Richard Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Anderson
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Anderson as Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man, 1976
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Richard Norman Anderson
August 8, 1926 Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | August 31, 2017 (aged 91) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1947–2017 |
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| Children | 3 |
Richard Norman Anderson (born August 8, 1926 – died August 31, 2017) was an American actor who worked in movies and on TV. He was best known for playing Oscar Goldman. This character was the boss of Steve Austin (played by Lee Majors) and Jaime Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagner). He played Oscar Goldman in the popular TV shows The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman from 1974 to 1978. He also appeared in later TV movies based on these shows.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Richard Anderson was born in Long Branch, New Jersey. His parents were Olga and Harry Anderson. When he was young, his family moved to Los Angeles. There, he started acting in plays at his high school.
Anderson also served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he studied acting at the Actors' Laboratory Theatre. This helped him get jobs in radio and theater.
Acting Career
Richard Anderson started his movie career in 1950. He worked for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio. Some of his early films included The Magnificent Yankee (1950) and The Student Prince (1954). He also appeared in the science fiction movie Forbidden Planet (1956). Later, he was in the war drama Paths of Glory (1957). In this film, he played a lawyer. He also played Ricardo Del Amo in the TV series Zorro (1957 TV series).
Television Roles
In the 1960s, Anderson became a familiar face on television. He appeared in many TV shows. He was in 23 episodes of Perry Mason. He played Police Lieutenant Steve Drumm in the show's final season. Before that, he was a guest star in two other episodes of Perry Mason.
He also made guest appearances on many other popular shows. These included The Untouchables, Wagon Train, The Rifleman, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Bonanza. In 1961, he co-starred in the show Bus Stop. He was also a guest star in an episode of Mission: Impossible.
Oscar Goldman and Beyond
Richard Anderson's most famous role began in 1973. He played Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man. This was a very popular show about a man with bionic (robot-like) parts. He continued to play Oscar Goldman in the spin-off show, The Bionic Woman. He was in both shows until they ended in 1978. He also played Oscar Goldman in several TV movies that came out later. These movies included The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1987) and Bionic Ever After? (1994).
During the 1970s and 1980s, Anderson kept busy with many other TV roles. He appeared on shows like Hawaii Five-O, Columbo, Charlie's Angels, Knight Rider, and The A-Team. He also had a role on the show Dynasty from 1986 to 1987. In 1987, he played President Lyndon B. Johnson in a TV mini-series.
In the 1990s, he was a narrator and guest star for Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. He was also known as "The Shell Answer Man" in commercials for the Shell Oil Company from 1976 to 1982.
Personal Life and Passing
Richard Anderson was married twice. His first marriage was to Carol Lee Ladd, and his second was to Katharine Thalberg. Both marriages ended in divorce. He had three daughters with Katharine Thalberg.
Richard Anderson passed away on August 31, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. He was 91 years old.
Recognition
In 2007, Richard Anderson received a Golden Palm Star. This honor is on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. It celebrates his contributions to entertainment.
Filmography (Selected)
- The Magnificent Yankee (1950)
- Forbidden Planet (1956) as Engineering Officer Quinn
- Paths of Glory (1957) as Major Saint-Auban
- The Long, Hot Summer (1958) as Alan Stewart
- Seven Days in May (1964) as Colonel Ben Murdock
- Seconds (1966) as Dr. Innes
- Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) as Navy Captain John B. Earle
- The Night Strangler (1973) as Dr. Richard Malcolm
- Gettysburg (1993) as General George G. Meade
Images for kids
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Anderson as Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man, 1976
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Anderson at the Big Apple Convention in Manhattan (October 2, 2010)
See also
In Spanish: Richard Anderson para niños
