Harry Anderson

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Harry Laverne Anderson (October 14, 1952 – April 16, 2018) was an American actor, comedian and magician. He is best known for his role as Judge Harry Stone on the NBC sitcom Night Court (1984–1992). He later played Dave Barry on the CBS sitcom Dave's World (1993–1997).

In addition to eight appearances on Saturday Night Live between 1981 and 1985, Anderson had a recurring guest role as con man Harry "The Hat" Gittes on Cheers (1982–1993). He toured extensively as a magician, and did several magic/comedy shows for broadcast, including Harry Anderson's Sideshow (1987). He played Richie Tozier in the 1990 miniseries It, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.

Early life

Anderson was born October 14, 1952, in Newport, Rhode Island.[1] He spent much of his youth performing magic on the streets of Chicago, New York, St. Louis and New Orleans before landing in California at the age of 16.[2][3] After moving to Los Angeles,[3] he joined the Dante Magic Club and worked as a street magician in San Francisco when he was 17.[4] He attended Buena Park High School before graduating from North Hollywood High School in 1970 as class valedictorian.[5][6] After high school, he attended Fullerton College.[7][8] From 1971 to 1976, he lived in Ashland, Oregon, performing magic and working with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.[9][10]

Career

Anderson's appearances on Saturday Night Live led to his role as Harry "The Hat" Gittes on several seasons of the television sitcom Cheers, and eventually as Judge Harry Stone on the sitcom Night Court.[11] He went on to appear in other television specials and shows, including 12 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live on the show's tenth season.[12]

As a magician, Anderson toured extensively and performed in comedy/magic shows for clubs and broadcast, including Harry Anderson's Sideshow in 1987.[3] In 1990, he starred in the television adaptation of Stephen King's It as the adult Eddie Kaspbrack.[13] From 1993 to 1997, he starred in the television sitcom Dave's World, based loosely on the life and columns of humorist Dave Barry.[14]

File:Harry Anderson and guest.jpg
Anderson with his first wife, Leslie Pollack, at the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards, September 1987

Together with longtime friend Turk Pipkin, Anderson wrote a book called Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for Suckers, a collection of gags, cons, tricks and scams.[11] First published in 1989 (Template:ISBN, 2001 reprint), it also contains a survey of "Games You Can't Win" told from an insider's perspective.[15] He appeared with Criss Angel in a TV special called The Science of Magic, later released on DVD.[16]

On July 15, 2000, Anderson hosted the pilot for a potential revival of the classic panel game show What's My Line?[17][18][19]featuring Catherine Bell, Bryan Cranston, Betty White and Al Franken as the four panelists for CBS primetime, but was later turned down in favor of Survivor.[15]

He moved from Pasadena, California, to New Orleans in 2002.[11] In 2002, he and his second wife, Elizabeth, whom he met in New Orleans while she was bartending,[20] opened a small shop in the French Quarter named "Spade & Archer Curiosities by Appointment" (later named "Sideshow"),[21] selling various "magic, curiosities, and apocrypha".[20]

In 2005, Anderson opened a nightclub in the French Quarter, Oswald's Speakeasy, at 1331 Decatur Street at the corner of Esplanade Avenue.[22] He performed a one-man show there called Wise Guy.[23]

Anderson appeared in Hexing a Hurricane, a documentary about the first six months in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.[11][24] He and his wife sold Oswald's Speakeasy in October 2006.[24] He continued to present his evening show Wise Guy, originally developed for his theater in New Orleans.[24]

In November 2008, Anderson played himself on an episode of 30 Rock, along with fellow former Night Court cast members Markie Post and Charles Robinson.[25]

In his final years, Anderson appeared in television comedy series such as Comedy Bang! Bang! (2013) and Gotham Comedy Live (2014).[26] His final film portrayal was as Professor Kaman in the 2014 Christian drama film A Matter of Faith.[27]

Personal life

Anderson was a longtime fan of singer Mel Tormé, and his character Judge Stone on Night Court was also a Tormé fan; the singer appeared on the sitcom six times.[12] Night Court creator Reinhold Weege said that Anderson and his character both being Tormé fans was completely coincidental.[28] Anderson was among those who delivered eulogies at the singer's funeral in 1999.[29]

Anderson was married twice.[30] In 1977, he married Leslie Pollack (b. 1953); they had two children, a daughter, Eva Fay Anderson, and a son, Dashiell Anderson, before divorcing in 1999.[31] In 2000, he married Elizabeth Morgan (b. 1973). In 2006, Anderson and his wife moved from New Orleans to Asheville, North Carolina.[24]

Illness and death

In late January 2018, Anderson had a bout of influenza and subsequently suffered several strokes. On April 16, 2018, at age 65, he died in his sleep of a stroke due to influenza and heart disease at his home in Asheville, North Carolina.[32][4][11][12]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Source
1982 The Escape Artist Harry Masters [33]
1988 She's Having a Baby Harry Anderson Uncredited
1996 Harvey Elwood P. Dowd [34]
2006 Hexing a Hurricane Himself [24]
2014 A Matter of Faith Professor Kaman [27]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1981–1985 Saturday Night Live Himself 8 episodes[12]
1982–1993 Cheers Harry "The Hat" Gittes 6 episodes[11]
1984–1992 Night Court Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone 193 episodes; also occasional director and writer
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1984–86)[3][33]
1985 Tales from the Darkside Leon Episode: "All a Clone by the Telephone"[35]
1986 Vanishing America Dog Owner Short television film
1988 Tanner '88 Billy Ridenhour 2 episodes[26]
1988 Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs Freddie TV movie[36]
1988 D.C. Follies Harry Anderson Episode: "Nixon Hawks the Watergate Tapes for $29.99"[37]
1988 The Absent-Minded Professor Professor Henry Crawford TV movie (remake)[38][39]
1990 Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme Peter Piper TV movie[26]
1990 It Richie Tozier Miniseries[35]
1990 Tales from the Crypt Jim Korman Episode: "Korman's Kalamity"[35]
1992 Parker Lewis Can't Lose Ronny Ray Rasmussen Episode: "Glory Daze"[26]
1993–1997 Dave's World Dave Barry 98 episodes[4]
1994 Hearts Afire Dave Barry Episode: "Sleepless in a Small Town"[4]
1996 Night Stand with Dick Dietrick Harry Episode: "UFO Mother Show"[40]
1996 The John Larroquette Show Dr. Gates Episode: "Cosmetic Perjury"[41]
1996 Harvey Elwood P. Dowd TV movie (remake)[42]
1997 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Dr. Klaus "Fat Head" Mensa Episode: "The Family Hour"[43]
1998 Noddy Jack Fable Episode: "The Magic Show"[42]
2002 Son of the Beach Bull Cracker Episode: "The Long Hot Johnson"[12]
2008 30 Rock Himself Episode: "The One with the Cast of Night Court"[42]
2013 Comedy Bang! Bang! Himself Episode: "Rainn Wilson Wears a Short Sleeved Plaid Shirt & Colorful Sneakers"[41]
2014 Gotham Comedy Live Himself Episode: "Harry Anderson"[44]

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Nightmare Ned Graveyard Shadow Creature / Grampa Ted Needlemeyer Voice
Books, magazines, and publications
Year Title Info ISBN Source
1982 Wenii: The Intentional Confusers' Magazine A spoof on the magic magazine
Genii: The Conjurers' Magazine
1989 Harry Anderson's Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for Suckers Template:ISBN
1993 Harry Anderson: Wise Guy from the Street to the Screen Template:ISBN
2001 Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for Suckers Template:ISBN

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  3. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b c d Shanely, Patric (April 16, 2018). "'Night Court' Actor Harry Anderson Dies at 65". The Hollywood Reporter.
  5. ↑ "Harry Anderson: Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ The Science of Magic. Amazon.com
  17. ↑ You Make The Pilot Call: This...
  18. ↑ What's My Line? - 2000 Pilot with BRYAN CRANSTON and BETTY WHITE
  19. ↑ What's My Line? 2000|Pilot 2 Line Cut
  20. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year Template:Academy of Magical Arts Lecturer of the Year Template:Authority control

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