After practicing several dives into a swimming pool then nearly drowning, he needed help getting out from co-star football player Ndamukong Suh.
In 2013, Anderson appeared in the ABC reality television series Splash. In it, Anderson poked fun at his bad habits, pesky family members, and aging body. 2010s Īnderson filmed a standup special entitled Louie Anderson: Big Baby Boomer. Īnderson played in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He guest starred on the Adult Swim cameo-filled show Tom Goes to the Mayor. He made appearances on network television in Scrubs, Grace Under Fire, Touched by an Angel (Then Sings My Soul, November 28, 1999), and Chicago Hope. In 2000, Anderson appeared as a panelist on an episode of To Tell the Truth hosted by John O'Hurley, and in 2001, Anderson appeared on an episode of Weakest Link, winning $31,000. Anderson was let go from the show in 2002 and was replaced by Richard Karn. Anderson organized a 9/11-themed tournament week of Family Feud between the FDNY and the NYPD, putting up $75,000 toward both organizations for recovery from the September 11, 2001, attacks. Anderson asked former Feud host Richard Dawson to appear on the premiere show to give him his blessing, but Dawson declined. Īnderson landed the role of host of the new version of Family Feud in 1999. The show ran six episodes and was cancelled. The show had Anderson playing a psychotherapist in Duluth, Minnesota. Īnderson created and starred in The Louie Show for CBS. The show was a 3-year hit on Fox, and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program. It also detailed how he was picked on for his weight, and how he used comedy to deal with the teasing. The series was based on Anderson's childhood with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war-crazed father. In 1995, Anderson created and produced a Saturday-morning animated series for Fox called Life with Louie. In 1989, Anderson guest-starred on the first episode of The Muppets television segment of The Jim Henson Hour. Anderson also starred in the 1988 camp comedy The Wrong Guys, based on a story by John Hughes. Murphy requested Anderson be hired for Coming To America after producers wanted a white actor in the otherwise African-American cast Murphy described his friend Anderson as "the funniest white guy around".
Īnderson also played a role in John Landis' film Coming to America, which starred Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, a role which he reprised in the 2021 sequel. Anderson had a small role in the singing-telegram scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as appearing in a comedy special on Showtime. When the show was picked up, Anderson was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker in the role of Appleton (whose first name was then changed from Lou to Larry) as the producers didn't think the chemistry between Anderson and Pinchot was quite right. In late 1985, Anderson was cast as Lou Appleton alongside Bronson Pinchot on the pilot episode of Perfect Strangers for ABC (which was known in this early stage as The Greenhorn). On November 20, 1984, Anderson made his network debut as a comedian on The Tonight Show. Anderson at the 2012 Sin City Rules Premiere Party.Īnderson made his television debut on January 13, 1984, on Rodney Dangerfield's Young Comedians Special on HBO.