton received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. The attention surrounding the film led to a contract with NBC and her own variety program, Presenting Susan Anton.
Her height of 5 feet 11 inches, layered blond hair and wide smile helped establish the glamorous public image that remained closely associated with her career.
Famous romances attracted international attention
Anton’s personal life also contributed to her growing fame.
She began a relationship with Sylvester Stallone while both were still legally married but separated from their respective spouses. Anton was married to Jack Stein, while Stallone remained married to his first wife, Sasha Czack.
Their highly publicized relationship lasted approximately one year. Stallone eventually returned to Czack, while Anton’s five-year marriage to Stein officially ended in May 1980.
Within weeks of her separation from Stallone, Anton began dating British actor Dudley Moore.
The couple’s contrasting heights became a source of public fascination. Anton stood at 5 feet 11 inches, while Moore was 5 feet 2½ inches tall.
Anton described Moore as a supportive presence who encouraged her professionally and strengthened her confidence.
Moore discussed their relationship with Time in February 1983, describing it as “lingering on very pleasantly.” He also stated that he did not want to marry again.
Anton and Moore remained together for five years before separating amicably in 1985.
A career across film, television and music
Following Goldengirl, Anton appeared in Stop Susan Williams, one of the serials featured in the television series Cliffhangers.
Her film credits later included the 1982 sports comedy Spring Fever and Cannonball Run II.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, she made appearances in numerous television programs, including The Love Boat, Mike Hammer, Murder, She Wrote, Making Mr. Right, Mr. Belvedere, Hotel, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Court, Quantum Leap and Blossom.
Anton also appeared in 13 episodes of Baywatch between 1992 and 1994, playing Jackie Quinn.
Her later acting credits included a 2010 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 2016 movie Sharknado: The 4th Awakens. Her most recent credited performance was in The Cleaning Lady in 2022.
Anton also pursued music, recording three albums between 1991 and 2001. In 1980, she released the single “Killin’ Time” with Fred Knoblock.
Her work ultimately extended across pageants, film, television and music, giving her a career that continued far beyond the publicity surrounding her famous relationships.
Jeff Lester’s memorable television roles
Lester became known for his muscular build and blond appearance during the 1980s and 1990s.
One of his most memorable performances came in the 1991 Seinfeld episode “The Note.” He portrayed Raymond, a handsome masseur whose interaction with George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, leaves the character questioning his sexuality.
Lester also appeared in two episodes of Baywatch between 1990 and 1992, playing Lance Jarvis and Lane Brody.
In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, he played an FBI agent who interrogated Pavel Chekov, portrayed by Walter Koenig. He also guest-starred in a 1982 episode of Joanie Loves Chachi.
Lester was cast as superhero Captain Justice and his alter ego, Brad Steele, in the 1987 CBS series Once a Hero. The show ran for three episodes.
By the end of the 1990s, he shifted his attention toward directing and producing.
Their partnership moved behind the camera
Anton and Lester formed Big Picture Studios in 1997, expanding their personal relationship into a creative partnership.
Their productions included The Last Real Cowboys in 2000, which received three film-festival awards, and Broken in 2006.
They also worked on the 2007 short drama Mr. President, which earned two awards at the ELEVATE Film Festival, and the 2008 short film The Speed of Life.
More than three decades after marrying, Anton and Lester remain together, with their rare Montecito outing offering a new glimpse of one of Hollywood’s enduring couples.
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