Merry Anders

Merry Anders
Anders on Bonanza (1960)
Born	Mary Helen Anderson (1934-05-22)May 22, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	October 28, 2012(2012-10-28) (aged 78) Encino, California, U.S.
Other names	Merry A. Benedict
Education	John Burroughs Middle School
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	1951–1971
Spouse(s)	John Stephens (m. 1955; div. 1956) (1 child) Richard Benedict (m. 1986; d. 1999)
Children	Tina Beth Paige Anders (b. 1956)

Merry Anders (May 22, 1934 – October 28, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress and model who appeared in a number of television programs and films from the 1950s until her retirement from the screen in 1972.

Anders was born Mary Helen Anderson in Chicago in 1934, the only child of Charles, a contractor, and Helen Anderson. Anders was of German, Irish and Swedish descent. In 1949, Anders and her mother visited Los Angeles for two weeks. They decided to remain in Los Angeles permanently while Charles Anderson remained in Chicago. While she was a student at John Burroughs Middle School, Anders met former actress Rita LeRoy who encouraged her to begin a modeling career. While working as a junior model, Anders began studying acting at the Ben Bard Playhouse. It was there that a talent scout from 20th Century Fox spotted her and signed her to a film contract in 1951.

Anders made her film debut in the 1951 musical Golden Girl. For the next two years, she appeared in small and supporting roles in several 20th Century Fox films. In 1954, Fox dropped her. Later that year, Anders joined the cast of The Stu Erwin Show. She remained with the series until its cancellation in 1955. Anders was then cast in the CBS sitcom It's Always Jan, starring Janis Paige. That series canceled after one season.

Shortly after the birth of her daughter in 1956, Anders took over the role of "Rita Malone" (popularized by Jayne Mansfield) in the West Coast touring production of the Broadway hit Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. In 1957, Anders had a much-publicized leading role in Paramount Pictures film Hear Me Good, opposite Hal March. She starred in four low-budget films that same year, The Dalton Girls, Calypso Heat Wave, The Night Runner and Escape from San Quentin.