Before Anderson began his career in 1950 as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player, he studied at the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, which led to work in radio and stock theater. His many films at MGM included "The Magnificent Yankee" (1950) as Reynolds, "The Student Prince" (1954) as Lucas, and "Forbidden Planet" (1956), as Chief Engineer Quinn. Among his later films were the World War I drama "Paths of Glory" (1957) directed by Stanley Kubrick, in which Anderson played the prosecuting attorney. Anderson played Ricardo Del Amo in the second season of Zorro (1957 TV series), a friend and rival of Diego de la Vega (Guy Williams). He was the object of the unrequited love of Clara Varner (Joanne Woodward) in "The Long, Hot Summer" (1958) and a suspicious military officer in "Seven Days in May" (1964).