Michael John Anderson was born in Denver, Colorado, at 10:30 P.M., on Halloween night. Subject to a genetic anomaly known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, he grew up in a wheelchair. After graduating high school, he traveled America, singing for tips and living in his car. For six years, he attended the University of Colorado where he majored in numerous subjects ranging from philosophy to microbiology. After college, he began working for Martin Marietta, trouble-shooting the N.A.S.A. computers in the ground-support system of the space shuttle. During this time, he made the documentary "Little Mike," which won a silver medal in the International Film and Television Awards. Soon thereafter, he moved to New York City, where his film and television career began. For many years, Anderson was most well-known among fans of director David Lynch for his work as a backwards-talking dream figure on the cult favorite T.V. series Twin Peaks (1990). Anderson also worked with Lynch for the experimental performance piece Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted (1990) and the T.V.-pilot-turned-feature film Mulholland Drive (2001). Anderson gained further recognition and success in recent years for his work on the H.B.O. series Carnivàle (2003). He retired from acting in 2014. His last role was in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–13).

Filmography

• 2025Clutch — Co-Executive Producer
• 2014Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces — Man From Another Place
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated — Professor Horatio Kharon (voice)
• Carnivàle — Samson
• 2003Specter's Rock — The Interrogator
• 2002Tiptoes — Bruno
• 2001Mulholland Drive — Mr. Roque
• 2001Snow White — Sunday
• This Is How the World Ends — Noise Robber
• 1999Minimum Wage — Zeke Bleak
• 1999The Phantom Eye — Carl
• 1998Ava's Magical Adventure — Stretch
• Charmed — Leprechaun, O'Brien
• 1998Club Vampire — Kiddo
• Port Charles
• 1997Warriors of Virtue — Mudlap
• 1995Caged Hearts — John
• 1994First You Live Then You Die
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Rumpelstiltskin
• The X-Files — Mr. Nutt
• 1992Fool's Fire — Hopfrog
• 1992In the Soup — Little Man
• 1992Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me — Man From Another Place
• 1991Mannequin Two: On the Move — Jewel Box Bearer
• 1990Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted — Woodsman (Twin A)
• Twin Peaks — The Arm, Man From Another Place
• 1990Whatever Happened to Mason Reese — Sushi Chef
• 1989No Such Thing as Gravity — The Botanist
• 1989Suffering Bastards — Little Elvis
• 1989Twin Peaks — The Man From Another Place
• Monsters — Holly, Household God
• 1988Silent But Deadly — Dr. Bunson
• 1987Salvation! — The Devil
• 1987The Great Land of Small — Fritz / The King
• American Playhouse — Hopfrog
• Saturday Night Live — New Years Baby 1953 (uncredited), Ed McMahon's little helper (uncredited)

Appearances as themselves (7)

• 2003Making 'Carnivàle': The Show Behind the Show — Self
• 2001An Introduction to David Lynch — Self
• 2001Learning to Speak in the Red Room — Self
• 2001Postcards From The Cast — Self
• 2001Reflections on the Phenomenon of Twin Peaks — Self
• 1997Screwed — himself
• 1987Little Mike: A Videoportrait of Michael Anderson — Himself