Anecdotes

Educated at Washington State College. Debut on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse in the early 1940s. Subsequently joined Warner Brothers as a contract player for juvenile leads in action films. He used the pseudonym "Michael Ames"' until 1944, for his appearances in B-grade material. Cast as the lead in the Tennessee Williams production of "Summer and Smoke"' at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway in October 1948. Had several successful years on stage, but, given his earlier build-up, his later screen career proved desultory.

He appeared in three films directed by Ted Post: Pendez-les haut et court (1968), Le Secret de la planète des singes (1970) and The Baby (1973).

Although he played Don Ameche and Gene Tierney's son in Le ciel peut attendre (1943), he was only six years younger than Ameche and six years older than Tierney.

Credited as Michael Ames through 1944.

Father: Henry Anderson; Mother: Lydia Apodaca.

Although many sources cite November 10, 1914 (or 1920) in New York as his date and place of birth, his Texas birth certificate reads November 9, 1914 in El Paso, and is signed by his mother and notarized in 1942.