Richard Anderson's early career began with appearances in high school plays, followed by a stint in the United States Army. Upon his discharge, he transitioned to summer stock, radio work, and bit parts in movies, including a wounded soldier in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High. He also contributed to comedy scenes on the TV series Lights, Camera, Action! in 1950, impressing the right people at MGM, which subsequently offered him a contract.
After leaving MGM, Anderson continued to appear in films while establishing himself as a prominent figure on television. He became a regular on the popular TV series Perry Mason during its final season in 1957, playing the role of Police Lt. Drum. In the show's final episode, he interrogated witnesses to a murder in a TV studio, with the witnesses being played by the show's cast members.
Anderson's next notable appearance was in the highly-rated finale of The Fugitive in 1963, where he played the role of Richard Kimble's brother-in-law and was briefly suspected of being the real killer of Kimble's wife. In the 1970s, he became a regular on The Six Million Dollar Man, and more recently produced the TV-movie reprises of that series.
