MacGyver is a symbol of American inventiveness and resourcefulness in the face of adversity. No actor could have embodied the character of MacGyver the way Richard Dean Anderson did. At a time when Chuck Norris‘s and gun-action movies were the norms, MacGyver, and his aversion for guns, devised ways to conquer his enemies with a Swiss Army knife.
Richard Dean Anderson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 23, 1950. Besides being the star of the MacGyver TV series, Anderson also starred in yet another popular series. However, Anderson officially retired from acting in 2013. Here are 7 things you didn’t know about Richard Dean Anderson.
1. The TV Shows You Know Richard Dean Anderson From
Richard Dean Anderson was cast to play Jack O’Neill in the military science fiction adventure series Stargate SG-1. Anderson took over the role from Kurt Russell, who played the character from the series’ inception. Jack O’Neill is a Colonel in the United States Air Force. Anderson played the character and appeared in 173 episodes of the show.
Anderson was the first actor to play Angus MacGyver, a role he took in 1985. MacGyver’s non-violent approach to solving problems made him a favorite for many movie audiences. Anderson played Angus MacGyver for 139 episodes from 1985 to 1992.
2. How Richard Dean Anderson Chose A Career In Acting
As a young teenager, Richard Dean Anderson’s love for hockey made him consider having a career as a professional hockey player. Anderson played the sport as much as he loved it. However, Anderson’s dreams were crushed when he broke his arms. He was advised to quit the sport when he sustained another injury on his arm three weeks after having an injury on the other arm.
Anderson soon turned to the Arts. First, he became interested in music and art before settling on acting. He attempted to have a degree in it by enrolling in St. Cloud State University to study acting but dropped out before earning his degree. After moving to North Hollywood and to New York City, Anderson eventually settled in Los Angeles.
3. Richard Dean Anderson Gave Two Conditions Before Appearing On Stargate SG-1
Actors, especially established ones, are often known to give certain conditions and requirements before taking on new roles. Anderson was called upon when a replacement was needed for Kurt Russell to play Jack O’Neill. The then president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, John Symes, made a personal call to Anderson to request he takes the role.
After watching the series, Anderson was willing to take the role but gave two easy conditions. First, Anderson felt Jack O’Neill’s character was too serious and wanted the freedom to add a comedic flair to the character. Secondly, knowing how much work and stress he felt playing the lead as MacGyver in the TV series, he wanted Stargate SG-1 to be centered around an ensemble cast. This way, he wouldn’t have to bear the burden of carrying the show alone, making it easy for Jack O’Neill’s character to exit if needed.
4. Richard Dean Anderson Co-Owns A Film Production Company
Richard Dean Anderson created a film production company, Gekko Film Corporation, with Michael Greenburg. The company produced the two spin-offs of MacGyver movies in 1994 – MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis and MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday. Besides reprising his MacGyver role, Anderson is credited as the movie’s executive producer.
Gekko Film Corporation also produced a majority of the Stargate SG-1 series. The company produced Stargate SG-1, season 1 to season 8, from 1997 to 2005. Anderson is also credited as executive producer from season 2 to season 8. The company also co-produced the TV movie Firehouse (1997).
5. Other TV Shows Richard Dean Anderson Was In
Richard Dean Anderson debuted on television in 1976 when he played Dr. Jeff Webber in ABC’s TV soap opera General Hospital. Anderson played the character for 14 episodes from 1976 to 1981. Anderson also appeared in Legend (1995) as Ernest Pratt/Nicodemus Legend, Fairly Legal (2011) as David Smith, and Raising Hope (2011) as Keith.
6. The Nominations & Awards Richard Dean Anderson Has Received
Richard Dean Anderson may not have received nominations at prestigious award associations, but he still received accolades from others. Anderson was nominated nine times at the Saturn Awards from 1998 to 2005 for his performance in Stargate SG-1. Anderson won two of those nominations in 1998 and 1999. Anderson was also honored as an honorary Brigadier General by the United States Air Force. The honor was for Anderson’s exemplary portrayal of Colonel Jack O’Neill and for positively promoting the United States Air Force.
7. Richard Dean Anderson Appeared In More TV Films Than You Think
Richard Dean Anderson appeared in a few films during his active years as an actor. He’s credited with playing Spud in the comedy movie Odd Jobs (1986) and reprising his role as Jack O’Neill in the direct-to-video movie Stargate: Continuum. Besides his work in film, Anderson has been in eight TV movies. Anderson’s first appearance in a TV movie was in 1986 when he appeared as Tony Kaiser in Ordinary Heroes. Richard Dean Anderson last appeared in a TV movie in 1997, where he was cast as Lt. Michael Brooks in Firehouse.
