Richard Anderson

Richard Norman Anderson (August 8, 1926 – August 31, 2017) was an American film and television actor. One of 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 and The Bionic Woman television series between 1974 and 1978 and their subsequent television movies: The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1987), Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1989) and Bionic Ever After? (1994).

Early life

Anderson was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, the son of Olga (née Lurie) and Harry Anderson. He appeared in high school plays after moving to Los Angeles.

Anderson served in the United States Army during World War II.

Film Career

Before Anderson began his career in 1950 as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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 (1957) directed by Stanley Kubrick, 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).

Personal life and death

Anderson was married to Carol Lee Ladd and Katharine Thalberg (daughter of movie producer Irving Thalberg and actress Norma Shearer), 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. He was 91.