2026 Alumni Honors: Sam Anderson, ’69, ’71

During his five-decade acting career, Sam Anderson, ’69, ’71, has appeared in everything from comedies and medical dramas to blockbuster films and prestige television.

He’s now playing Edwin Kingston opposite Kathy Bates in “Matlock.” 

“I’ve never had a better, more complex, and wonderful time than I have co-creating this relationship of a couple married for 50 years. There’s so much depth and emotional territory to continually explore with these characters. And having the phenomenal Kathy Bates as a partner to create that with is a gift,” he said.

The experience appears to be resonating with audiences. In late May 2026, Sam learned that Matlock had been renewed for its third season.

Success didn’t happen overnight. After earning two degrees from UND, Sam taught at a California community college before his desire to act pulled him to Los Angeles. At 26, some agents told him he was too old, but after odd jobs and local theater productions, Sam began landing roles on shows including “WKRP in Cincinnati,” “Growing Pains,” and “Perfect Strangers.”

He quickly discovered that "Hollywood was quick to type you to one kind of role, like a thumbprint.” He focused on adding dramatic shows to his repertoire, though it was an uphill battle.

“On the same day, someone might say to my agent, ‘Oh, he’s that funny guy. He doesn’t play these dark people.’ And in the afternoon, someone else would say, ‘He’s a psychopath.’”

That didn’t stop him from broadening his horizons, and his versatility led to some of his most recognizable roles, including the Oscar-winning film “Forrest Gump,” where Sam played the “very handsy” Principal Hancock opposite Sally Field. For their “heard but not seen” seduction scene, Director Robert Zemeckis asked him to come up with a unique noise that adults, but not children, would understand. “He told me the boy playing little Forrest doesn’t know anything about the birds and the bees, and his mother wants to keep it that way.”

Improvising, Sam came up with a pig noise. For years after the film’s release, Sam said he couldn’t go anywhere without strangers approaching him and imitating the sound.

His years on television also brought memorable moments. While filming “ER,” Sam and costar Sherry Stringfield became so focused on their rapid-fire medical dialog that she accidentally tied his tie to the intubator.

Another defining role came on ABC’s hit series “Lost.” Sam played Bernard Nadler, who, along with his on-screen wife, Rose, played by L. Scott Caldwell, was considered by many viewers to be the heart and soul of the show. Sam remembers diving deep to create this character, which moved the casting director to tears.

Soon after landing the role, Sam flew to Hawaii where he learned the identity of his character, which had not been disclosed during the audition process. Bernard was the missing husband Rose had been talking about throughout the first season. Viewers later learned that Bernard had been in the section of the plane that crashed on the other side of the island.

Originally intended to appear in five episodes, Bernard remained on the show for five seasons. Sam’s character also became part of one of television’s first interracial couples.

From N.D. To L.A.

In the late ’60s, UND had a small theater department with “wonderful teachers and directors,” Sam said. “Each of us had to learn and play everything, from all kinds of characters to the technical programs, the lights, the sound, design, everything. It was life changing, and I took it with me.”

He remains grateful for the lifelong friendships formed at UND and Wahpeton (N.D.) High School. “I can see my whole history when I think about this incredible award. No matter where I go or what I do, I feel a strong connection and a great deal of gratitude for my time there. It’s definitely a part of my home.”