Richard Anderson, Gone At Age 91

Action-adventure fans are mourning the loss of Oscar Goldman.  Science fiction fans weep for Chief Engineer Quinn.  Actor Richard Anderson died in his Beverly Hills home on Thursday, August 31, 2017, reported Variety.  He died of natural causes at the age of 91.

Dr. Rudy Wells, Col. Steve Austin, and Oscar Goldman {image via ABC}

In an acting career that stretched from 1947 to 2015, Richard Anderson had nearly 200 movie and TV credits, as well as performances in legitimate theater and radio.  He acted in a variety of genres — westerns, mysteries, soap opera, action-adventure, war — but his best known role was probably as Oscar Goldman in The $6,000,000 Man and The Bionic Woman.

His science fiction roles included Chief Engineer Quinn in Forbidden Planet (1956) and Dr. Wylie in The Astronaut (1971).  He guest starred on Land of the Giants  in 1969, on Darkroom in 1981, and on Automan  in 1984.  On the police/fantasy TV show Kung Fu: the Legend Continues, he was the narrator for the opening sequences, as well as playing the recurring role of Captain Stiles, from 1993 – 1997.  His last genre role was doing a voice-role on the cartoon Extreme Ghostbusters in 1997.

Richard Anderson at the Big Apple Convention in Manhattan, October 2, 2010 {photo by Luigi Novi)

Like most actors, Richard Anderson guest starred in a wide variety of TV shows, often playing different characters on the same show in separate episodes.  Shows where he had recurring roles as the same character include:

• Ricardo del Amo in Zorro 
• D. A. Glenn Wagner in Bus Stop
• Col. Clinton Hiland in The Lieutenant
• Lt. Steve Drumm in Perry Mason
• Gen. Phil Doud in 12 O’Clock High
• Chief  George Untermeyer in Dan August
• Henry Towler in Cover Up
• Buck Fallmont in Dynasty

Richard Anderson was born  August 8, 1926 in Long Branch, New Jersey.  During WWII he served his country honorably and wore the uniform of the United States Army proudly.   He was married and divorced twice, first to Carol Lee Ladd (1955 – 1956), daughter of actor Alan Ladd, and then to Katharine Thalberg (1961 – 1973), daughter of producer Irving Thalberg and actress Norma Shearer.  Anderson is survived by his three daughters, Ashley, Brooke, and Deva.

When people ask me where I received my education, I tell them it was at MGM-U. The biggest lessons I learned is that acting is a talent. You can’t teach it. And even if you have the talent you have to get a part.

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Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions,  Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.