Herbert Anderson

Herbert Anderson (March 30, 1917 – June 11, 1994) was an American character actor from Oakland, California, probably best remembered for his role as Henry Mitchell, the father, on the CBS television sitcom Dennis the Menace.[1]

For the nuclear scientist, see Herbert L. Anderson. For the American organic chemist, see Herbert H. Anderson.
Herbert Anderson
Herbert Anderson (left) with his co-stars of Dennis the Menace, Gloria Henry and Jay North (1959)
Born(1917-03-30)March 30, 1917
Oakland, California
DiedJune 11, 1994(1994-06-11) (aged 77)
Palm Springs, California
Other namesHerb Anderson
Spouse(s)Mary Virginia Palmer
Children2

Background

Anderson attended Oakland High School and later the University of California, Berkeley.

He was the son of Herbert Julius Anderson and Gertrude M. (Nelson) Anderson. His father, the son of Norwegian immigrants, served as Oakland's city treasurer during the 1920s.

Career

After a few minor roles in films for Warner Bros., Anderson got his big break in the 1941 picture Navy Blues, starring Martha Raye and Ann Sheridan, followed by The Body Disappears and The Male Animal in which he co-starred with Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland. His other films include the 1949 World War II film Battleground, Give My Regards to Broadway, Excuse My Dust, Island in the Sky, The Benny Goodman Story, Kelly and Me, Joe Butterfly, My Man Godfrey (1957), I Bury the Living, Sunrise at Campobello, Hold On! and Rascal. Anderson also acted extensively in Broadway shows, including the role of Dr. Bird in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. He was also in the film version of The Caine Mutiny, with Humphrey Bogart; he was the only actor to appear in both the Broadway play and film. [2]

In addition to his role on Dennis the Menace, Anderson is also known for many lead and guest-starring roles on television, including: Crossroads, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Real McCoys, Perry Mason, The David Niven Show, Mr. Adams and Eve, Sea Hunt, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, My Three Sons, The Bing Crosby Show, I Dream of Jeannie, The Smothers Brothers Show, The Cara Williams Show, Petticoat Junction, Bewitched, Daniel Boone, Family Affair, Adam-12, Green Acres, Batman , Dragnet, The Brady Bunch, The Name of the Game, The Governor and J.J., Ironside, Gunsmoke, Nanny and the Professor, The Jimmy Stewart Show, The Smith Family, The Rookies, Rawhide, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Waltons.

Anderson retired from acting in 1982 after undergoing heart surgery. He died of complications from a stroke on June 11, 1994, in Palm Springs, California. [3]

Partial filmography

References
  1. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 297. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  2. "Herbert Anderson; Biography". Fandango. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  3. "H. Anderson; Father in 'Dennis the Menace'". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1994. Retrieved January 5, 2016.

Bibliography
  • Halliwell, Leslie (1965). The Filmgoer's Companion / with a Foreword by Alfred Hitchcock. Hill and Wang.
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