Louie Anderson

Anderson worked between 1953 and 2022 across actor, comedian, screenwriter, television actor and writer and 1 further recorded occupations. The registers place that work in observational comedy. This article rests on 10 published texts, 4 issued recordings and 2 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

Louie Anderson studied at Johnson Senior High School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is acting and literature. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are observational comedy. Works named in the authority record are Life with Louie. Distinctions recorded are Daytime Emmy Award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

• Name — Louie Anderson • Birth Name — Louis Perry Anderson • Born — 24 March 1953 • Birthplace — Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. • Died — 21 January 2022 • Place of death — Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. • Occupation — * Stand-up comedian • actor • author • game show host • Medium — Stand-up, television, film • Genre — * Observational comedy • clean comedy • deadpan • satire • Years Active — 1983–2022

Anderson was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the son of Ora Zella (née Prouty; 1912–1990), a Mayflower descendant, and Louis William Anderson (1901–1980). His father was a trumpeter for singer Hoagy Carmichael. Anderson was the second youngest of 11 children in his family. In a 2016 interview on WTF with Marc Maron, Anderson revealed that his mother actually gave birth to 16 children, but five of them—the first baby and then two sets of twins—died at birth. Anderson described his father as an abusive alcoholic. Anderson attended Johnson Senior High in Saint Paul.

• Illustration — Anderson at the 2012 Sin City Rules Premiere Party Anderson made his television debut on January 13, 1984, on Rodney Dangerfield's Young Comedians Special on HBO.

Anderson made his first movie appearance alongside Dabney Coleman in the movie Cloak and Dagger as taxi driver #2 (released July 13, 1984), a small role with one line. On November 20, 1984, Anderson made his network debut as a comedian on The Tonight Show. In late 1985, Anderson was cast as Lou Appleton alongside Bronson Pinchot on the pilot episode of Perfect Strangers for ABC (which was known in this early stage as The Greenhorn). When the show was picked up, Anderson was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker in the role of Appleton (whose first name was then changed from Lou to Larry) as the producers did not think the chemistry between Anderson and Pinchot was quite right. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC. Anderson had a small role in the singing-telegram scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as appearing in a comedy special on Showtime. Anderson also played a role in John Landis' film Coming to America, which starred Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, a role which he reprised in the 2021 sequel. Murphy requested Anderson be hired for Coming To America after producers wanted a white actor in the otherwise African-American cast; Murphy described his friend Anderson as "the funniest white guy around". Anderson also starred in the 1988 camp comedy The Wrong Guys, based on a story by John Hughes. In 1989, Anderson guest-starred on the first episode of The Muppets television segment of The Jim Henson Hour.

In 1995, Anderson created and produced a Saturday-morning animated series for Fox called Life with Louie. The series was based on his childhood with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war-crazed father. It also detailed how Anderson was bullied for his weight, and how he used comedy to deal with the teasing. The show was a three-year hit on Fox, and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program. Anderson created and starred in The Louie Show for CBS. The show had him playing a psychotherapist in Duluth, Minnesota. The show ran six episodes before it was canceled. Anderson was also the host of Comedy Showcase in the late 1990s. Anderson landed the role of host of the new version of Family Feud in 1999. He wanted former Family Feud host Richard Dawson to appear on the premiere show to give him his blessing, but Dawson's manager turned down the offer on his behalf. In 2001, Anderson organized a 9/11-themed tournament week of Family Feud between the FDNY and the NYPD, putting up $75,000 toward both organizations for recovery from the September 11 attacks. Anderson was let go from the show in 2002 and was replaced by Richard Karn.

In 2000, Anderson appeared as a panelist on an episode of To Tell the Truth hosted by John O'Hurley, and in 2001, he appeared on an episode of Weakest Link, winning $31,000. Anderson made appearances on network television in Scrubs, Grace Under Fire, Touched by an Angel (Then Sings My Soul, November 28, 1999), and Chicago Hope. He guest starred on the Adult Swim cameo-filled show Tom Goes to the Mayor.? Anderson played in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Anderson filmed a standup special entitled Louie Anderson: Big Baby Boomer. In it, he poked fun at his bad habits, pesky family members, and aging body. In 2013, Anderson appeared in the ABC reality television series Splash. After practicing several dives into a swimming pool then nearly drowning, he needed help getting out from co-star football player Ndamukong Suh. Anderson signed on as the promotional spokesperson for his home state's Land O'Lakes Sweet Cream butter brand. He appeared in radio jingles, web ads, and television commercials promoting the product. From 2016 to 2019, Anderson played the part of Christine Baskets on the FX comedy series Baskets. Anderson won the 2016 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance. On July 23, 2017, Anderson competed on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud (hosted today by Steve Harvey); his opponent was singer/actress Christina Milian. This made Anderson one of only a small number of individuals to have both hosted and been a contestant on the same game show, and also marked his first appearance on any form of Family Feud since his departure as host in 2002. Anderson was a regular panelist on the TV game show Funny You Should Ask from September 2017 until the show went on hiatus in 2020.

Dennis Miller called him "one of the lightest on his feet comedians I know... There's very few guys I'm going to leave my dressing room early (to watch).... (Louie has) a Fred Astaire, with a broken leg, approach. Very quick thinking, and he wouldn't hammer points home, but he would do a 'weave-back' that was almost Pulp Fiction-like."

In 1984, Anderson married Diane Jean Vono; however, they divorced after four months. In 1985, Anderson married his high school sweetheart, Norma J. Walker. The marriage lasted only four weeks.

In 1997, Anderson was blackmailed by Richard John Gordon, who threatened to tell tabloids that Anderson sexually propositioned him in a casino in 1993. In 1997 and 1998, Anderson paid Gordon $100,000 in hush money, fearing that the story would threaten his starring roles in two family-oriented series, but when Gordon's demands increased to $250,000 in 2000, Anderson's lawyer informed federal authorities. Gordon, who was 31 at the time, was arrested after leading FBI agents on a high-speed chase along Santa Monica Boulevard. Gordon was fined and sentenced to 21 months in prison.

In 2003, Anderson underwent two successful heart procedures.

On January 18, 2022, it was announced that Anderson had been hospitalized in Las Vegas for large B-cell lymphoma; he had first been diagnosed with cancer a decade earlier, but kept the information private. Anderson died of complications from the cancer on January 21 at age 68.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1984 — 9th Annual Young Comedians Special — Himself — Hosted by Rodney Dangerfield and featuring Anderson, Sam Kinison, Bob Saget, Rita Rudner, Yakov Smirnoff • 1986–1988 — The New Hollywood Squares — 13 episodes • 1986 — Remington Steele — Bingham 'Bing' Perret — Episode: "Steele Spawning" • 1987 — Trying Times — Stu — Episode: "Bedtime Story" • 1989 — The Jim Henson Hour — Himself / Space Guy — Episode #1: "Outer Space/The Heartless Giant" • 1994 — Grace Under Fire — Dr. Andy Lewinson — Episode: "Tears of Joy" • 1995–1998 — Life with Louie — Andy Anderson / Little Louie (voice) — 26 episodes Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (1996–97) Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program • 1995 — Love & War — James the Cat (voice) — Episode: "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and a Cat" • 1996 — The Louie Show — Louie Lundgren — 6 episodes • 1997 — Chicago Hope — Louie Lickman — Episode: "Growing Pains" • Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast — Himself — Rodney Dangerfield introduced Louie to a national audience and Louie participated in this roast to honor and thank him • 1999 — Touched by an Angel — Uncle Dudley — Episode: "Then Sings My Soul" • 1998–2002 — Hollywood Squares — Himself — 12 episodes • 1999–2002 — Family Feud — Himself / Host • 2000 — To Tell the Truth — Himself / Panelist • Ally McBeal — Therapist — Episode: "Without a Net" • 2001 — Nash Bridges — Richard Reynolds — Episode: "Blood Bots" • Scrubs — Himself — Episode: "My Two Dads" • V.I.P. — Homeless Person — Episode: "Kayus Ex Machina" • 2005 — Half & Half — Louie — Episode: "The Big Credit Check Episode" • Joey — Himself — Episode: "Joey and the Poker" • 2006 — The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy — Burt (voice) — Episode: "Fear and Loathing in Endsville" • 2006 — Tom Goes to the Mayor — Mining Team of Louie Andersons (voice) — Episode: "White Collarless" • 2013 — Splash (American TV series) — Himself — 4 episodes, eliminated in week 5 • 2015–2017 — Pickle and Peanut — Gory Agnes (voice) — 2 episodes • 2016–2019 — Baskets — Christine Baskets — 39 episodes Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2017–18) Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film • 2016 — Drunk History — Winston Churchill — Episode: "The Roosevelts" • 2017 — Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special — Himself — Television special • 2017 — Penn & Teller: Fool Us — Season 4, Episode 3 - "Teller Flips a Bird" • 2017–2020 — Funny You Should Ask — 215 episodes • 2019 — Long Island Medium — Episode: "A Spirit Returns" • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — Player — Episode: 104 • 2020 — Young Sheldon — Ralph — Episode: "An Academic Crime and a More Romantic Taco Bell" • Search Party — Bob Lunch — 5 episodes • 2021 — No Activity — (voice) — Episode: "40 Days & 40 Nights" • Twenties — Maurice — 2 episodes • 2021–2022 — Tig n' Seek — Chester (voice) — 8 episodes (final/posthumous role)

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2000 — Family Feud — Himself

Louie Anderson was born on 24 March 1953 in Saint Paul. Anderson held the nationality of United States. Anderson was educated at Johnson Senior High School. Anderson worked as actor, comedian, screenwriter and television actor, and the authority record catalogues a further 2 occupations under the same name, among them writer and author. Anderson was active from 1984 to 2022. The fields Anderson worked in include observational comedy. Anderson worked in English.

Anderson authored the following: • A collection of letters to his late father • A self-help book for those who struggle with self-esteem issues • 49 family survival tips *