Sam Anderson

Biography

Sam Anderson is an American actor known for character roles on television and in film. Born in Clark, South Dakota, and raised in Wahpeton, North Dakota, he earned a master's degree in American literature and creative writing and taught drama at Antelope Valley College in the 1970s. He became familiar to viewers through parts such as mailroom supervisor Mr. Gorpley on Perfect Strangers, Principal DeWitt on Growing Pains, Holland Manners on Angel, Bernard on Lost, and Doctor Harad on Friends. His guest roles included Remington Steele, Hill Street Blues, The West Wing, and Everybody Loves Raymond. In 2024 he played Edwin Kingston in the Matlock reboot. His film work includes playing the school principal in Forrest Gump (1994). In 2019 he was nominated for an Ovation Award for his leading performance in The Bird and Mr. Banks, playing Ichabod Banks.

79years old

Turns 80 on April 2in 172 days

Born April 2, 1947Clark
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19

Movie Career

Films: 19
Career span: 38 years1983 to 2021

Genres

Comedy37%, 7 films
Drama37%, 7 films
Horror26%, 5 films
Thriller26%, 5 films
Romance21%, 4 films

First and latest

Sam Anderson movies on Netflix

Echoes of Violence2021IMDb rating 5.2as Conroy
Ouija: Origin of Evil2016IMDb rating 6.2as Mr. Browning
Devil's Due2014IMDb rating 4.2as Father Thomas
3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom2012IMDb rating 5.9as Dad (Chris)
Breaking the Girls2012IMDb rating 5.0as Professor Nolan
Water for Elephants2011IMDb rating 6.9as Mr. Hyde
Slackers2002IMDb rating 5.3as Charles Patton
Perfect Game2000IMDb rating 5.0as Steven
NetForce1999IMDb rating 5.0as Fox
Sonic Impact1999IMDb rating 4.2as Alex Holmes
The Pentagon Wars1998IMDb rating 7.1as Congressman #2
Forrest Gump1994IMDb rating 8.8as Principal
The Puppet Masters1994IMDb rating 5.9as Culbertson
Memoirs of an Invisible Man1992IMDb rating 6.0as Chairman of the House Committee
Dark Angel1990IMDb rating 6.1as Warren
Critters 21988IMDb rating 5.6as Mr. Morgan
La Bamba1987IMDb rating 7.0as Mr. Ludwig
Movers & Shakers1985IMDb rating 4.2as Ray Berg
Policewoman Centerfold1983IMDb rating 5.3as Druggist

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Forrest Gump1994 Drama, Romanceas Principal
IMDb rating 8.82.5M votes
Devil's Due2014 Horror, Mysteryas Father Thomas
IMDb rating 4.219K votes
Ouija: Origin of Evil2016as Mr. Browning
IMDb rating 6.284K votes
Critters 21988as Mr. Morgan
IMDb rating 5.619K votes
Water for Elephants2011as Mr. Hyde
IMDb rating 6.9125K votes
3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom2012as Dad (Chris)
IMDb rating 5.95.3K votes
Dark Angel1990as Warren
IMDb rating 6.117K votes
The Puppet Masters1994as Culbertson
IMDb rating 5.911K votes

Worked with

Sam Anderson shares two films with Lin Shaye, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Lin Shaye

Jim Norton

Keith David

Donald Sutherland

Ron Perlman

Dolph Lundgren

Robert ZemeckisDirector, 1 film

Francis LawrenceDirector, 1 film Mike FlanaganDirector, 1 film

Films together

Lin Shaye2 films together, 1988 to 2016
Lin Shaye's page
- Ouija: Origin of Evil2016IMDb rating 6.2Anderson as Mr. BrowningShaye as Old Paulina Zander
- Critters 21988IMDb rating 5.6Anderson as Mr. MorganShaye as Sal
Jim Norton2 films together, 1992 to 2011
Jim Norton's page
- Water for Elephants2011IMDb rating 6.9Anderson as Mr. HydeNorton as Camel
- Memoirs of an Invisible Man1992IMDb rating 6.0Anderson as Chairman of the House CommitteeNorton as Dr. Bernard Wachs
Keith David1 film together, 1994
Keith David's page
- The Puppet Masters1994IMDb rating 5.9Anderson as CulbertsonDavid as Alex Holland
Donald Sutherland1 film together, 1994
Donald Sutherland's page
- The Puppet Masters1994IMDb rating 5.9Anderson as CulbertsonSutherland as Andrew Nivens
Ron Perlman1 film together, 2012
Ron Perlman's page
- 3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom2012IMDb rating 5.9Anderson as Dad (Chris)Perlman as Phyllis
Dolph Lundgren1 film together, 1990
Dolph Lundgren's page
- Dark Angel1990IMDb rating 6.1Anderson as WarrenLundgren as Det. Jack Caine
Robert ZemeckisDirector, 1 film, 1994
All films by Robert Zemeckis
- Forrest Gump1994IMDb rating 8.8Anderson as Principal
Francis LawrenceDirector, 1 film, 2011
All films by Francis Lawrence
- Water for Elephants2011IMDb rating 6.9Anderson as Mr. Hyde
Mike FlanaganDirector, 1 film, 2016
All films by Mike Flanagan
- Ouija: Origin of Evil2016IMDb rating 6.2Anderson as Mr. Browning

Box office

What Sam Anderson's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$1.0 billion

10 of the 19 films have a worldwide figure.

10Worldwide figure
1US gross only
6Never in cinemas
2Figure not found

Top grosser

Forrest Gump1994Principal$677 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Forrest Gump1994as Principal
$677M67.1% of the total
2
Water for Elephants2011as Mr. Hyde
$117M11.6% of the total
3
Ouija: Origin of Evil2016as Mr. Browning
$82M8.1% of the total
4
La Bamba1987as Mr. Ludwig
$54M5.4% of the total
5
Devil's Due2014as Father Thomas
$36M3.6% of the total
6
Memoirs of an Invisible Man1992as Chairman of the House Committee
$14M1.4% of the total
7
Dark Angel1990as Warren
$9.2M0.9% of the total
8
The Puppet Masters1994as Culbertson
$8.6M0.9% of the total