Career
On the big screen, his many films included the science-fiction classic Forbidden Planet (1956) and the World War I drama Paths of Glory (1957) directed by Stanley Kubrick, in which Anderson played the prosecuting attorney. 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).
The 1960s found Anderson making appearances in twenty-three 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 1964 episodes: as defendant Edward Lewis in "The Case of the Accosted Accountant," and Jason Foster in "The Case of the Paper Bullets." He also appeared on The Untouchables, Stagecoach West, The Rifleman, Daniel Boone, Death Valley Days, Thriller (US TV series), The Eleventh Hour, Redigo, I Spy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Fugitive (as brother-in-law to the protagonist Dr. Richard Kimble), Bonanza, The Green Hornet, The Invaders, and The Big Valley. In 1961-1962, Anderson co-starred with Marilyn Maxwell in an ABC production of Bus Stop, a drama about travelers passing through a bus depot and diner in the fictitious town of Sunrise, Colorado.
In addition to his appearances on The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman in the 1970s, Anderson guest starred on Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke, Ironside, Columbo and The Love Boat. He also appeared in the made for TV movie, The Night Strangler as the villain, Dr. Richard Malcolm. Anderson was just as busy in the 1980s on Charlie's Angels, Matt Houston, Knight Rider, Remington Steele, Cover Up, The A-Team, The Fall Guy, Simon & Simon, and Murder, She Wrote.
In 1985, he played murderer Ken Braddock in the first two-hour episode of Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr, titled "Perry Mason Returns." Anderson had a recurring role as Senator Buck Fallmont on Dynasty from 1986-1987. He portrayed President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1987 miniseries, Hoover vs. The Kennedys.
In the 1990s, Anderson served as narrator and a recurring guest star for Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. He also served as a commercial spokesperson for the Shell Oil Company in the United States known as The Shell Answer Man. "The Shell Answer Man" appeared in commercials from 1976 to 1982. In 1999 and 2000, he costarred with Dick Van Patten, Richard Roundtree, Deborah Winters, and Hugh O'Brian in the Warren Chaney miniseries, Y2K - World in Crisis.
In 2007, Anderson was honored with a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars.
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