Michael Anderson

Biography

Michael Joseph Anderson (born January 30, 1920) is an English film director. Anderson was born into a theatrical family. His parents were the actors Lawrence and Beatrice Anderson. His great-aunt was Mary Anderson of Louisville, Kentucky who became one of the first American Shakespearian actresses and the Mary Anderson Theatre in Louisville was dedicated to her. After serving in the Second World War, he first developed his career in British films, becoming a director in 1949, and making his mark with the war movie The Dam Busters (1954). The Dam Busters made good use of limited special effects and is often cited as an inspiration for the climax of the first Star Wars film. He went on to direct an adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 (1956), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), and settled in Hollywood, making such science fiction offerings as Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) and Logan's Run (1976). Logan's Run was an expensive box office success, contributing a box office of $50 million world wide and boosting the sales for its distributor, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and has gone on to enjoy a cult status. He also directed Orca. Anderson's later work was mostly made for television mini-series, including The Martian Chronicles and Sword of Gideon. In 1988, he also directed Bottega dell'orefice (English: The Jeweler's Shop), based on the play written by Pope John Paul II. Anderson continued to direct well into his seventies. Other films he directed include All The Fine Young Cannibals, Flight from Ashiya (1964), The Quiller Memorandum (1966), The Yangtse Incident (1956) and a film adaptation of Conduct Unbecoming. He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his direction of Around the World in Eighty Days. He is fluent in French, Italian and German and he has emigrated to Canada. He has been married three times: * 1) Betty Jordan 1939; five children * 2) Vera Carlisle 1969; one child * 3) Adrianne Ellis 1977 to date; two stepchildren His son Michael Anderson, Jr., is an actor who appeared in Logan's Run; another son David Anderson, is a film producer.