Richard Norman Anderson (August 8, 1926 – August 31, 2017) was an American film and television actor. Among his best-known roles was his portrayal of Oscar Goldman, the boss of Steve Austin ( Lee Majors) and Jaime Sommers ( Lindsay Wagner) in both ''

The Six Million Dollar Man ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After a NASA test flight accident, Austin ...

'' and '' The Bionic Woman''

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

between 1974 and 1978 and their subsequent

television movies Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

: ''

The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman ''The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman'' is a made-for-television science fiction action film which originally aired on May 17, 1987 on NBC. The movie reunited the main casts of the television series ''The Six Million Doll ...

'' (1987), '' Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman'' (1989) and ''

Bionic Ever After? ''Bionic Ever After?'' is a made-for-television science fiction action film which originally aired on November 29, 1994 on CBS. The movie reunited the main casts of the television series ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' and its spin-off ''The Bionic ...

'' (1994).

Early life

Anderson was born in

Long Branch, New Jersey Long Branch is a beachside city in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 30,719, Anderson served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Career

Before Anderson began his career in 1950 as a

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

contract player, he studied at the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, which led to work in radio and stock theater. His many films at MGM included '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) as Reynolds, '' The Student Prince'' (1954) as Lucas, and '' Forbidden Planet'' (1956), as Chief Engineer Quinn. Among his later films were the World War I drama ''

Paths of Glory ''Paths of Glory'' is a 1957 American anti-war film co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb. Set during World War I, the film stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, the commanding officer of ...

'' (1957) directed by

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

, in which Anderson played the prosecuting attorney. Anderson played Ricardo Del Amo in the second season of Zorro (1957 TV series), a friend and rival of Diego de la Vega ( Guy Williams). He was the object of the unrequited love of Clara Varner ( Joanne Woodward) in '' The Long, Hot Summer'' (1958) and a suspicious military officer in '' Seven Days in May'' (1964). In the 1960s, Anderson made appearances in 23 episodes of '' Perry Mason'' during the series' final season as Police Lieutenant Steve Drumm, replacing the character of Lt. Tragg, played by Ray Collins, who died in 1965. Before he became a ''Perry Mason'' regular, he made guest appearances in two episodes: as defendant Edward Lewis in "The Case of the Accosted Accountant", and Jason Foster in "The Case of the Paper Bullets" (both 1964). He also appeared on '' The Untouchables'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The sho ...

'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'', ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', '' Redigo'', '' Combat!'', '' Twelve O'Clock High'', ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' The Fugitive'' (as varied characters in several episodes; in the series' 1967 finale he played the brother-in-law to the protagonist Dr. Richard Kimble); ''The Wild, Wild West''; ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', ''

The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of med ...

'', '' The Invaders'', and ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour ...

''. In 1961–62, Anderson co-starred with Marilyn Maxwell in an ABC production of ''

Bus Stop A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...

''. He guest-starred in the last episode of season 1 of '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966) as Judge Wilson Chase. In 1965, he played Judge Lander in the episode "Kate Melville and the Law" of the syndicated series ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

''. In 1970–71, Anderson starred as Chief George Untermeyer in the

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

series '' Dan August''. Anderson first appeared as Oscar Goldman in the second episode of ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' ("Wine, Women, and War", 1973). He would portray the character through the series' end in 1978 as well as on the spinoff series ''The Bionic Woman'' for its entire run from 1976 to 1978. In addition, Anderson guest-starred on other TV series in the 1960s and 1970s, including '' Hawaii Five-O'', '' Wanted Dead or Alive'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', '' Ironside'', ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' () is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC fr ...

'' and '' The Love Boat''. He appeared in the television movie '' The Night Strangler'' as the villain, Dr. Richard Malcolm. Anderson was just as busy in the 1980s on ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by ...

'', ''

Matt Houston ''Matt Houston'' was an American crime drama television series starring Lee Horsley as the title character, a wealthy oilman who decides to hold a side job as a private investigator. Created by Lawrence Gordon and produced by Aaron Spelling, ...

'', '' Knight Rider'', ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from O ...

'', '' Cover Up'', ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...

'', '' The Fall Guy'', '' Simon & Simon'', and ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...

''. He played murder suspect Ken Braddock in the first two-hour episode of the revived ''Perry Mason'', starring

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas '' Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

, titled "Perry Mason Returns" (1985), Anderson had a recurring role as Senator Buck Fallmont on ''

Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

'' from 1986 to 1987. He portrayed President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1987

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...

Hoover vs. The Kennedys ''Hoover vs. The Kennedys: The Second Civil War'' is a four-hour 1987 made-for-television mini-series depicting the political struggles between FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The ...

''. In the 1990s, he served as narrator and a recurring guest star for '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues''. He served also as a commercial spokesperson for the

Shell Oil Company Shell USA, Inc. (formerly Shell Oil Company, Inc.) is the United States-based wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc, a UK-based transnational corporation " oil major" which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 18,0 ...

in the United States, known as The Shell Answer Man. "The Shell Answer Man" appeared in commercials from 1976 to 1982.

Personal life and death

Anderson was married to Carol Lee Ladd and Katharine Thalberg (daughter of movie producer

Irving Thalberg Irving Grant Thalberg (May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and ability to select scripts, choose actors, gather productio ...

and actress

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O' ...

), with both marriages ending in divorce. He had three daughters with Thalberg. Anderson died on August 31, 2017, from natural causes in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

. He was 91.

Recognition

In 2007, Anderson was honored with a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.Palm Springs Walk of Stars official website
; accessed November 26, 2014.

Filmography

* '' The Pearl'' (1947) * ''

The Vanishing Westerner ''The Vanishing Westerner'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Philip Ford, written by Robert Creighton Williams, and starring Monte Hale, Paul Hurst, Aline Towne, Roy Barcroft, Arthur Space and Richard Anderson. It was released on Ma ...

'' (1950) as Deputy Sheriff Jeff Jackson * ''

A Life of Her Own ''A Life of Her Own'' is a 1950 American melodrama film directed by George Cukor and starring Lana Turner and Ray Milland. The screenplay by Isobel Lennart focuses on an aspiring model who leaves her small town in the Midwest to seek fame and ...

'' (1950) as Hosiery Man (uncredited) * '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) as Reynolds, Secretary * ''

Grounds for Marriage ''Grounds for Marriage'' is a 1951 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Written and produced by Samuel Marx, the film stars Van Johnson and Kathryn Grayson. Plot Ina Massine (Kathryn Grayson) is an opera diva who divorced ...

'' (1951) as Tommy * '' Storm Warning'' (1951) as Interne (uncredited) * '' Payment on Demand'' (1951) as Jim Boland * '' Cause for Alarm!'' (1951) as Lonesome Sailor * '' Go for Broke!'' (1951) as Lieutenant (uncredited) * '' No Questions Asked'' (1951) as Detective Walter O'Bannion * '' Rich, Young and Pretty'' (1951) as Bob Lennart * ''

The People Against O'Hara ''The People Against O'Hara'' is a 1951 American crime film noir directed by John Sturges and based on Eleazar Lipsky's novel. The film features Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak, and James Arness. Plot James Curtayne ( Tracy) was once a ...

'' (1951) as Jeff Chapman * '' Across the Wide Missouri'' (1951) as Dick Richardson * '' The Unknown Man'' (1951) as Bob Masen * '' Just This Once'' (1952) as Tom Winters * ''

Scaramouche Scaramouche () or Scaramouch (; from Italian Scaramuccia , literally "little skirmisher") is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature). The role combined characteristics of the ...

'' (1952) as Philippe de Valmorin * ''

Holiday for Sinners ''Holiday for Sinners'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Gerald Mayer and starring Gig Young, Keenan Wynn and Janice Rule. Plot Three men, reared together in New Orleans, but whose paths have drifted apart, each face a crisis during the ...

'' (1952) as Father Victor Carducci * '' Fearless Fagan'' (1952) as Capt. Daniels - Company J * ''

The Story of Three Loves ''The Story of Three Loves'' (also known as ''Equilibrium'') is a 1953 American Technicolor romantic anthology film made by MGM. It consists of three stories, "The Jealous Lover", "Mademoiselle", and "Equilibrium". The film was produced by Sid ...

'' (1953) as Marcel (segment "Equilibrium") * '' I Love Melvin'' (1953) as Harry Flack * '' Dream Wife'' (1953) as Henry Malvine * '' Give a Girl a Break'' (1953) as Burton Bradshaw * '' Escape from Fort Bravo'' (1953) as Lieutenant Beecher * '' The Student Prince'' (1954) as Lucas * '' Betrayed'' (1954) as John (uncredited) * '' Hit the Deck'' (1955) as Lt. Jackson * '' It's a Dog's Life'' (1955) as George Oakley * ''Western Union'' (1955) as Steve Gibson (unaired pilot) * '' Forbidden Planet'' (1956) as Engineering Officer Quinn * '' A Cry in the Night'' (1956) as Owen Clark * ''

The Search for Bridey Murphy ''The Search for Bridey Murphy'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Noel Langley and starring Teresa Wright, Louis Hayward and Nancy Gates, based on the best-selling book by Morey Bernstein.Indick p.172 It is inspired by the story of Ameri ...

'' (1956) as Dr. Deering * ''

Three Brave Men ''Three Brave Men'' is a 1956 drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Ray Milland and Ernest Borgnine. The film was based on real-life events arising in Greenbelt, Maryland,Knepper, Cathy D. ''Greenbelt, Maryland: A Living Legacy of the ...

'' (1956) as Naval Lt. Bill Horton * ''

The Buster Keaton Story ''The Buster Keaton Story'' is a 1957 American biographical drama film directed by Sidney Sheldon and written by Sidney Sheldon and Robert Smith, following the life of Buster Keaton. The film stars Donald O'Connor, Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming, Peter ...

'' (1957) as Tom McAffee * ''

'' (1957) as Major Saint-Auban * '' Merry Andrew'' (1958) as Ugo (uncredited) * '' The Long, Hot Summer'' (1958) as Alan Stewart * ''

Curse of the Faceless Man ''Curse of the Faceless Man'' is a 1958 independently made American low-budget black-and-white horror film, produced by Robert E. Kent, directed by Edward L. Cahn, that stars Richard Anderson, Elaine Edwards, Adele Mara, and Luis van Rooten. Sc ...

'' (1958) as Dr. Paul Mallon * '' Compulsion'' (1959) as Max Steiner * ''

'' (1959) as Tom Birch * '' The Gunfight at Dodge City'' (1959) as Dave Rudabaugh * '' The Wackiest Ship in the Army'' (1960) as Lt. Dennis M. Foster * ''The Rifleman'' (1960) as Lariat Jones * ''

'' (1960) as Oliver Judson (Season 1, Episode 7: "The Purple Room") * ''

'' (1961) Episode "Flowers by the Door" as Jason Gowdy * “ Wanted Dead or Alive” (1961) Episode “Epitaph” as the Sheriff * ''

A Gathering of Eagles ''A Gathering of Eagles'' is a 1963 SuperScope Eastmancolor film about the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War and the pressures of command. The plot is patterned after the World War II film ''Twelve O'Clock High'', which producer-screenwrite ...

'' (1963) as Colonel Ralph Josten * '' Johnny Cool'' (1963) as Correspondent * '' Seven Days in May'' (1964) as Colonel Ben Murdock * '' Combat! (1964)'' as Sergeant Perkins in the episode "A Silent Cry" on ABC * ''

Kitten with a Whip ''Kitten with a Whip'' is a 1964 American crime drama film directed by Douglas Heyes, who co-wrote the screenplay with Whit Masterson, a pseudonym for writers Robert Allison “Bob” Wade and H. Bill Miller, who also wrote the novel on which th ...

'' (1964) as Grant * '' Big Valley'' (1965) as Dr. Travers (Episode: Last Train to the Fair) * ''

Seconds The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...

'' (1966) as Dr. Innes * '' The F.B.I'' (1966) as Christian Palmer (Season 2, Episode 8: Collision Course) * ''

Mission Impossible ''Mission: Impossible'' is a multimedia franchise based on a fictional secret espionage agency known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The 1966 TV series ran for seven seasons and was revived in 1988 for two seasons. It inspired a serie ...

'' (1967) as judge in The Psychic * ''

The Ride to Hangman's Tree ''The Ride to Hangman's Tree'' is a 1967 American Western film directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Luci Ward, Jack Natteford and William Bowers. The film stars Jack Lord, Melodie Johnson, James Farentino, Don Galloway, Richard Anderson and E ...

'' (1967) as Steven Carlson * ''The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk'' (1967) as Fenton Hardy * '' The Invaders'' (1967) as Blake (Season 2, Episode 5: The Enemy) * '' Big Valley'' (1968) as Nathan Springer (Episode: Fall of a Hero) * '' Land of the Giants'' (1969) as newspaper reporter Joe Simmons (Season 2, Episode 2: Six Hours to Live) * '' Macho Callahan'' (1970) as Officer * ''

'' (1970) as Gregorio (Episode: "The War Priest") * ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ( ja, トラ・トラ・トラ！) is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji ...

'' (1970) as Navy Captain John B. Earle * '' Doctors' Wives'' (1971) as D.A. Douglas * '' The Astronaut'' (1972) as Dr. Wylie * '' The F.B.I'' (1972) as Dan Wheaton (Season 8, Episode 4: The Franklin Papers) * ''

The Honkers ''The Honkers'' is a 1972 American drama film directed by Steve Ihnat and written by Steve Ihnat and Stephen Lodge. The film stars James Coburn, Lois Nettleton, Slim Pickens, Anne Archer, Richard Anderson and Joan Huntington. The film was shot ...

'' (1972) as Royce Owens * '' Play It as It Lays'' (1972) as Les Goodwin * '' The Longest Night'' (1972) as Harry Eaton * '' The Night Strangler'' (1973) as Dr. Richard Malcolm * '' Black Eye'' (1974) as Dole * '' Never Give Up'' (1978) as US Green Beret Officer * ''

The Immigrants ''The Immigrants'' (1977) is a historical novel written by Howard Fast. Set in San Francisco during the early 20th century, it tells the story of Daniel Lavette, a self-described "roughneck" who rises from the ashes of the 1906 San Francisco ear ...

'' (1978) as Thomas Seldon * '' Murder by Natural Causes'' (1979) as George Brubaker * ''

The French Atlantic Affair ''The French Atlantic Affair'' is a novel by Ernest Lehman which was published in 1977. A 3-part TV miniseries based on the book was produced and broadcast in 1979. Plot A luxury ocean liner, the SS ''Marseilles'' of the French Atlantic Line, is ...

'' (1979) as Terrence Crown * ''

Condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...

'' (1980) as Henry Churchbridge * ''

Darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, to make prints and to carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of the light-sensitive photographic materials, including film and ph ...

'' (1981) as Bill Bellamy * '' Kane & Abel'' (1985) as Alan Lloyd * ''

The Stepford Children ''The Stepford Children'' is a 1987 American made-for-television horror science fiction thriller film inspired by the Ira Levin novel ''The Stepford Wives''. It was directed by Alan J. Levi with a screenplay by Bill Bleich and starring Barbara ...

'' (1987) as Lawrence Denton * ''

'' (1987) as Lyndon B. Johnson * '' The Player'' (1992) as Himself * '' Gettysburg'' (1993) as General George G. Meade * '' The Glass Shield'' (1995) as Watch Commander Clarence Massey * ''The Blood Trail'' (2015) * “Perry Mason” (1964)

References

External links

* * * *
Interview
The Spectrum, August 13, 2015
An hour-long video interview with Retro Rewind covering his career
(from 2010) {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Richard 1926 births 2017 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Western (genre) television actors Male actors from New Jersey Male actors from New York (state) People from Long Branch, New Jersey Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Military personnel from New Jersey United States Army personnel of World War II