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, Principal Willis DeWitt on Growing Pains, Holland Manners on Angel, dentist Bernard Nadler on Lost, Doctor Harad in Friends, Edwin Kingston in Matlock, and in film, as the principal in Forrest Gump.
Early life Anderson was born in Clark, South Dakota and grew up in Wahpeton, North Dakota. He received a Master of Arts degree in American literature and creative writing at the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin. During the 1970s, he taught drama at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California.
Career Anderson is best known for his roles as mailroom supervisor Mr. Gorpley on Perfect Strangers, Mike Seaver's adversarial Principal DeWitt on Growing Pains, a chief of Cardiology on ER, the lawyer Holland Manners on the first two seasons of Angel and as Bernard on Lost. In addition, he was one of the recurring actors on various episodes of 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.
Anderson is also known as the assistant manager of the Hotel Royale in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Royale", and as Doctor Harad in Friends. His other guest-starring roles include Remington Steele, Hill Street Blues, The Golden Girls, Murder, She Wrote, Picket Fences, The West Wing, Everybody Loves Raymond, and many other shows. Anderson guest-starred in Season 8 of NCIS as Walter Carmichael, a middle school teacher whose classroom becomes a crime scene where one of his students is kidnapped.
Anderson's most recent (2024) role is being a part of the reboot of the Matlock series on CBS. He plays the husband (Edwin) of Kathy Bates character Matty Matlock.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1979The SwapPaul1982Airplane II: The SequelMan in whiteThe Tragedy of King LearDuke of Albany1985Movers & ShakersRay Berg1987La BambaMr. Ludwig1988Critters 2: The Main CourseMr. Morgan1990Dark AngelWarren1992Memoirs of an Invisible ManChairman of the House Committee1994Forrest GumpPrincipalThe Puppet MastersCulbertson1997After the GameJimmy Walsh1998Permanent MidnightDr. Olsen1999Sonic ImpactAlex Holmes2000The IndependentEdThe DistanceJohn Harrison2002SlackersCharles Patton2003The CommissionDr. Robert Roeder Shaw200450 Ways to Leave Your LoverGeorge2005TouchedDr. Reynolds2006Dirty HabitBishop2011Water for ElephantsMr. Hyde20123, 2, 1... Frankie Go BoomDad (Chris)Breaking the GirlsProfessor Nolan2014Devil's DueFather Thomas2016Do You Take This ManStevenOuija: Origin of EvilMr. Browning2017Maybe SomedayDouglas Donnelly2018Song of Back and NeckJarred Foxen 2021Echoes of ViolenceConroy 2022Where the Crawdads Sing mid-70s Tate Walker
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1978Police StoryJaquesEpisode: "The Broken Badge"1979–1981WKRP in CincinnatiVarious roles4 episodes1980The Stockard Channing ShowArnoldEpisode: "Catch a Falling Star"1983St. ElsewhereMr. McGrathEpisode: "Dog Day Hospital"GloriaMr. CopleyEpisode: "An Uncredited Woman"Murder 1, Dancer 0Paul IbervilleTV movieRemington SteeleStore managerEpisode: "Altared Steele"Policewoman CenterfoldDruggistTV movie1984Blue ThunderBenjamin KeltyEpisode: "Arms Race"T. J. HookerLeo SanteeEpisode: "Death Strip"Mama MaloneStanley, the announcer11 episodesE/RMr. DobbsEpisode: "All's Well That Ends"Hill Street BluesKenny SterlingEpisode: "Last Chance Salon"1985HotelLon SchaefferEpisode: "Fallen Idols"Magnum, P.I.Ray Jones / John DoeEpisode: "Ms. Jones"DallasInspector Frank Howard2 episodesTales from the DarksideDr. SynapsisEpisode: "Bigalow's Last Smoke"HunterVinny CochranEpisode: "Case X"NewhartLarry's supporterEpisode: "Candidate Larry"Simon & SimonEllisEpisode: "Down-Home Country Blues"Eye to EyeWalter BriggsEpisode #1.61986Hardcastle and McCormickTeddy PetersEpisode: "McCormick's Bar and Grill"ValerieCustomerEpisode: "This Son for Hire"RowdiesGeorge ModellTV movieYou Again?JudgeEpisode: "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Traffic Lights"The Golden GirlsMeyerEpisode: "'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas"1986–1992Growing PainsPrincipal Willis Dewitt13 episodes1986–1992Perfect StrangersMr. Sam Gorpley / Harrison Harper37 episodes1987Cagney & LaceyMikeEpisode: "Easy Does It"What's Happening Now!!IngrahamEpisode: "Raj on the Double"The CharmingsDr. PetersEpisode: "Pilot"Buck JamesElias TurnerEpisode: "Sins of the Father"198821 Jump StreetDan FingerEpisode: "School's Out"1989Star Trek: The Next GenerationAssistant managerEpisode: "The Royale"HoopermanDr. LazloEpisode: "Dog Day Afternoon, Morning and Night"Alien NationThomas EdisonEpisode: "The Game"1990 & 1991Uncle BuckKroger2 episodes1991Married PeopleBeidermanEpisode: "You Were Right and I Was..."1991–1993L.A. LawD.D.A. Bill Graphia4 episodes1992The New WKRP in CincinnatiFloyd CastroEpisode: "Mama Was a Rolling Stone"Jake and the FatmanArnie CraneEpisode: "Nightmare"1992–1995Picket FencesFBI Agent Donald Morrell7 episodes1993A Place to Be LovedJudge Thomas S. KirkTelevision filmDanger TheatreAndre the GourmetEpisode: "An Old Friend for Dinner"Melrose PlaceAgent Hill2 episodes1993–1996Murder, She WroteVarious roles4 episodes1994In the Heat of the NightDrew WardEpisode: "Maybelle Returns"Confessions: Two Faces of EvilFather DominicTV movieThe Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.Simon WolfeEpisode: "Brooklyn Dodgers"The StandWhitney HorganMiniseriesThunder AlleyMr. RileyEpisode: "Speak No Evil"1994 & 2000Diagnosis: MurderDr. Hjortsberg / Ernie Pitt3 episodes1994–2007ERDr. Jack Kayson20 episodes1995PointmanPhil LettamarEpisode: "Trading Up in the Pale Moonlight"Live ShotMarvin Seaborne13 episodes1996The Man Next DoorDwight CooleyTV movieNowhere ManThe ManEpisode: "Through a Lens Darkly"Norma Jean & MarilynDoctorTV movieThe CapeKevin Davis, CapcomEpisode: "Pilot"Aaahh!!! Real MonstersFarrig / Kid #1Episode: "Festival of the Festering Moon/Simon's Big Score"High IncidentGulliksenEpisode: "Who'll Stop the Bombs?"Boston CommonPresident Butterfield / Wesley Butterfield7 episodesMillenniumAgent Jack PiersonEpisode: "522666"1997The Jeff Foxworthy ShowMr. HertfordEpisode: "Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks"The Sleepwalker KillingRoth LaneTelevision filmThe VisitorArmy GeneralEpisode: "The Devil's Rainbow"Fame L.A.Larry PetersEpisode: "Seize the Day"RugratsSalesman / AnnouncerEpisode: "Ransom of Cynthia/Turtle Recall"The PretenderDr. CurtisEpisode: "Over the Edge"1998The Pentagon WarsCongressman #2Television filmChicago HopeHoward SherwoodEpisode: "Liver, Hold the Mushrooms"From the Earth to the MoonThomas O. Paine2 episodesThe X-FilesLeamusEpisode: "The Pine Bluff Variant"PreyDr. Ian Copeland2 episodesFriendsDr. HaradEpisode: "The One Hundredth"Fantasy IslandMr. GableEpisode: "Wishboned"1999Ally McBealMark HarrisonEpisode: "In Dreams"NetForceFoxTV movieProfilerKen HarkerEpisode: "Seduction"2000Two Guys and a GirlDr. HarveyEpisode: "Love Shack"The West WingJohn LaSalleEpisode: "Shibboleth"2000–2001AngelHolland Manners8 episodes2001The Fighting FitzgeraldsJudge FlanaganEpisode: "One Angry Man"JAGConsulate General Raymond DartEpisode: "Guilt"2002First MondayKristen Bremerton's AttorneyEpisode: "Age of Consent"The ChronicleDr. Emmanuel FickasEpisode: "I See Dead Fat People"Everybody Loves RaymondSpecial Agent Thomas GarfieldEpisode: "Lucky Suit"The CourtWhite House Counsel ReinhartEpisode: "Life Sentence"Family LawCarlisle TuckerEpisode: "Admissions"Wolf LakeArthur Van HalenEpisode: "If These Wolves Could Talk"PasadenaDr. Paul Darwell3 episodesCSI: MiamiScott SommerEpisode: "Golden Parachute"Presidio MedAndy SloanEpisode: "Pick Your Battles"2003Judging AmyGordon KirbyEpisode: "The Best Interests of the Child"Without a TraceCongressman WhitehurstEpisode: "Kam Li"BoomtownScott Dawson2 episodesMiraclesCinda's FatherEpisode: "Mother's Daughter"Secret SantaMr. GibsonTelevision film2003–2004Married to the KellysBill Kelly21 episodes2004CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDr. MercerEpisode: "Ch-Ch-Changes"2005Boston LegalWalter FifeEpisode: "From Whence We Came"Malcolm in the MiddlePolice CommissionerEpisode: "Billboard"MediumDr. Eliot PetersonEpisode: "Time Out of Mind"2005–2010LostBernard Nadler21 episodes2006Cold CaseTed RobinsonEpisode: "Joseph"CSI: NYDr. RichardsEpisode: "And Here's to You, Mrs. Azrael"2007K-VilleMr. DuboisEpisode: "Pilot"2009LeverageHenry RetzingEpisode: "The Snow Job"Grey's AnatomyMichael WhitmanEpisode: "Before and After"Criminal MindsDr. RawlingsEpisode: "House on Fire"2010The ForgottenTrain engineerEpisode: "Train Jane"Memphis BeatCouncilman OrlandEpisode: "Don't Be So Cruel"NCISWalter CarmichaelEpisode: "Worst Nightmare"2012Hawaii Five-0Owen SutherlandEpisode: "Ka Ho' Oponopono"Work ItDr. Keith SorensonEpisode: "Shake Your Moneymaker"Harry's LawJudge William RothmanEpisode: "Judge William Rothman"Men at WorkJames WilsonEpisode: "Inventing Milo"NCIS: Los AngelesSenator Dick OsborneEpisode: "Dead Body Politic"ScandalMelvin FeenEpisode: "Spies Like Us"2013DallasDr. David Gordon2 episodes2013–2014JustifiedLee Paxton9 episodes2014CastlePrincipal DunnanEpisode: "Smells Like Teen Spirit"GrimmRolek Porter / Old Man2 episodesChasing LifeGerald RayburnBonesHugo Sanderson2016DamienProfessor Igor ReneusEpisode: "The Beast Rises"2017DoubtJudge Jonah PorterEpisode: "Then and Now"This Is UsJudge Walter CrowderEpisode: "The Most Disappointed Man"2018American WomanRaymond TurnerEpisode: "Changes and the New Normal"2019How to Get Away with MurderThomas FitzgeraldEpisode: "I'm the Murderer"2023PainkillerRaymond Sackler6 episodes2024–presentMatlockEdwinmain cast (season 2) recurring cast (season 1)
Awards and nominations Ovation Awards 2019: 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
References
External links