Dion Anderson(1938-2026)

Heavy-set, latterly grey-haired American character actor, born in Cameron County, Texas, the son of Mason B. Anderson (b.1898) and Illean Blaine Logue (1916-74). Prior to taking up the acting profession, Dion Anderson served in the U.S. Army, then studied at universities in Texas and London, graduating with a B.A. in English Literature, followed by Masters Degrees in History and Television Production, Economics and Political Science. He completed his studies having earned an M.A. in Fine Arts from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA). Anderson began his professional career teaching Shakespeare in Florida. His extensive resume of performances on the classical stage would eventually include Julius Caesar (title role), The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry VIII, The Cherry Orchard and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (as Big Daddy).

On screen from 1982, Anderson worked primarily in television, often cast as police or military officers, judges or priests. When not covering these occupations, he could be relied upon to portray such diverse characters as the infamous railroad magnate and financier Diamond Jim Brady (The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991)), a humanoid alien in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and the Greek god Zeus in an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996). His rare forays to the big screen included a small, but memorable role as prison guard Head Bull Haig in The Shawshank Redemption (1994).