Q: Everywhere I look on TV, there is the late Richard Anderson, who appeared in countless TV series and films going back to "Forbidden Planet" in 1956. I remember him best as Travers in a first-season episode of my favorite TV western, "The Big Valley." Can you furnish anything on his life and career?

A: Richard Anderson (not to be confused with Richard Dean Anderson) was best known to many as Oscar Goldman on "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman," the rare actor regularly playing the same character on two series at the same time.

Born in New Jersey but brought up in New York and California, he was drawn to acting by his love of westerns, particularly ones with Gary Cooper. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Cary Grant was a fan; with his help Anderson landed a movie contract and close to 30 credits leading up to his most significant early role in "Forbidden Planet." Other noteworthy films include "Paths of Glory" and "The Long Hot Summer" although, as Variety noted, by the end of the '50s he had begun concentrating on television work, and a lot of it. (He played five different roles on "The Big Valley" alone.) Twice married and divorced, he had three daughters. He collected classic cars, was an active philanthropist and had the class and style that prompted actor friend Lee Majors to nickname him "Old Money." He died in 2017 at the age of 91.

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