# Sam Anderson

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American actor (born 1947)

This article is about the American actor. For other people, see [Samuel Anderson](/source/Samuel_Anderson_(disambiguation)).

Sam Anderson Anderson in 2006 Born (1947-04-02) April 2, 1947 (age 79) Clark, South Dakota, U.S. Alma mater University of North Dakota, Antelope Valley College Occupation Actor Children 2[1]

**Sam Anderson** (born April 2, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his character roles such as Sam Gorpley on *[Perfect Strangers](/source/Perfect_Strangers_(TV_series))*, Principal Willis DeWitt on *[Growing Pains](/source/Growing_Pains)*, Holland Manners on *[Angel](/source/Angel_(1999_TV_series))*, dentist [Bernard Nadler](/source/Bernard_Nadler) on *[Lost](/source/Lost_(2004_TV_series))*, Doctor Harad in *[Friends](/source/Friends)*, and in film, as the principal in *[Forrest Gump](/source/Forrest_Gump)*.[2][3]

## Early life

Anderson was born in [Clark, South Dakota](/source/Clark%2C_South_Dakota) and grew up in [Wahpeton, North Dakota](/source/Wahpeton%2C_North_Dakota).[1] He received a Master of Arts degree in American literature and creative writing at the [University of North Dakota](/source/University_of_North_Dakota) and the [University of Wisconsin](/source/University_of_Wisconsin).[4] During the 1970s, he taught drama at [Antelope Valley College](/source/Antelope_Valley_College) in [Lancaster, California](/source/Lancaster%2C_California).

## Career

Anderson is best known for his roles as mailroom supervisor Mr. Gorpley on *[Perfect Strangers](/source/Perfect_Strangers_(U.S._TV_series))*,[4] Mike Seaver's adversarial Principal DeWitt on *[Growing Pains](/source/Growing_Pains)*, a chief of Cardiology on *[ER](/source/ER_(TV_series))*, the lawyer [Holland Manners](/source/Holland_Manners) on the first two seasons of *[Angel](/source/Angel_(1999_TV_series))*[5] and as [Bernard](/source/Bernard_Nadler) on *[Lost](/source/Lost_(2004_TV_series))*.[6] In addition, he was one of the recurring actors on various episodes of *[WKRP in Cincinnati](/source/WKRP_in_Cincinnati)*, playing various roles, including an immigration officer in the episode "The Americanization of Ivan". In film, he notably played the school principal in *[Forrest Gump](/source/Forrest_Gump)*.[7]

Anderson is also known as the assistant manager of the Hotel Royale in *[Star Trek: The Next Generation](/source/Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation)* episode "[The Royale](/source/The_Royale)", and as Doctor Harad in *[Friends](/source/Friends)*. His other guest-starring roles include *[Remington Steele](/source/Remington_Steele)*, *[Hill Street Blues](/source/Hill_Street_Blues)*, *[The Golden Girls](/source/The_Golden_Girls)*, *[Murder, She Wrote](/source/Murder%2C_She_Wrote)*, *[Picket Fences](/source/Picket_Fences)*, *[The West Wing](/source/The_West_Wing)*, *[Everybody Loves Raymond](/source/Everybody_Loves_Raymond)*, and many other shows. Anderson guest-starred in Season 8 of *[NCIS](/source/NCIS_(TV_series))* as Walter Carmichael, a middle school teacher whose classroom becomes a crime scene where one of his students is kidnapped.[8]

Anderson's most recent (2024) role is being a part of the reboot of the *[Matlock](/source/Matlock_(2024_TV_series))* series on CBS. He plays the husband (Edwin) of [Kathy Bates](/source/Kathy_Bates) character Matty Matlock.[9]

## Filmography

### Film

Year Title Role Notes 1979 The Swap Paul 1982 Airplane II: The Sequel Man in white The Tragedy of King Lear Duke of Albany 1985 Movers & Shakers Ray Berg 1987 La Bamba Mr. Ludwig 1988 Critters 2: The Main Course Mr. Morgan 1990 Dark Angel Warren 1992 Memoirs of an Invisible Man Chairman of the House Committee 1994 Forrest Gump Principal The Puppet Masters Culbertson 1997 After the Game Jimmy Walsh 1998 Permanent Midnight Dr. Olsen 1999 Sonic Impact Alex Holmes 2000 The Independent Ed The Distance John Harrison 2002 Slackers Charles Patton 2003 The Commission Dr. Robert Roeder Shaw 2004 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover George 2005 Touched Dr. Reynolds 2006 Dirty Habit Bishop 2011 Water for Elephants Mr. Hyde 2012 3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom Dad (Chris) Breaking the Girls Professor Nolan 2014 Devil's Due Father Thomas 2016 Do You Take This Man Steven Ouija: Origin of Evil Mr. Browning 2017 Maybe Someday Douglas Donnelly 2018 Song of Back and Neck Jarred Foxen 2021 Echoes of Violence Conroy 2022 Where the Crawdads Sing mid-70s Tate Walker

### Television

Year Title Role Notes 1978 Police Story Jaques Episode: "The Broken Badge" 1979–1981 WKRP in Cincinnati Various roles 4 episodes 1980 The Stockard Channing Show Arnold Episode: "Catch a Falling Star" 1983 St. Elsewhere Mr. McGrath Episode: "Dog Day Hospital" Gloria Mr. Copley Episode: "An Uncredited Woman" Murder 1, Dancer 0 Paul Iberville TV movie Remington Steele Store manager Episode: "Altared Steele" Policewoman Centerfold Druggist TV movie 1984 Blue Thunder Benjamin Kelty Episode: "Arms Race" T. J. Hooker Leo Santee Episode: "Death Strip" Mama Malone Stanley, the announcer 11 episodes E/R Mr. Dobbs Episode: "All's Well That Ends" Hill Street Blues Kenny Sterling Episode: "Last Chance Salon" 1985 Hotel Lon Schaeffer Episode: "Fallen Idols" Magnum, P.I. Ray Jones / John Doe Episode: "Ms. Jones" Dallas Inspector Frank Howard 2 episodes Tales from the Darkside Dr. Synapsis Episode: "Bigalow's Last Smoke" Hunter Vinny Cochran Episode: "Case X" Newhart Larry's supporter Episode: "Candidate Larry" Simon & Simon Ellis Episode: "Down-Home Country Blues" Eye to Eye Walter Briggs Episode #1.6 1986 Hardcastle and McCormick Teddy Peters Episode: "McCormick's Bar and Grill" Valerie Customer Episode: "This Son for Hire" Rowdies George Modell TV movie You Again? Judge Episode: "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Traffic Lights" The Golden Girls Meyer Episode: "'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas" 1986–1992 Growing Pains Principal Willis Dewitt 13 episodes 1986–1992 Perfect Strangers Mr. Sam Gorpley / Harrison Harper 37 episodes 1987 Cagney & Lacey Mike Episode: "Easy Does It" What's Happening Now!! Ingraham Episode: "Raj on the Double" The Charmings Dr. Peters Episode: "Pilot" Buck James Elias Turner Episode: "Sins of the Father" 1988 21 Jump Street Dan Finger Episode: "School's Out" 1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Assistant manager Episode: "The Royale" Hooperman Dr. Lazlo Episode: "Dog Day Afternoon, Morning and Night" Alien Nation Thomas Edison Episode: "The Game" 1990 & 1991 Uncle Buck Kroger 2 episodes 1991 Married People Beiderman Episode: "You Were Right and I Was..." 1991–1993 L.A. Law D.D.A. Bill Graphia 4 episodes 1992 The New WKRP in Cincinnati Floyd Castro Episode: "Mama Was a Rolling Stone" Jake and the Fatman Arnie Crane Episode: "Nightmare" 1992–1995 Picket Fences FBI Agent Donald Morrell 7 episodes 1993 A Place to Be Loved Judge Thomas S. Kirk Television film Danger Theatre Andre the Gourmet Episode: "An Old Friend for Dinner" Melrose Place Agent Hill 2 episodes 1993–1996 Murder, She Wrote Various roles 4 episodes 1994 In the Heat of the Night Drew Ward Episode: "Maybelle Returns" Confessions: Two Faces of Evil Father Dominic TV movie The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Simon Wolfe Episode: "Brooklyn Dodgers" The Stand Whitney Horgan Miniseries Thunder Alley Mr. Riley Episode: "Speak No Evil" 1994 & 2000 Diagnosis: Murder Dr. Hjortsberg / Ernie Pitt 3 episodes 1994–2007 ER Dr. Jack Kayson 20 episodes 1995 Pointman Phil Lettamar Episode: "Trading Up in the Pale Moonlight" Live Shot Marvin Seaborne 13 episodes 1996 The Man Next Door Dwight Cooley TV movie Nowhere Man The Man Episode: "Through a Lens Darkly" Norma Jean & Marilyn Doctor TV movie The Cape Kevin Davis, Capcom Episode: "Pilot" Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Farrig / Kid #1 Episode: "Festival of the Festering Moon/Simon's Big Score" High Incident Gulliksen Episode: "Who'll Stop the Bombs?" Boston Common President Butterfield / Wesley Butterfield 7 episodes Millennium Agent Jack Pierson Episode: "522666" 1997 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Mr. Hertford Episode: "Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks" The Sleepwalker Killing Roth Lane Television film The Visitor Army General Episode: "The Devil's Rainbow" Fame L.A. Larry Peters Episode: "Seize the Day" Rugrats Salesman / Announcer Episode: "Ransom of Cynthia/Turtle Recall" The Pretender Dr. Curtis Episode: "Over the Edge" 1998 The Pentagon Wars Congressman #2 Television film Chicago Hope Howard Sherwood Episode: "Liver, Hold the Mushrooms" From the Earth to the Moon Thomas O. Paine 2 episodes The X-Files Leamus Episode: "The Pine Bluff Variant" Prey Dr. Ian Copeland 2 episodes Friends Dr. Harad Episode: "The One Hundredth" Fantasy Island Mr. Gable Episode: "Wishboned" 1999 Ally McBeal Mark Harrison Episode: "In Dreams" NetForce Fox TV movie Profiler Ken Harker Episode: "Seduction" 2000 Two Guys and a Girl Dr. Harvey Episode: "Love Shack" The West Wing John LaSalle Episode: "Shibboleth" 2000–2001 Angel Holland Manners 8 episodes 2001 The Fighting Fitzgeralds Judge Flanagan Episode: "One Angry Man" JAG Consulate General Raymond Dart Episode: "Guilt" 2002 First Monday Kristen Bremerton's Attorney Episode: "Age of Consent" The Chronicle Dr. Emmanuel Fickas Episode: "I See Dead Fat People" Everybody Loves Raymond Special Agent Thomas Garfield Episode: "Lucky Suit" The Court White House Counsel Reinhart Episode: "Life Sentence" Family Law Carlisle Tucker Episode: "Admissions" Wolf Lake Arthur Van Halen Episode: "If These Wolves Could Talk" Pasadena Dr. Paul Darwell 3 episodes CSI: Miami Scott Sommer Episode: "Golden Parachute" Presidio Med Andy Sloan Episode: "Pick Your Battles" 2003 Judging Amy Gordon Kirby Episode: "The Best Interests of the Child" Without a Trace Congressman Whitehurst Episode: "Kam Li" Boomtown Scott Dawson 2 episodes Miracles Cinda's Father Episode: "Mother's Daughter" Secret Santa Mr. Gibson Television film 2003–2004 Married to the Kellys Bill Kelly 21 episodes 2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dr. Mercer Episode: "Ch-Ch-Changes" 2005 Boston Legal Walter Fife Episode: "From Whence We Came" Malcolm in the Middle Police Commissioner Episode: "Billboard" Medium Dr. Eliot Peterson Episode: "Time Out of Mind" 2005–2010 Lost Bernard Nadler 21 episodes 2006 Cold Case Ted Robinson Episode: "Joseph" CSI: NY Dr. Richards Episode: "And Here's to You, Mrs. Azrael" 2007 K-Ville Mr. Dubois Episode: "Pilot" 2009 Leverage Henry Retzing Episode: "The Snow Job" Grey's Anatomy Michael Whitman Episode: "Before and After" Criminal Minds Dr. Rawlings Episode: "House on Fire" 2010 The Forgotten Train engineer Episode: "Train Jane" Memphis Beat Councilman Orland Episode: "Don't Be So Cruel" NCIS Walter Carmichael Episode: "Worst Nightmare" 2012 Hawaii Five-0 Owen Sutherland Episode: "Ka Ho' Oponopono" Work It Dr. Keith Sorenson Episode: "Shake Your Moneymaker" Harry's Law Judge William Rothman Episode: "Judge William Rothman" Men at Work James Wilson Episode: "Inventing Milo" NCIS: Los Angeles Senator Dick Osborne Episode: "Dead Body Politic" Scandal Melvin Feen Episode: "Spies Like Us" 2013 Dallas Dr. David Gordon 2 episodes 2013–2014 Justified Lee Paxton 9 episodes 2014 Castle Principal Dunnan Episode: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Grimm Rolek Porter / Old Man 2 episodes Chasing Life Gerald Rayburn Bones Hugo Sanderson 2016 Damien Professor Igor Reneus Episode: "The Beast Rises" 2017 Doubt Judge Jonah Porter Episode: "Then and Now" This Is Us Judge Walter Crowder Episode: "The Most Disappointed Man" 2018 American Woman Raymond Turner Episode: "Changes and the New Normal" 2019 How to Get Away with Murder Thomas Fitzgerald Episode: "I'm the Murderer" 2023 Painkiller Raymond Sackler 6 episodes 2024–present Matlock Edwin main cast (season 2) recurring cast (season 1)

## Awards and nominations

**[Ovation Awards](/source/Ovation_Awards)**

- [2019](/source/2009_Ovation_Awards): Nominated for Lead Actor in a Play for the role of Ichabod Banks in the Road Theatre Company production of *The Bird and Mr. Banks*[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gift_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gift_1-1) Briggs, Tracy (October 17, 2024). ["North Dakota actor playing Kathy Bates' husband in 'Matlock' calls the show 'a gift'"](https://www.inforum.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/north-dakota-actor-playing-kathy-bates-husband-in-matlock-calls-the-show-a-gift). *InForum*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241110190301/https://www.inforum.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/north-dakota-actor-playing-kathy-bates-husband-in-matlock-calls-the-show-a-gift) from the original on November 10, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Stafford2004_2-0)** Stafford, Nikki (2004). [*Once Bitten: An Unofficial Guide to the World of Angel*](https://books.google.com/books?id=b1QYV6ztm7wC&pg=PA148). ECW Press. p. 148. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-5502-2654-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-5502-2654-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-roadtheatre_3-0)** ["Sam Anderson"](https://roadtheatre.org/member/sam-anderson/). *roadtheatre.org*. The Road Theatre Company.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LATimes_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LATimes_4-1) Arkatov, Janice (February 8, 1992). ["Sam Anderson Finds 'Nirvana' on His Road to Fame and Fortune"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-08-ca-1169-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Stafford2006_5-0)** Stafford, Nikki (2006). [*Finding Lost: The Unofficial Guide*](https://books.google.com/books?id=waVCqzL8b4kC&pg=PA295). ECW Press. p. 295. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-5549-0276-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-5549-0276-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Looper_6-0)** Rosenfield, Kat; Boone, Brian (May 6, 2017). ["The cast of Forrest Gump has changed a lot since 1994"](https://www.looper.com/40511/cast-forrest-gump-looks-like-today/). *Looper.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-herald_7-0)** ["A century at the Burtness"](https://www.grandforksherald.com/entertainment/2135574-century-burtness). *Grand Forks Herald*. September 8, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Exclusive: Which Lost Castaway Is Crashing onto NCIS?"](https://www.tvguide.com/News/NCIS-Sam-Anderson-1022731.aspx=). TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 8, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Sam Anderson Role on Matlock"](https://x.com/TerryDullum/status/1833122159746548183).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Ovation Nominees"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140201213846/http://www.lastagetimes.com/ovation-nominees/). October 20, 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.lastagetimes.com/ovation-nominees/) on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.

## External links

- [Sam Anderson](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0027402/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States France BnF data Spain

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