Harry Anderson
American actor, comedian, and magician (1952–2018)
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Key Takeaways
- Harry Laverne Anderson (October 14, 1952 – April 16, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, and magician.
- Stone on the NBC sitcom Night Court (1984–1992).
- 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 played Richie Tozier in the 1990 miniseries It , based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.
- He spent much of his youth performing magic on the streets of Chicago, New York, St.
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 Harold "Harry" T. 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. 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. After moving to Los Angeles, he joined the Dante Magic Club and worked as a street magician in San Francisco when he was 17. He attended Buena Park High School before graduating from North Hollywood High School in 1970 as class valedictorian. After high school, he attended Fullerton College. From 1971 to 1976, he lived in Ashland, Oregon, performing magic and working with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
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. 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.
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