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James Anderson (American actor)

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This article is about the American actor. For other people named James Anderson, see James Anderson.
James Anderson
Anderson (right) with Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Born(1921-07-13)July 13, 1921
DiedSeptember 14, 1969(1969-09-14) (aged 48)
Billings, Montana, U.S
OccupationActor
Years active1941–1969
FamilyMary Anderson (sister)

James O. Anderson Jr.[citation needed] (July 13, 1921 – September 14, 1969), sometimes billed as Kyle James and known as Buddy Anderson, was an American television and film actor of the 1950s and 1960s. He is probably best known for his role as Bob E. Lee Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).

Early life

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Anderson was born to J. O. Anderson and his wife. His sister was Mary Anderson, who also became an actor.[1]

In 1938, while attending Shades-Cahaba High School, he played halfback on the football team.[2] He later studied acting for a year at the University of Alabama.[3]

Career

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After leaving Alabama for Los Angeles, Anderson trained under Max Reinhardt for six months. While there, he starred in the play Zero Hour,[3] written by George Sklar and Albert Maltz.[4] Weeks after starring in the play, in November 1940, Anderson signed a contract with Warner Bros.[3]

He made more than 120 appearances, mostly in television and several films between 1941 and 1969. He made three guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of murder victim Frank Anderson in the 1958 episode, "The Case of the Pint-Sized Client," and murder victim Stanley Piper in the 1960 episode, "The Case of the Ill-Fated Faker." He appeared in a number of westerns throughout his career, often playing a gun-for-hire or outlaw...including "Sanctuary at Crystal Springs", the controversial 1963 episode of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series The Dakotas, that led to the series' cancellation, where he played the main antagonist.[citation needed]. He also appeared on Gunsmoke in 1963, playing outlaw named “Harmon” in S12E7’s “The Wrong Man”. That same year he guest starred on Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the 1963 episode “Last Seen Wearing Blue Jeans” (S1E28).

Death

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On September 14, 1969 in Billings, Montana, Anderson died suddenly while on location for Little Big Man. He was survived by his mother and sister.[5][6]

Legacy

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In 2010, Mary Badham, who starred alongside Anderson in To Kill a Mockingbird, praised his method acting style: "[W]hen he walked on the set, he was that character. He gave everybody the willies and we were all intimidated by him".[7]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1941 Sergeant York Eb Uncredited [2]
Dive Bomber Pilot Uncredited [2]
1942 Reap the Wild Wind Callboy in Café Uncredited [2]
1945 Mildred Pierce Diner Customer Uncredited
1949 Bride of Vengeance Guard Uncredited
The Great Sinner Nervous Young Gambler Uncredited
1950 Johnny One-Eye Apartment House Switchboard Operator Uncredited
The Fireball Strong Arm Man Uncredited
Hunt the Man Down Richard Kincaid / William H. Jackson
1951 Five Eric
Along the Great Divide Dan Roden [8]
The Blue Veil Jim Tappan Uncredited
1952 The Last Musketeer Russ Tasker
Has Anybody Seen My Gal? Chauffeur Uncredited
The Duel at Silver Creek Rat Face Blake As Kyle James
Hellgate Vern Brechene As Kyle James
The Star Bailey – Actor playing Jed Garfield in The Fatal Winter Uncredited
Ruby Gentry Jewel Corey
1953 The Great Jesse James Raid Johnny Dorette
Arrowhead Jerry August
China Venture Cpl. Walters Uncredited
Donovan's Brain Chief Tuttle
Flight to Tangier Dullah
1954 Riot in Cell Block 11 Guard Acton
Drums Across the River Jed Walker
Pushover Beery—Mechanic Uncredited
Dragnet Fred Kemp Uncredited
Private Hell 36 Patrolman in Locker Room Uncredited
The Bamboo Prison Progressive Uncredited
They Rode West Wounded Trooper Uncredited
The Violent Men Hank Purdue Uncredited
1955 Highway Patrol Gus Montana Episode: "Phony Insurance"
Seven Angry Men Henry Thompson
An Annapolis Story Instructor Uncredited
The Marauders Louis Ferber
At Gunpoint Barlow Uncredited
1956 Inside Detroit Reller Uncredited
Fury at Gunsight Pass O'Neil
The Rawhide Years Deputy Wade
Tension at Table Rock Lerner Uncredited
Friendly Persuasion Poor Loser Dunked by Jess Uncredited
Running Target Strothers
The Rack Skinny Uncredited
1957 The Big Land Bob Cole
Perry Mason (1957 TV series) (Season 1 Episode 9, “The Case of the Vagabond Vixen”) Peter Handsell
1958 The Thing That Couldn't Die Boyd Abercrombie
As Young as We Are Barney Uncredited
I Married a Monster from Outer Space Weldon
1962 Pressure Point Father Uncredited
To Kill a Mockingbird Robert E. Lee "Bob" Ewell [9]
1966 The Chase Simmons Uncredited
1969 Take the Money and Run Chain Gang Warden
The Ballad of Cable Hogue Preacher
1970 Little Big Man Sergeant (final film role)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1959 Rawhide Troxel S1:E8, "Incident West of Lano"
1961 Rawhide Morse S3:E25, "Incident of the Running Man"
1961 Rawhide Sheriff S4:E7, "The Black Sheep"
1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Vince Cates Season 1 Episode 28: "Last Seen Wearing Blue Jeans”
1964 Gunsmoke Hewitt S10:E4, "The Violators”
1964 Rawhide Sheriff S7:E2, "The Enormous Fist"

References

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  1. ^ Croft, Lulu (April 10, 1957). "Birmingham star, hubby stop here between dates". The Birmingham News. p. 5. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Hollywood Star Buys Own Ducat to Game". The Birmingham News. October 19, 1941. p. 19. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Bebe Anderson's Brother Buddy Goes Into Movies; Warner Bros. Sign Him". The Birmingham Post. November 25, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "'Zero Hour' Due Tonight". Los Angeles Times. November 8, 1940. p. 17. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "Obituaries: James Anderson". Variety. October 1, 1969. p. 79. ProQuest 1014854140. James Anderson, age unreported, screen actor, died suddenly Sept. 14 in Billings, Montana while on location for Cinema Center Films' 'Little Big Man.' Among credits were 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Take the Money and Run.' Mother survives.
  6. ^ Noland, Claire (April 8, 2014). "OBITUARIES; MARY ANDERSON, 1918 - 2014; Actress had role in 'Gone With the Wind'". Los Angeles Times. p. AA5. ProQuest 1513289253. Her brother, James, became an actor who specialized in westerns. He died in 1969.
  7. ^ Rotstein, Gary (July 4, 2010). "Scout recalls bonding with actors on the set". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. E4. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Caldwell, Lily May (August 3, 1951). "Buddy Anderson steals show from vet actor". The Birmingham News. p. 36. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Nickel, John (2004). "Disabling African American Men: Liberalism and Race Message Films". Cinema Journal. 44 (1): 40. ISSN 0009-7101. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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