John Robert Anderson[citation needed] (October 20, 1922 – August 7, 1992) was an American character actor who performed in hundreds of stage, film, and television productions during a career that spanned over four decades.
Anderson was cast on The Rat Patrol four times (three of those occasions as the same character). He also made three guest appearances on Perry Mason, which include the episodes "The Case of the Calendar Girl" (1959), "The Case of the Bartered Bikini" (1959), and "The Case of the Greek Goddess". In 1959 Anderson appeared as Sergeant Bulla, in the TV series Steve Canyon in the Season 1/Episode 24, that was titled "The Bomb". In 1961 Anderson appeared as Hassayampa Edwards in the TV western Lawman in the episode titled "Hassayampa". He can also be seen in other series produced in this period, such as Overland Trail, The Tall Man, and The Legend of Jesse James. He portrays an eccentric farmer who jealously guards his prize watermelon with a shotgun in "For the Love of Willadean: A Taste of Melon", a story originally broadcast on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in 1964.
In 1966 he starred as “Les McConnell”, the brains & front man for a murderous bank robbing gang in a rare two part episode of Gunsmoke called “The Raid” (S11E19) along with actors Michael Conrad, Jim Davis, Richard Jaeckel & Gary Lockwood.
The first release of the 1993 soundtrack album Music from the Television Series Quantum Leap was dedicated to him. He had been featured in the fourth season episode "The Last Gunfighter" of that sci-fi series as Pat Knight; the episode had first aired about six months before his death.
Personal life and death
On June 8, 1946, Anderson married Patricia A. Cason in the rectory of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Quincy and the couple moved to Iowa City, where Anderson studied in the liberal arts college at the University of Iowa and earned his master's degree in drama.[1] Anderson was married to Cason until her death on February 18, 1989. Three years later, Anderson suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 69.[2]
(Season 1 Episode 17: "The Retired Gun") (1959) as Owny Kincaid
(Season 1 Episode 19: "Shivaree") (1959) as Chet Packard
(Season 1 Episode 29: "The Hawk") (1959) as Eli Flack
(Season 2 Episode 1: "The Patsy") (1959) as Sully Hobbs
(Season 2 Episode 15: "Day of the Hunter") (1960) as Cass Callicot
(Season 2 Episode 16: "Mail Order Groom") (1960) as Jess Profit
(Season 2 Episode 29: "Shotgun Man") (1960) as John Beaumont
(Season 3 Episode 19: "Face of Yesterday") (1961) as Hank Clay
(Season 4 Episode 5: "The Journey Back") (1961) as Will Temple
(Season 5 Episode 14: "Incident at Line Shack Six") (1963) as John Gangling
(Season 5 Episode 24: "Old Man Running") (1963) as Samuel Gibbs, Lucas's recovered alcoholic father-in-law Sam Gibbs, who arrives in North Fork seeking forgiveness (aired 3/17/1963)
