Profile Text
Birth Name: Mary Helen Anderson
Date of Birth: May 22, 1934
Place of Birth: Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Date of Death: October 28, 2012
Place of Death: Encino, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – Norwegian, possibly other * mother – Swedish
Merry Anders was an American actress and model. Having acted mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, her roles included the films The Farmer Takes a Wife , All That Heaven Allows , The Night Runner , Desk Set (1957), Calypso Heat Wave , Hear Me Good , The Dalton Girls , Violent Road , The Hypnotic Eye , Young Jesse James , The Police Dog Story , When the Clock Strikes , 20,000 Eyes , Secret of Deep Harbor , Patty (1962), House of the Damned , The Time Travelers (1964), Raiders from Beneath the Sea , and Women of the Prehistoric Planet ; and the shows The Ford Television Theatre , The Stu Erwin Show , It’s Always Jan , Cheyenne , How to Marry a Millionaire , 77 Sunset Strip , Maverick , Hawaiian Eye , The Joey Bishop Show , Arrest and Trial , Never Too Young , Lassie , Dragnet , and Gunsmoke . She was also known as Merry A. Benedict.
She was the daughter of Helen Catherine and Charles Howard Anderson, a contractor. Her maternal grandparents were Swedish. Merry moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1949. She was married to engineer Richard Benedict, until his death. Merry had a daughter with her former husband, producer John Stephens.
Merry’s paternal grandfather was named Charles B. Anderson (the son of Henry Anderson and Ingeborg). Charles was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Norwegian parents.
Merry’s paternal grandmother was Olina Brown (the daughter of Thomas Michael Brown and Cornelia “Nellie” Helgeson/Helgesen). Olina was born in Chicago, Illinois. Thomas was born in Henry, Illinois. Nellie was born in Boone, Illinois, the daughter of Norwegian parents, Ole Helgesen and Cristense Olesdatter Kaasa, who was from Seljord, Telemark.
Merry’s maternal grandfather was Charles Adolph Hagberg (the son of Andrew Hagberg and Johanna Larsdotter). Charles was born in Ryninga, Kölaby, Älvsborg, Sweden. Andrew was born in Trädet, Västra Götaland, the son of Abraham Andersson and Gustafa Andersdotter. Johanna was born in Solberga, Fors, Älvsborg, the daughter of Lars Larson.
Merry’s maternal grandmother was Josephine Albertina Johnson (the daughter of Jakob Johansson and Inger Lena Nilsdotter). Josephine was born in Jonsnahult, Sweden. Jakob was born in Knäred, Halland, the son of Johannes Johansson and Ingegerd Larsdotter. Inger was born in Torsakulla, the daughter of Nils Pehrsson and Johanna Jonsdotter.
Source: Genealogy of Merry Anders – https://www.familysearch.org