Biography
Perhaps best remembered for playing Henry Mitchell, the father of an energetic tow-headed boy in the popular television sitcom
Dennis the Menace (1959-1963), tall, slender, and bespectacled character actor Herbert Anderson's career encompassed extensive experience on Broadway and in Hollywood films. Contracted to Warner Bros. around 1940, he made his film debut in
Meet the Fleet (1940). His first two years were quite busy, but by mid-decade he was landing fewer roles. On stage, he appeared with
Henry Fonda in a 1953 production of Caine Mutiny Court Martial. After the cancellation of
Dennis the Menace, Anderson's film appearances became quite rare, though he made frequent guest appearances on other television shows, including
Batman,
Bewitched, and
Dragnet. Heart trouble in the early '80s forced Anderson to retire. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide